NEC 90.14: final inspection checklist

NEC 90.14 sits in the Introduction article and frames how final inspection ties back to the Code's intent: safe installations that meet the enforcement provisions of 90.4. Treat it as the prompt to verify every preceding article has been satisfied before you call for sign-off. Miss something here and you eat the callback.

Below is a field-ready sequence that moves from service entrance to device boxes, grounded in specific NEC citations. Run it in order. Don't skip ahead because a circuit "looked fine" during rough-in.

Service, grounding, and bonding

Start at the service. Confirm the grounding electrode system per NEC 250.50 is complete: rods, concrete-encased electrode (Ufer) where available, metal water pipe within 5 feet of entry, and any structural steel that qualifies. The grounding electrode conductor (GEC) must be sized to NEC 250.66 and terminated with a listed connector, not a split bolt buried in the dirt.

Check main bonding jumper sizing in NEC 250.28. On a separately derived system, verify the system bonding jumper and the connection point match NEC 250.30(A). A floating neutral on a generator transfer switch is the kind of miss that lights up a service panel six months later.

• GEC continuity and termination torque marked
• Equipment grounding conductors (EGC) sized to NEC 250.122
• Bonding bushings on concentric knockouts per NEC 250.97
• Neutral isolated from ground in all subpanels, NEC 250.24(A)(5)

GFCI and AFCI verification

Walk every required GFCI location in NEC 210.8(A) for dwellings and 210.8(B) for other occupancies. That includes bathrooms, kitchens, garages, outdoors, crawl spaces, unfinished basements, laundry areas, within 6 feet of sinks, dishwashers per 210.8(D), and the newer additions covering indoor damp locations. Hit every one with a plug-in tester and the test button.

AFCI coverage under NEC 210.12 now reaches nearly every 120V, 15 and 20 amp branch circuit in dwelling living spaces. Confirm the breaker trips on its self-test and that shared-neutral circuits haven't been miswired across two single-pole AFCIs, which is a common rough-in error that surfaces only at final.

If a GFCI won't reset, pull the load-side wires and reset it dead. Nine times out of ten you have a neutral-to-ground bond downstream, usually at a backstabbed receptacle in a crowded box.

Panel documentation and circuit identification

NEC 408.4(A) requires every circuit to be legibly identified as to its clear, evident, and specific purpose. "Lights" isn't a description, it's a placeholder. Walk the panel with the homeowner or GC and confirm each directory entry matches reality, including spare breakers marked as such.

Verify working space per NEC 110.26: 36 inches deep, 30 inches wide, 6.5 feet headroom, and no storage in the dedicated space above the panel to the structural ceiling (NEC 110.26(E)). If a water heater got installed 24 inches in front of the panel after rough-in, flag it now.

1. Panel directory complete and legible
2. Breaker ratings match conductor ampacity, NEC 240.4
3. Torque marks on lugs per manufacturer spec, NEC 110.14(D)
4. Working space clear and barriers installed where required

Terminations, box fill, and support

Open a sample of device boxes, junction boxes, and the panel itself. Look for proper conductor length (NEC 300.14 requires 6 inches of free conductor and at least 3 inches past the box face), correct box fill per NEC 314.16, and terminations that are tight, stripped correctly, and free of nicks.

Check cable support. NM cable needs support within 12 inches of every box and every 4.5 feet per NEC 334.30. EMT per NEC 358.30. Flexible metal conduit per NEC 348.30. A sagging run between joists tells you the rest of the job was probably rushed too.

Devices, fixtures, and labeling

Tamper-resistant receptacles are required in dwellings per NEC 406.12, and weather-resistant plus in-use covers on wet location receptacles per NEC 406.9(B). Verify receptacle orientation matches local practice, that cover plates are flush, and that no device is proud of a finished surface.

Luminaires in clothes closets must meet the clearances in NEC 410.16. Recessed cans in insulated ceilings need the IC rating. Fan-rated boxes per NEC 314.27(C) for paddle fans. If the fan is on a lighting box, it's coming down.

Carry a spare TR receptacle, a weatherproof cover, and a fan-rated box on the final walk. Fixing it on the spot beats scheduling a reinspection for a 12 dollar part.

Arc flash, signage, and sign-off

Arc flash labeling per NEC 110.16 applies to service equipment and other equipment likely to require examination while energized. On commercial work, confirm the label is present, legible, and includes the required information under 110.16(B) where applicable. Available fault current marking under NEC 110.24 for services is also on the list.

Before you call the inspector, walk the whole job with your own checklist one more time. Megger the feeders if spec called for it. Verify all covers, blanks, and knockouts are closed. Document torque values where required. Final inspection is the moment the Code stops being a book and starts being your reputation.