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StandardCitation2026

NFPA 70, National Electrical Code (NEC), 2026 edition

NFPA · National Fire Protection Association

NFPA 70 is the US baseline for electrical design, installation and inspection, and the reference for IT equipment rooms, modular data centres and critical operations power systems in US-profile data center projects.

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Overview

NFPA 70, the US National Electrical Code (NEC), is regarded as the baseline for electrical design, installation and inspection. NFPA's own page describes it as enforced in all 50 US states and as the benchmark for safe electrical design, installation and inspection. For data centres it is the reference in US-profile projects, covering IT equipment rooms, modular data centres, critical operations power systems and energy storage.

The current edition is 2026, and the next is 2029, whose revision cycle is tagged 'Annual 2028'. NFPA is mid-way through a multi-edition reorganization that began in 2023 and is planned to finish in the 2029 edition. Article numbers and the location of content can therefore change between editions. The 2023 edition added articles for installations over 1 000 V AC and 1 500 V DC and moved limited-energy systems content to Chapter 7.

Further reorganization took place in the 2026 edition, with completion targeted for the 2029 edition. This reorganization means rule citations must be tracked by edition. This record uses only NFPA's public standard development page. Related documents include NFPA 75, NFPA 70E and the IEC 60364 series, and NEC rules apply only in US projects.

Key points

  1. The current edition is 2026; the next edition is 2029.
  2. Described as enforced in all 50 US states and the benchmark for safe electrical design, installation and inspection.
  3. The 2023 edition added articles for installations over 1 000 V AC / 1 500 V DC.
  4. The 2023 edition moved limited-energy systems content to Chapter 7.
  5. Further reorganization occurred in the 2026 edition, with completion targeted for 2029.
  6. The revision cycle for the 2029 edition is tagged 'Annual 2028'.
  7. In data centres it is referenced for IT equipment rooms, modular data centres, critical operations power systems and energy storage.
  8. Related documents: NFPA 75, NFPA 70E, IEC 60364 series.

Using it in design

  • When NEC is selected, check article numbers against the 2026 edition because the reorganization moved content (for example the rules above 1 000 V).
  • Store the edition in each rule citation so rules can be re-mapped for 2029.
  • Use NEC rules for IT-room disconnecting means and critical-operations circuits only in US projects.
  • In projects outside the US, base the design on the IEC 60364 series or local regulations.

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Who should read it

Engineers carrying out electrical design and code compliance on US-profile data center projects.

Related standards

  • NFPA 75
  • NFPA 70E
  • IEC 60364 series

Publication details

Authors
National Fire Protection Association
Publisher
NFPA
Year
2026
Document number
NFPA 70
Document language
English
Source type
Standard
Access
Citation only
Licence
Copyright retained; citation only — the publisher’s terms apply to the original document
Original licence note

NFPA codes are copyrighted; free read-only access requires an NFPA account, purchase otherwise. Record uses only the public NFPA development page.

Citation

National Fire Protection Association (2026). NFPA 70, National Electrical Code (NEC), 2026 edition. NFPA. NFPA 70. https://www.nfpa.org/codes-and-standards/nfpa-70-standard-development/70

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