Kitchen Islands and New Receptacle Requirements in the 2020 NEC

Kitchen islands have been getting bigger for years. The larger surface areas for islands in today’s kitchens have prompted some to wonder if the requirements within the National Electric Code (NEC) need to be revisited. How big does the island need to be to require more than one receptacle outlet to be installed? The good news is the 2020 NEC answers this question.

When something seems out of whack in the NEC, it is your responsibility to help fix it. If you are a living, breathing individual who sees a problem with requirements in the NEC, an avenue exists for your voice to be heard. Notice I said “living, breathing individual.” You do not have to be an “electrical professional” to affect Code changes. Documented cases exist where moms and dads, painters, and even plumbers have submitted their concerns to the NEC, and their substantiations have resulted in change.

Does the intended seating area in this photo need to be counted in the square footage for receptacle outlet requirements for a kitchen island? At present, the answer is yes.

If you are an apprentice, electrician, engineer, or other electrical professional who isn’t engaged in the Code-making process, then you are not fully engaged in the electrical industry. The NEC exists because of each person who has an idea or an issue — and takes the time to send in his or her thoughts. This is exactly how changes in the kitchen island and receptacle outlet requirements in the 2020 NEC came about.

What Actually Happened?

A public input was received by NEC Code-Making Panel 2 (CMP-2) on the number of receptacle outlets for kitchen island locations in a dwelling unit. This request was made on behalf of a well-known electrical labor association. Substantiation was offered that receptacle outlet availability for large islands in kitchens needed the attention of CMP-2. If you are not aware, CMP-2 has purview over NEC Art. 210 [Branch Circuits]. The submission noted that more receptacle outlets were necessary for the homeowner to properly use that large surface without the use of extension cords. What followed were many conversations at the committee level to determine exactly what constituted an acceptable number of receptacle outlets. After several options were discussed, a decision was brought forward to base the number of receptacle outlets on the square footage of the island countertop (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1. This illustration shows how to calculate the square footage of a kitchen island.

Per Sec. 210.52(C)(2)(a), provide at least one receptacle for the first 0.84 m² (9 ft²) of countertop or work surface. A receptacle outlet is then required for every additional 1.7 m² (18 ft²) of countertop or work surface. In addition, at least one receptacle outlet should be located within 600 mm (2 ft) of the outer end of the peninsular countertop or work surface.

Flex Your Math Muscle

The next step in the process is to come up with a way to explain how to calculate the appropriate number of receptacle outlets to meet the minimum requirements of the Code.

Being an electrician means knowing some basic math. From bending conduit in a large commercial building to determining receptacle outlet spacing in a dwelling unit, math is part of the trade. Before some of you start to get apprehensive about how to make these calculations, don’t worry. Figure 2 does a good job of summarizing how to come up with this number for certain countertop square footages. In the event the table does not cover the size of the surface area you have encountered, you will need to do the math.

Fig. 2. Illustration showing a table for reference as to receptacle outlet requirements for kitchen islands.

Now Open for Interpretation and Feedback

An attempt was made by CMP-2 to address the concerns of public inputs and public comments about receptacle outlet requirements in today’s large kitchen islands. Now it’s up to the installation and inspection communities to let CMP-2 know if they got this rule change right.

Speaking as a member of CMP-2, but not as an official representative of CMP-2, I know there were several items brought up during our discussions that we could not resolve. However, we did the best job that we could with the information we had to work with regarding this situation.

One item that was difficult to address related to what to do with a kitchen island countertop that also serves as a countertop surface for eating. Please reference the introductory photo of this article for an example of this type of kitchen island. Does this intended seating area need to be counted in the square footage for receptacle outlet requirements for a kitchen island? At present, the answer is yes. In the future, however, this could change based on feedback from the installer, inspector, homeowner, or anyone else with a viable comment. Future feedback will help shape potential change in the 2023 NEC.

Remember, don’t wait on someone else to bring an idea to the Code-making process and then get upset when it doesn’t happen. You can affect change by being part of the process. Through your individual actions, you will be doing your part to keep your friends and family electrically safe.

Inspector Intel articles are provided by the International Association of Electrical Inspectors (IAEI), www.iaei.org, a membership-driven, non-profit association headquartered in Richardson, Texas, that promotes electrical safety throughout the industry by providing education, certification of inspectors, advocacy, partnerships, and expert leadership in electrical codes and standards.

Wages, Jr., is the technical advisor, education, codes and standards for IAEI. He represents IAEI on NFPA’s NEC Code-Making Panel-2 for the 2020 NEC. He also serves on the UL Electrical Council and on several UL Technical Standard Panels. Wages, Jr., is an ICC certified building official and an IAEI-certified electrical inspector for one- and two-family dwellings. He can be reached at [email protected].