How far apart can outlets be in a living room?

No point along a usable wall may be more than 6 feet from a receptacle per NEC 210.52(A), which works out to a maximum of 12 feet between outlets.

Does the 6 foot outlet spacing rule apply to garages or commercial buildings?

No. NEC 210.52 spacing applies to dwelling habitable rooms. Garages and commercial occupancies have separate receptacle requirements without the 6 foot spacing rule.

What Is the Maximum Distance Between Electrical Outlets?

A user asked the app for the code on maximum distance between outlets. The rule in NEC 2023 210.52(A) is written as a 6 foot rule: in dwelling habitable rooms, no point along the floor line of a usable wall may be more than 6 feet from a receptacle. Two receptacles each reaching 6 feet gives the familiar 12 feet maximum between outlets.

How the 6 foot rule is measured

The measurement runs along the floor line of the wall, around corners, and it is meant to let a standard 6 foot appliance cord reach an outlet from any spot without an extension cord. Any wall space 2 feet or wider counts and needs its own receptacle coverage per 210.52(A)(2), including the short wall between two doorways. Fixed panels of glass count as wall space; doorways and fireplaces do not. Floor receptacles only count toward the rule when they are within 18 inches of the wall.

Kitchens, hallways, and other spaces

Kitchen countertops have their own tighter rules in 210.52(C): no point along the counter wall line more than 24 inches from a receptacle. NEC 2023 rewrote this section, and island and peninsula receptacle placement is now largely governed by 210.52(C)(2) with receptacles no longer permitted below the counter overhang except in limited cases, so check the current text before roughing an island. Hallways 10 feet or longer need at least one receptacle per 210.52(H), foyers over 60 square feet get coverage under 210.52(I), and bathrooms need one within 3 feet of each basin per 210.52(D).

Where the spacing rule does not apply

210.52 is a dwelling unit section. Garages, unfinished basements, offices, and commercial spaces have no 6 foot spacing requirement; they follow their own receptacle rules such as 210.52(G) for dwelling garages, which wants one receptacle per vehicle bay. Also remember the rule sets a maximum spacing, not a limit on how many receptacles you may install. Adding outlets beyond the minimum is always permitted and usually appreciated.

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