National Electrical Code (NFPA 70)
New York enforces the 2023 NEC, with exceptions
The 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) has been in force in New York since Dec 31, 2025. It applies statewide, with exceptions. Adopted by State Fire Prevention and Building Code Council (NYS Department of State); local governments administer and enforce. The legal citation is 19 NYCRR Part 1221 (incorporates the BCNYS by reference; Part 1219 defines it); Executive Law Article 18.
Record of adoption
Edition in force
2023 NEC
NFPA 70 as referenced by the 2025 Building Code of New York State (no separate state electrical code)
Partial
- In force since
- Legal citation
- 19 NYCRR Part 1221 (incorporates the BCNYS by reference; Part 1219 defines it); Executive Law Article 18
- Adopted by
- State Fire Prevention and Building Code Council (NYS Department of State); local governments administer and enforce
- Second reading
- Applies
- Statewide, with exceptions
- Also called
- NEC, NFPA 70, BCNYS Chapter 27, BCNYS Appendix K
The 2023 edition rests on the Department of State’s comment record, the Part 1228 rail-station text, and the Part 1240 Energy Code text. The rail-station text lists NFPA 70-2023, and the Energy Code text incorporates it by reference.
Exceptions
- New York City enforces its own 2025 NYC Electrical Code (NYC Administrative Code Title 28, Article 1101), based on the 2020 NEC with NYC amendments, in full effect Dec 21, 2025
How New York adopts the NEC
The State Fire Prevention and Building Code Council (19 members, supported by the Department of State) adopts and amends the Uniform Code (19 NYCRR Parts 1219-1229) by rule under Executive Law Article 18, with notice in the State Register; the statute requires only that it periodically review the code, and that the secretary (the Secretary of State) hold hearings and approve code changes before they take effect (Exec. Law 377(1)). The 2025 cycle: adopted Jul 25, 2025, State Register notice Oct 1, 2025, amended rule adopted Dec 5, 2025 (State Register Dec 24, 2025), effective Dec 31, 2025. No legislative approval, review or update schedule was found in Executive Law 377 or Energy Law 11-103.
Cycle. Irregular; no statutory schedule. The previous Uniform Code and Energy Code amendments took effect May 12, 2020, and the current ones Dec 31, 2025.
How it was checked
Partial
Researched in the state’s own record. The seal stays broken until 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 11 source pages.
Evidence 13 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.
“The publication entitled “2025 Building Code of New York State” (publication date: July 2025),”
“The 2025 BCNYS is incorporated by reference in Part 1221 of this Title.”
19 NYCRR Part 1219 (2025 text)New York State Department of Statedos.ny.gov (opens in a new tab)Administrative codeRetrieved “(4) NFPA. The following publication published by National Fire Protection Association is incorporated hereby by reference: 70-23 National Electric Code.”
19 NYCRR Part 1240 (2025 Energy Code rule text)New York State Department of Statedos.ny.gov (opens in a new tab)Administrative codeRetrieved “The commenter noted that the adoption will include the 2023 edition of NFPA 70, the National Electric Code (NEC), as a referenced standard”
Assessment of Public Comments (Uniform Code)New York State Department of Statedos.ny.gov (opens in a new tab)Agency pageRetrieved “RESPONSE TO COMMENT 17: The Uniform Code books are based on the 2024 I-Codes.”
Assessment of Public Comments (Uniform Code)New York State Department of Statedos.ny.gov (opens in a new tab)Agency pageRetrieved “NFPA 70 ‐ National Electrical Code as published by the National Fire Protection Association, published 2023”
Uniform Code Provisions for Rail Stations (2025 notice of adoption text)New York State Department of Statedos.ny.gov (opens in a new tab)Agency pageRetrieved “The effective date of the 2025 NYS Uniform Code is December 31, 2025.”
“Uniform Code (19 NYCRR Parts 1219 to 1229)”
Notice of AdoptionNew York State Department of Statedos.ny.gov (opens in a new tab)Agency pageRetrieved “On July 25, 2025, the State Fire Prevention and Building Code Council (the “Code Council”) adopted rules”
Notice of AdoptionNew York State Department of Statedos.ny.gov (opens in a new tab)Agency pageRetrieved “It is applicable in every municipality of the State except the City of New York”
“which was permitted to retain its own code unless the Code Council”
Administration and Enforcement of the Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code (DOS PDF)New York State Department of Statedos.ny.gov (opens in a new tab)Agency pageRetrieved “It is applicable in every part of the State with the exception of New York City, which is currently permitted”
“to retain its own code.”
Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code (DOS page)New York State Department of Statedos.ny.gov (opens in a new tab)Agency pageRetrieved “Executive Law § 381 requires local government to administer and enforce the Uniform Code within its boundaries.”
Legal Memorandum LG03: NYS Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code, What Elected Officials Need to KnowNew York State Department of Statedos.ny.gov (opens in a new tab)Agency pageRetrieved 2025 Building Code of New York StateNew York State Department of Statedos.ny.gov (opens in a new tab)Agency pageRetrieved About an exception
“§ 28-1101.1 Enactment of the New York city electrical code.”
“The 2020 edition of the National Fire Protection Association NFPA 70 National Electrical Code is hereby adopted”
2025 New York City Electrical CodeNYC Department of Buildingsnyc.gov (opens in a new tab)Administrative codeRetrieved About an exception
“The 2025 New York City Electrical Code took full effect on December 21, 2025.”
Electrical Code (NYC Department of Buildings)NYC Department of Buildingsnyc.gov (opens in a new tab)Agency pageRetrieved
Tracker cross-checks
Code adoption trackers are a cross-check. They are not New York’s own record.
Mike Holt’s NEC adoption listCross-checkAgrees with the record
New York row: NEC edition 2023, comment “Effective 12/31/25”; no separate New York City row; page shows no last-updated date.
NFPA’s enforcement mapCross-checkAgrees with the record
New York 2023 (12/31/2025)
Read Oct 18, 2026; NFPA page as of Aug 3, 2026; its New York City entry shows 2020 with NYC amendments from 12/21/2025.
IAEI’s code adoption pageCross-checkDoes not agree with the record
New York State: adopted electrical code NEC-2023, effective January 1, 2026; Uniform Code applies statewide except New York City, where DOB enforces NEC-2020 with amendments. Edition agrees; effective date is one day later than the DOS date of Dec 31, 2025.