Required Wall Receptacles by the 6-Foot Rule (NEC 210.52(A))
How many receptacle outlets a room's walls need under the NEC 6-foot rule, wall space by wall space.
Example
You enter
- Spaces length (ft) 14; length (ft) 9; length (ft) 3; length (ft) 1.5; length (ft) 22
- Space type room
You get
- Total receptacles 6
- Narrow count 1
Checked against published worked examples from: NFPA.
Details, formula, and sources
Scope210.52(A)(1) says no point along the floor line of a wall space may be more than 6 ft from an outlet. That is a reach, not a spacing: one outlet within 6 ft of an end covers 12 ft of wall, so a space of L ft needs ceil(L / 12). A 14 ft wall needs two and a 24 ft wall still needs two, at 6 ft and 18 ft. Spaces under 2 ft need none, and the reader enters the spaces already divided at doorways, fireplaces and fixed cabinets, with a run that turns a corner entered as one space. A bedroom of 14, 9, 3, 1.5 and 22 ft wall spaces needs 2 + 1 + 1 + 0 + 2 = 6 outlets, with the slack each space leaves for moving an outlet behind the bed. Hallways 10 ft or longer (210.52(H)) and foyers over 60 sq ft (210.52(I)) have their own modes. Countertop outlets are counted by the Kitchen Countertop Receptacles calculator; the adopted NEC edition and the inspector govern.
Formula or tableper wall space of L ft: receptacles = ceil(L / 12) when L >= 2 ft, else 0; slack = 12 x receptacles - L. Hallway mode: 1 when the hallway is 10 ft or longer. Foyer mode (foyer over 60 sq ft): 1 per wall space 3 ft or wider. Room total = sum over spaces.
Source and editionNEC 2023 (NFPA 70).
Free accessFree read-only access at nfpa.org/freeaccess.
What governsEstimate. AHJ and licensed electrician govern. Verify against the NEC edition adopted in your jurisdiction.
API field namesspaces, space_type, total_receptacles, narrow_count
- Spaces entered already divided the reader splits a wall at each doorway, fireplace and fixed cabinet; the calculator cannot see themNEC 210.52(A)(2)
- Receptacles above 5.5 ft do not count outlets more than 5.5 ft above the floor are not part of the required countNEC 210.52 (general)
- Hallway length measured along the centerline without passing through a doorwayNEC 210.52(H)