National Electrical Code (NFPA 70)
Washington enforces the 2023 NEC
The 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) has been in force in Washington since Apr 1, 2024. It applies statewide. Adopted by Washington State Department of Labor & Industries. The legal citation is WAC 296-46B-010; chapter 19.28 RCW.
Record of adoption
Edition in force
2023 NEC
Electrical safety standards, administration, and installation (chapter 296-46B WAC), adopting NFPA 70-2023
Verified
- In force since
- Legal citation
- WAC 296-46B-010; chapter 19.28 RCW
- Adopted by
- Washington State Department of Labor & Industries
- Second reading
- Applies
- Statewide
- State amendments
- Major
- Also called
- WAC 296-46B, Washington electrical rules
Replaced by the 2026 NEC on Dec 31, 2026. Standards apply by electrical permit issue date. The state amendments are rated substantial because chapter 296-46B WAC has dozens of state NEC installation-amendment sections. Some cities have their own electrical inspection jurisdiction, and WAC 296-46B-010(3) lets Labor & Industries or such a city grant installation variances.
Coming next
- 2026 NECPartialTakes effect Dec 31, 2026Adopted, not yet in forceWAC 296-46B-010; WSR 25-23-069
Adoption order filed Nov 18, 2025 (rule order effective Dec 19, 2025) with a delayed 2026 NEC effective date; the 2023 NEC stays in force until then. A companion L&I rulemaking on state amendments for the 2026 NEC is pending: CR-102 filed Aug 4, 2026, hearing Sep 14, 2026, permanent rule anticipated Nov 17, 2026 (agenda estimate), effective Dec 31, 2026, if adopted.
How Washington adopts the NEC
L&I adopts each NEC edition by amending WAC 296-46B-010 through ordinary rulemaking under chapter 19.28 RCW, with proposals reviewed by a technical advisory committee and the electrical board. RCW 19.28.010 does not name a current NEC edition, so the Legislature does not choose editions and no legislative step is needed. L&I gave the 2026 NEC a delayed effective date (Dec 31, 2026) so stakeholders had advance notice, and runs a separate rulemaking for state amendments.
Cycle. Roughly triennial, following the NEC cycle: 2023 NEC effective Apr 1, 2024, 2026 NEC effective Dec 31, 2026.
Laws, rulings, and other actions
- LegislationSB 61202024 regular session, chapter 133, Laws of 2024
Ties adoption of the Wildland Urban Interface Code to completion of statewide wildfire hazard and risk maps (RCW 19.27.560), so WAC 51-55 stays reserved with no state amendments; this is a separate code, not one of the six tracked slots.
Enacted Mar 15, 2024, effective Mar 15, 2024
lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov (opens in a new tab) - UndatedLegislation2SSB 55282025 regular session, chapter 233, Laws of 2025
Requires L&I to amend the electrical rule (chapter 296-46B WAC) for transportation electrification infrastructure; the rulemaking is separate from the NEC edition change.
Enacted (chapter 233, Laws of 2025)
lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov (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 three source pages.
Evidence 7 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 purpose of this rule making is to adopt the 2023 edition of the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) 70,”
WSR 24-05-085 Permanent Rules, Department of Labor and Industries (chapter 296-46B WAC)Washington State Register (Office of the Code Reviser)lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov (opens in a new tab)State registerRetrieved “Effective Date of Rule: April 1, 2024.”
WSR 24-05-085 Permanent Rules, Department of Labor and Industries (chapter 296-46B WAC)Washington State Register (Office of the Code Reviser)lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov (opens in a new tab)State registerRetrieved “Chapter 19.28 RCW, Electricians and electrical installations, including RCW 19.28.031 and 19.28.251.”
WSR 25-23-069 Permanent Rules, Department of Labor and Industries (adopts the 2026 NEC)Washington State Register (Office of the Code Reviser)lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov (opens in a new tab)State registerRetrieved “The 2023 edition of the National Electrical Code (NFPA 70 - 2023) including Annex A, B, C,”
WAC 296-46B-010 General.Washington State Legislature (Office of the Code Reviser)app.leg.wa.gov (opens in a new tab)Administrative codeRetrieved “WSR 24-05-085, § 296-46B-010, filed 2/21/24, effective 4/1/24;”
WAC 296-46B-010 General.Washington State Legislature (Office of the Code Reviser)app.leg.wa.gov (opens in a new tab)Administrative codeRetrieved About the note
“Adopted standards apply to installations when issue dates of electrical permits are on and after adoption dates of standards”
WAC 296-46B-010 General.Washington State Legislature (Office of the Code Reviser)app.leg.wa.gov (opens in a new tab)Administrative codeRetrieved About the note
“(3) A variance from the electrical installation requirements of chapter 19.28 RCW or this chapter may be granted by the department or the city that has electrical inspection jurisdiction”
WAC 296-46B-010 General.Washington State Legislature (Office of the Code Reviser)app.leg.wa.gov (opens in a new tab)Administrative codeRetrieved
Tracker cross-checks
Code adoption trackers are a cross-check. They are not Washington’s own record.
Mike Holt’s NEC adoption listCross-checkAgrees with the record
Washington listed as 2026 with comment ‘Effective 12/31/26’ (shows the adopted next edition and not the 2023 NEC now in force)
NFPA’s enforcement mapCross-checkAgrees with the record
Washington 2023 (4/1/2024) 2026 update process underway (Projected 12/31/2026)
Read Oct 18, 2026; NFPA page as of Aug 3, 2026.
IAEI’s code adoption pageCross-checkAgrees with the record
Washington listed as ‘2023 4/1/2024’; no 2026 NEC note