National Electrical Code (NFPA 70)
Georgia enforces the 2023 NEC as a statewide minimum
The 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) has been in force in Georgia since Jan 1, 2025. It applies as a statewide minimum; local codes may go further. Adopted by Georgia Board of Community Affairs (Department of Community Affairs). The legal citation is Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 110-11-1-.31; O.C.G.A. 8-2-23.
Record of adoption
Edition in force
2023 NEC
Georgia State Minimum Standard Electrical Code (NEC 2023 with Georgia Amendments)
Verified
- In force since
- Legal citation
- Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 110-11-1-.31; O.C.G.A. 8-2-23
- Adopted by
- Georgia Board of Community Affairs (Department of Community Affairs)
- Second reading
- Applies
- Statewide minimum; local codes may go further
- State amendments
- Minor
- Also called
- 2026 Georgia Amendments to the 2023 NEC
2023 NEC (no amendments) took effect Jan 1, 2025; separate 2026 Georgia Amendments to the 2023 NEC took effect Jan 1, 2026 (a few items dated Jan 1, 2027). These dates come from DCA memos.
Exceptions
- Local governments may adopt local amendments reviewed by DCA; the state minimum codes are enforced through local governments
How Georgia adopts the NEC
DCA, with the State Codes Advisory Committee’s recommendation, publishes a notice of intent and synopsis; the Board of Community Affairs votes (typically in the fall) and the rule is filed with an effective date of January 1 of the following year. No legislative approval step was found; the statute lets the department adopt new editions with a majority Board vote after public hearings under the Georgia APA.
Cycle. Irregular; the Board adopts new editions at its discretion, usually with a January 1 effective date. NEC 2023 followed the 2020 edition (2021 effective).
Laws, rulings, and other actions
- LegislationHB 8122025-2026 regular session
Would have required State Codes Advisory Committee approval or denial of local amendments to the state minimum standard codes (locality could override), plus permit timelines.
Failed (last action House Withdrawn, Recommitted Mar 6, 2026, per secondary tracker)
policyrisk.com (opens in a new tab)
How it was checked
Verified
Two separate readings of the state’s own record agree, and the passage is on file word for word.
Read twice: a second, blind reading of the state’s record agreed with the first on .
The state’s record was last read on , from four source pages.
Evidence 4 sources
Sources for the record itself come first, the state’s own records ahead of others. A label marks a source about something else, such as an exception. A source marked secondary is not the state’s own record.
“will become effective on January 1, 2025.”
Memo: NEC and IBC amendment effective Jan 1 2025 (Dec 2, 2024)Georgia Department of Community Affairsdca.georgia.gov (opens in a new tab)Agency pageRetrieved “2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) w/ 2026 GA Amendments”
Georgia IB Codes Info Sheet (January 1, 2026)Georgia Department of Community Affairsdca.georgia.gov (opens in a new tab)Agency pageRetrieved Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 110-11-1-.31 - National Electrical Code (NEC), 2023 EditionCornell LII (mirror of Georgia Compilation of Rules and Regulations)law.cornell.edu (opens in a new tab)Administrative code, secondaryRetrieved About state amendments
New Georgia Codes and Amendments - Effective January 1, 2026Georgia Department of Community Affairsdca.georgia.gov (opens in a new tab)Agency pageRetrieved
Tracker cross-checks
Code adoption trackers are a cross-check. They are not Georgia’s own record.
NFPA’s enforcement mapCross-checkAgrees with the record
Georgia 2023 (1/1/2025) (NEC enforcement table as of Aug 3, 2026, supplied as a lead)
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