Dwelling Required Receptacle Outlets Calculator

Where a receptacle outlet is required, at a glance

210.52 sets the required receptacle outlets for a dwelling unit by location. Some are a fixed count with a placement distance; others scale with the space (a receptacle per vehicle bay, per unfinished basement portion, or per qualifying foyer wall space), and two carry an electric-power condition that decides whether the requirement applies.

Required outlets vs. spacing: two different questions

This tool answers where a receptacle outlet is required and the minimum number by location. It is the receptacle counterpart of the Dwelling Lighting Outlet tool for 210.70. The other half of 210.52, the spacing count along a general wall (the 6 ft / 12 ft rule, 210.52(A)) and along a kitchen wall counter (the 24 in / 4 ft rule, 210.52(C)(1)), is a placement calculation rather than a fixed-location requirement, so it lives in the Dwelling Receptacle Spacing calculator. Use both together: this tool for the required locations and counts, the spacing tool for how far apart the receptacles go on a given wall or counter run.

The 2020 garage change

Before the 2020 NEC, a dwelling garage needed one receptacle outlet. NEC 2020 210.52(G)(1) now requires a receptacle in each vehicle bay, not more than 5.5 ft above the floor, in each attached garage and in each detached garage that has electric power. A two-car garage needs at least two receptacles, one serving each bay, and at least one of them must be on the 20 A garage branch circuit required by 210.11(C)(4). A detached garage with no electric power is not covered by this section, but if power is run to it the requirement applies.

Worked example: a one-family dwelling

A one-family dwelling has a kitchen, a two-basin bathroom, a two-car attached garage, an unfinished basement in one open space, a 14 ft hallway, a rear deck, and an 80 sq ft foyer with three qualifying wall spaces. The kitchen and dining receptacles ride on at least two 20 A small-appliance circuits, 210.52(B). The bathroom takes one receptacle within 3 ft of a basin, and one well-placed receptacle can serve both basins, 210.52(D). The garage takes two receptacles, one per bay, 210.52(G)(1). The basement takes one, 210.52(G)(3). The 14 ft hallway is 10 ft or more, so it takes one, 210.52(H). Outdoors takes two at grade plus one on the deck, so three, 210.52(E). The 80 sq ft foyer is over 60 sq ft, so it takes a receptacle in each of the three wall spaces 3 ft or wider, 210.52(I).

Common mistakes

• One garage receptacle for a two-car garage. The 2020 NEC requires one in each vehicle bay, not one per garage, 210.52(G)(1).
• Forgetting the second outdoor receptacle. A one-family dwelling needs one at the front and one at the back at grade, 210.52(E)(1), plus one per deck or porch, 210.52(E)(3).
• Treating a foyer 60 sq ft or smaller as covered. 210.52(I) applies only to foyers greater than 60 sq ft; the requirement is on wall spaces 3 ft or wider.
• Skipping the basement receptacle. Each separate unfinished portion of a basement needs one, 210.52(G)(3), and all dwelling basement receptacles need GFCI protection under 2020 210.8(A).
• Reading a short hallway as requiring an outlet. Only hallways 10 ft or longer are covered, 210.52(H).

Frequently asked questions

Where are receptacle outlets required in a house?

NEC 210.52 covers the kitchen/dining small-appliance areas, wall/island/peninsular countertops, bathrooms (within 3 ft of each basin), outdoors (front and back), the laundry area, garages (one per vehicle bay) and accessory buildings and unfinished basements, hallways 10 ft or longer, and foyers over 60 sq ft. Pick a location above for the specific requirement and count.

How far can a receptacle be from a bathroom sink?

At least one receptacle must be within 3 ft of the outside edge of each basin, per 210.52(D). One receptacle between two adjacent basins can serve both if it is within 3 ft of each.

How many outlets does a garage need under the 2020 NEC?

One in each vehicle bay, not more than 5.5 ft above the floor, per 2020 210.52(G)(1), in an attached garage and in a detached garage with electric power. That is a change from earlier editions, which required only one per garage.

Do I need an outlet outside?

Yes. A one-family dwelling and each unit of a two-family dwelling needs at least two outdoor receptacles, one front and one back, accessible at grade and not more than 6.5 ft above grade, per 210.52(E)(1), plus one on each balcony, deck, or porch accessible from inside.

Does a hallway need an outlet?

Only where the hallway is 10 ft or more in length, per 210.52(H). A shorter hallway is not required to have a receptacle outlet by this section.

Does this use the 2020 or 2023 NEC?

This tool uses the NEC 2020 text of 210.52. The 2023 NEC rewrote the island and peninsula countertop rules to a per-area basis; this tool applies the 2020 24 in by 12 in size threshold. Always verify against the edition your jurisdiction has adopted.

Related calculators

• Dwelling Receptacle Spacing Calculator: the 210.52(A) 6 ft / 12 ft wall count and the 210.52(C)(1) countertop count, the spacing half of these requirements.
• Dwelling Lighting Outlet Requirements Calculator: where a lighting outlet is required per NEC 210.70, the lighting-side sibling of these receptacle rules.
• Minimum Branch Circuits Calculator: the 210.11 dwelling branch-circuit count, including the small-appliance, laundry, and garage circuits.
• GFCI Breaker Sizing Calculator: where dwelling receptacles need GFCI protection per NEC 210.8.
• Tamper-Resistant Receptacle Calculator: where receptacles must be tamper-resistant and weather-resistant per NEC 406.12 and 406.9.