2020 SC Electrical Code Changes

South Carolina adopted new residential electrical codes for homeowners effective 01.01.23.

Below is a list of code changes from Wade Dodgens, Chiel Electrical Inspector with Greenville County. Everything marked thru is not going to be enforced per Wade Dodgens. If you have any specific questions to ask please reach out to him directly at Greenville County Building Permits, telephone 864.467.7060.

230.85 Emergency Disconnects: A new requirement for one- and two-family dwelling units to have an emergency disconnect installed in a readily accessible exterior location was added. IRC 3601.8

210.8 Number of Service Disconnects: A service is required to have only one disconnecting means; except as permitted in Sec. 230.71(B). The rule for up tp six service disconnects was deleted. IRC3601.7

210.8 (A). Dwelling Units.

210.8 (A) (5). Basements.

210.8 (F) Outdoor Outlets.

210.12 (C). AFCI protection required in Guest Rooms and Guest Suites, and Patient Sleeping Rooms of Nursing Homes and limited Care Facilities.

210.52 (C) (2). Island and Peninsular Countertops and Work Surfaces. (a) At least one receptacle shall be installed for the first Additional outlets required, shall be permitted to be located as determined by the installer, designer or owner. IRC3901.4.2

210.70 (A) (1). Habitable Rooms. The change here is that the required wall mounted control device for lighting outlets in habitable rooms must be located near the entrance on a wall. (Already common practice). IRC3903.2

230.67 (A) thru (D). Surge Protection.

406.9 (C). Bathtub and Shower Space. Receptacles shall not be installed within a zone measured 3ft horizontally and 8ft vertically from the top of the tub rim or shower stall threshold. This is all encompassing and shall include the space directly over the tub or shower. Exception: In bathrooms with less than the required zone the receptacle(s) shall be permitted to be installed opposite the bathtub or shower stall on the farthest wall within the room. IRC4002.11

406.12. Tamper Resistant Devices. TR devices for all 15 and 20-amp 125 and 250 volt receptacles are now required to be installed in common areas of multifamily dwellings, common areas of hotel and motels, Dormitory units, and Assisted living facilities. IRC4002.14

Reference Links

South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation
South Carolina Building Codes Council

2021 Modification Index

IRC 2021-66

E3606.5 Surge protection.

E3802.4. In unfinished basements and Where Type NM or SE cable is run at angles with joists in unfinished basements and crawl spaces, cable assemblies containing two or more conductors of sizes 6 AWG and larger and assemblies containing three or more conductors of sizes 8 AWG and larger shall not require additional protection where attached directly to the bottom of the joists. Smaller cables shall be run either through bored holes in joists or on running boards. Type NM or SE cable installed on the wall of an unfinished basement shall be permitted to be installed in a listed conduit or tubing or shall be protected in accordance with Table E3802.1. Conduit or tubing shall be provided with a suitable insulating bushing or adapter at the point where the cable enters the raceway. The sheath of the Type NM or SE cable shall extend through the conduit or tubing and into the outlet or device box not less than 1/4 inch (6.4 mm). The cable shall be secured within 12 inches (305 mm) of the point where the cable enters the conduit or tubing. Metal conduit, tubing, and metal outlet boxes shall be connected to an equipment grounding conductor complying with Section E3908.14. [334.15(C)]

E3901.4.2 Island and peninsular countertops and work spaces. Receptacle outlets shall be installed in accordance with the following: [210.52(C)(2)]
1. At least one receptacle outlet shall be provided for the first 6 feet (1829 mm) of length (0.84 m2), or fraction thereof, of the countertop or work surface. [210.52(C)(2)(a)] A minimum of two receptacle outlets shall be provided for any island over 6 feet (1829 mm) long.
2. At least one receptacle outlet shall be located within 2 feet (600 mm) of the outer end of a peninsular countertop or work surface. Additional receptacle outlets shall be permitted to be located as determined by the installer, designer or building owner. The location of the receptacle outlets shall be in accordance with Section E3901.4.3. [210.52(C)(2)(b)]

SECTION E3902
GROUND-FAULT AND ARC-FAULT CIRCUIT-INTERRUPTER PROTECTION
Entire section E3902.1 - E3902.18 modified to remove “through 250 volt” from text.

E3902.5 Basement receptacles. 125-volt receptacles installed in basements and supplied by single phase branch circuits rated 150 volts or less to ground shall have ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for personnel. [210.8(A)(5)]

Exceptions:
1. A receptacle supplying only a permanently installed fire alarm or burglar alarm system. A receptacle installed in accordance with this exception shall not be considered as meeting the requirement of Section E3901.9. Receptacles installed in accordance with this exception shall not be considered as meeting the requirement of Section E3901.9. [210.8(A)(5) Exception]

2. Receptacles in walk-out basements are excluded from this requirement.

E3902.20 Arc-fault circuit interrupter protection. In areas other than kitchen and laundry areas, branch circuits that supply 120-volt, single-phase, 15- and 20- ampere outlets installed in kitchens, family rooms, dining rooms, living rooms, parlors, libraries, dens, bedrooms, sunrooms, recreations rooms, closets, hallways, laundry areas and similar rooms or areas shall be protected by any of the following: [210.12(A)]

E4002.14 Tamper-resistant receptacles. In areas specified in Section E3901.1, 15- and 20-ampere, 125- nonlocking-type receptacles shall be listed tamper-resistant receptacles. [406.12]

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