NEC 90.14: informational notes

What an informational note actually is

An informational note is explanatory text the Code uses to point you toward context, related sections, or outside standards. It is not a rule. It does not create a requirement. It exists to help you apply the actual mandatory language correctly.

You can spot one in print. The words "Informational Note" appear in italics above the paragraph, and the paragraph itself is set in smaller type. Older editions called these "Fine Print Notes" (FPN). Same idea, newer label. If an old-timer on the job still says FPN, they mean informational note.

The NEC draws a clean line between what you must do and what's there to inform you. Mandatory text uses "shall" and "shall not." Informational notes use plain declarative language and often reference an outside standard like NFPA 70E or IEEE 1584.

Why they are not enforceable

The Code is written so the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) enforces mandatory language only. Informational notes sit outside that enforcement. An inspector cannot red-tag your install for violating the guidance inside a note, because the note itself does not carry the weight of a rule.

This matters when you are reading a section that has both a requirement and a note. The requirement is what gets checked. The note may suggest a torque value, reference a manufacturer standard, or point you to a related article, but the enforceable language is the numbered paragraph above it.

The three flavors of Code text to keep straight:

• Mandatory rule: uses "shall" or "shall not"
• Permissive rule: uses "shall be permitted" or "shall not be required"
• Informational note: explanatory only, no "shall" language

If an inspector cites a note as the reason for a red tag, ask for the mandatory section number. Notes are not citable. The cite has to come from a numbered rule.

What informational notes typically contain

Notes tend to fall into a handful of buckets. Once you know the buckets, you can skim them fast and pull out what matters without rereading the whole article.

Common contents:

1. Cross-references to other NEC articles (a note under NEC 210.8 pointing you to NEC 406.12 for tamper-resistant receptacles)
2. References to outside standards (NFPA 70E for arc flash, NFPA 72 for fire alarm, IEEE 1584 for incident energy calculations)
3. Definitions or examples of terms used in the rule
4. Historical background on why a rule exists
5. Manufacturer or industry guidance the panel wanted to flag

A classic example: NEC 110.14(D) covers tightening torque, and the informational notes steer you to UL listings and manufacturer instructions. The mandatory part says you torque per the listing. The notes tell you where to find the actual values.

When to treat a note like a rule anyway

Even though notes are not enforceable under the NEC, ignoring them on the job is a bad habit. Many notes flag safety guidance that ends up in OSHA citations, insurance investigations, or wrongful-death suits. The Code does not enforce them. Other bodies will.

Arc flash is the clearest case. Informational notes throughout NEC 110.16 reference NFPA 70E. OSHA enforces 70E under the general duty clause. So the note is advisory in the NEC and mandatory on the jobsite if you work under OSHA. Same text, different enforcement path.

Manufacturer torque specs work the same way. NEC 110.14(D) makes the listing mandatory, and the note points you at where the values live. Miss the torque and you violate the listing, which violates the mandatory rule, even though the note itself was just informational.

Read every note in any article you are installing under. The note is often where the panel hid the practical detail you actually need to pass inspection.

How to use notes in the field

Treat informational notes as your shortcut to the rest of the Code. When a note references another article, go read that article. The panel put the cross-reference there because they know most people miss the connection on the first pass.

For training apprentices, notes are gold. They explain the "why" behind a rule in language that's easier to digest than the mandatory text. If you are showing a new hand why receptacles near a sink need GFCI, the informational notes around NEC 210.8 give the shock-statistics background that makes the rule click.

Field habits that pay off:

• Skim the notes before you quote a section to an inspector or GC
• Flag notes that reference other NFPA standards, they often carry OSHA weight
• Do not argue against a note, argue against the mandatory rule it supports
• Check older prints for "FPN" language, the content is still current even if the label changed

The Code is a working document. The mandatory rules tell you what to install. The informational notes tell you how to understand what you installed. Use both, and you spend less time arguing on site and more time wiring.