555.1 Scope.
Code Change Summary: Revised title and scope of Article 555.
In the 2020 NEC®, Article 553 was deleted, and its contents were relocated into Article 555.
In the 2017 NEC®, Article 553 covered wiring, services, feeders, and grounding for floating buildings. Article 555 covered almost everything else related to floating piers, boathouses, yacht clubs and the like but only mentioned the moorage of floating buildings rather than covering the floating building itself.
Now, among other things, Article 555 includes the installation of wiring and equipment for floating buildings and Article 553 has been removed. Additionally, new informational note 2 provides insight on hazardous voltages and currents related to boats, floating buildings, docks, and similar structures connected to electricity.
Below is a preview of the NEC®. See the actual NEC® text at NFPA.ORG for the complete code section. Once there, click on their link to free access to the 2020 NEC® edition of NFPA 70.
2017 Code Language:
ARTICLE 555
Marinas, Boatyards, and Commercial and Noncommercial Docking Facilities
555.1 Scope. This article covers the installation of wiring and equipment in the areas comprising fixed or floating piers, wharves, docks, and other areas in marinas, boatyards, boat basins, boathouses, yacht clubs, boat condominiums, docking facilities associated with one-family dwellings, two-family dwellings, multifamily dwellings, and residential condominiums; any multiple docking facility or similar occupancies; and facilities that are used, or intended for use, for the purpose of repair, berthing, launching, storage, or fueling of small craft and the moorage of floating buildings.
2020 Code Language:
ARTICLE 555 Marinas, Boatyards, Floating Buildings, and Commercial and Noncommercial Docking Facilities
N Part I. General
555.1 Scope. This article covers the installation of wiring and equipment in the areas comprising fixed or floating piers, wharves, docks, floating buildings, and other areas in marinas, boatyards, boat basins, boathouses, yacht clubs, boat condominiums, docking facilities associated with one-family dwellings, two-family dwellings, multifamily dwellings, and residential condominiums; any multiple docking facility or similar occupancies; and facilities that are used, or intended for use, for the purpose of repair, berthing, launching, storage, or fueling of small craft and the moorage of floating buildings.
Informational Note No. 1: See NFPA 303-2016, Fire Protection Standard for Marinas and Boatyards, for additional information.
Informational Note No. 2: Where boats, floating buildings, docks, and similar structures are connected to an electrical source or a supply of electricity, hazardous voltages and currents may create serious safety concerns.