NEC 90.13: rough-in checklist

What rough-in actually covers

Rough-in is the wiring phase before drywall: boxes set, cables pulled, staples driven, grounds made up. Once rock goes on, mistakes get expensive. A clean rough passes inspection on the first walk and sets up trim to go fast.

NEC 90 lays the groundwork for how the rest of the code reads, including enforcement, examination of equipment, and the structural rules you apply in the field. Rough-in is where those general rules translate into specific installation requirements under Chapters 2, 3, and 4.

This checklist pulls the articles you touch every rough, in the order you hit them on the job.

Box layout and fill

Set boxes before you pull a single cable. Mounting height is not specified for general receptacles in the NEC, but verify local amendments and ADA where applicable. Boxes in finished surfaces must not be recessed more than 6 mm (1/4 in.) for noncombustible surfaces per NEC 314.20, and flush or raised for combustible.

Box fill is the calculation inspectors love to catch. NEC 314.16(B) counts each conductor, device, clamp, and grounding group. Undersize by one and you are opening every box on that run.

• Each ungrounded and grounded conductor entering the box: 1 count
• All equipment grounding conductors combined: 1 count
• Each yoke or strap (device): 2 counts
• One or more internal clamps: 1 count
• Each support fitting (hickey, fixture stud): 1 count

Use the largest conductor in the box for the volume-per-conductor value in Table 314.16(B). A 14 AWG counts as 2.00 cu in., a 12 AWG as 2.25 cu in., and so on.

Cable protection, support, and bends

NM cable gets abused in the rough, so the code is specific. NEC 334.15 requires cable run through or parallel to framing to follow the surface, and NEC 300.4(D) requires a 1-1/4 in. setback from the nearest edge of studs, joists, and rafters. If you cannot hold that, steel plates of at least 1/16 in. protect the cable.

Support is every 4-1/2 ft and within 12 in. of a single-gang nonmetallic box (8 in. if the box has no clamps), per NEC 334.30. Staples must not crush the jacket. Running boards are required where cables cross at angles to joists in unfinished basements for smaller than 2 conductors of 6 AWG or 3 of 8 AWG, per NEC 334.15(C).

Tip from the field: drill your holes straight and centered. A drilled hole offset toward one face forces setback issues you cannot fix without furring. Ten seconds at the drill saves forty minutes at rough inspection.

Bend radius for NM is 5 times the diameter, per NEC 334.24. Kink it and you damage the conductors, whether the inspector sees it or not.

GFCI, AFCI, and tamper resistant

Protection requirements land during rough because the circuit layout drives them. NEC 210.8(A) now covers essentially all dwelling-unit 125 V through 250 V receptacles 150 V or less to ground in: bathrooms, garages, outdoors, crawl spaces, basements, kitchens, sinks within 6 ft, bathtubs or showers within 6 ft, laundry areas, indoor damp and wet locations, and more. Check the current edition your jurisdiction enforces... 2020, 2023, and 2026 each expanded the list.

AFCI protection per NEC 210.12(A) covers 120 V, 15 and 20 A branch circuits supplying outlets and devices in most dwelling living areas. Plan home runs accordingly so you are not stranding circuits that need combination-type breakers or AFCI receptacles at the first outlet.

• Kitchen small appliance circuits: GFCI and AFCI both apply
• Laundry: GFCI and AFCI
• Dishwasher: GFCI per 422.5(A)(7)
• Bedrooms: AFCI only, but TR receptacles per 406.12

All 125 V, 15 and 20 A receptacles in dwelling units must be tamper-resistant per NEC 406.12, with limited exceptions.

Grounding, bonding, and splices

Make up grounds in every box during rough. NEC 250.148 requires equipment grounding conductors to be connected so that removal of a device does not interrupt grounding continuity. Pigtail your grounds. Do not rely on the device strap as the sole path unless using a listed self-grounding device in a metal box.

All splices belong inside an accessible box with an approved cover, per NEC 300.15. No buried splices, no splices in the wall cavity, no exceptions because it was convenient.

Tip: pre-make your grounds before insulation day. Inspectors check grounds on every box. If they are made up and folded in, the walk goes fast. If they are loose tails, plan to be there all afternoon.

Pre-inspection walkthrough

Before you call the inspection, do your own walk with a flashlight and tape measure. Treat it as if you were failing yourself. Most rough fails come from the same short list.

1. Box setback: flush to drywall line, not buried
2. Staples within 12 in. of every box, every 4-1/2 ft on runs
3. Cable protection plates on any bore under 1-1/4 in. setback
4. Box fill verified on multi-gang and junction boxes
5. Grounds made up, not dangling
6. Home run labels on panel legs so trim goes clean
7. No damaged jacket, no sharp bends, no abandoned cables
8. Smoke and CO box locations per NEC 210.12 and local code

Document the circuit map before drywall closes. A photo of each wall with boxes labeled saves hours during trim when you are chasing which cable feeds what.