NEC Article 406 — Receptacles: Tamper-Resistant, Weather-Resistant, and the In-Use Cover Rule

NEC 406 governs receptacles — the rules that catch new electricians on the simplest part of the job.

Tamper-resistant required (406.12): all 15-A and 20-A 125-V and 250-V receptacles in dwelling-unit areas (including hallways, foyers, bathrooms, attached garages, attics, and crawl spaces) must be tamper-resistant. Internal shutters block foreign-object insertion. Mark on the face: "TR".

Weather-resistant required (406.9(A)): all 15-A and 20-A 125-V and 250-V receptacles in damp or wet locations must be weather-resistant. Marked "WR" on the face. Standard for outdoor receptacles, garage exterior, deck receptacles.

In-use ("bubble") cover required (406.9(B)): outdoor receptacles in WET locations need an in-use cover that's listed for "extra-duty" use. The cover keeps a plug protected even when something is plugged in. NJ inspectors enforce this on every outdoor receptacle. Old "flip-down" covers that only protect when nothing is plugged in are non-compliant.

GFCI required on most counter receptacles (406.4(D)) — the receptacle face must be GFCI-protected, OR the receptacle must be downstream of a GFCI breaker / GFCI device. See our guide on NEC 210 branch circuits for the full GFCI required-locations list.

Receptacle height (no specific NEC mandate): the NEC doesn't fix receptacle height, but local NJ AHJs often require 18 inches above finished floor as standard, with 44 inches above floor for ADA-accessible kitchens and bathrooms. Verify with your local AHJ.

Receptacle spacing (210.52): in dwelling-unit habitable rooms, no point along the floor line of any usable wall space can be more than 6 ft from a receptacle. Wall spaces 2 ft or more in width are considered "usable." This means a 12-ft wall needs at least 2 receptacles.

Counter-top receptacles (210.52(C)): every counter wall space 12 inches or more wide gets a receptacle, and no point along the wall line of the counter can be more than 24 inches from a receptacle. Island counter tops 24 inches or more wide need at least one receptacle.

Bathroom receptacles — at least one within 36 inches of the outside edge of each lavatory.

For panel-side load-calc impact, the Malfettone Load Calculator at /tools/load-calculator counts each required small-appliance, laundry, and bathroom branch circuit at the NEC minimum.