NEC Article 210 — Branch Circuits, AFCI, GFCI, and What Goes on a Dedicated Circuit

Article 210 covers branch circuits — the wiring downstream of the panel that feeds individual loads. The rules NJ inspectors cite most:

Required AFCI protection (210.12): in dwelling units, all 15-A and 20-A 120 V branch circuits supplying outlets in the following areas need AFCI:

• Kitchens, family rooms, dining rooms, living rooms, parlors, libraries, dens, bedrooms, sunrooms, recreation rooms, closets, hallways, laundry areas
• In short, almost every habitable space

Required GFCI protection (210.8): dwelling-unit GFCI is required at receptacles in:

• Bathrooms — every receptacle
• Kitchens — counter-top receptacles serving the counter
• Garages and accessory buildings
• Outdoors — all outdoor receptacles
• Crawl spaces, unfinished basements
• Within 6 ft of a sink, tub, or shower in any room
• Laundry areas
• Indoor wet bars within 6 ft of the sink

Small-appliance branch circuits (210.11(C)(1)): dwelling units need at least 2 small-appliance branch circuits feeding kitchen, pantry, breakfast, dining-room receptacles. These can't serve any other rooms.

Laundry branch circuit (210.11(C)(2)): at least 1 dedicated 20-A circuit for laundry receptacles.

Bathroom branch circuit (210.11(C)(3)): at least 1 dedicated 20-A circuit for bathroom receptacles.

Tamper-resistant receptacles (406.12): all 15-A and 20-A 125-V and 250-V receptacles in dwelling-unit areas must be tamper-resistant (TR). The receptacle has internal shutters that block foreign objects.

NJ-specific note: when the NEC adopts a new AFCI or GFCI requirement, NJ typically follows after a 12-24 month delay. The 2023 NEC's expansion of GFCI to outdoor AC condenser disconnects (210.8(F)) is now enforceable in NJ as of September 2026 per the NJ UCC adoption schedule.

For load-calc impact on AFCI/GFCI circuits, the free Malfettone Load Calculator at /tools/load-calculator counts each required branch circuit at its NEC minimum.