Electrical safety begins with good codes enforced uniformly across the nation.

The National Electrical Code is generally adopted nationwide, but how it is adopted and where it is enforced can vary greatly. States fall into three main categories when it comes to Code adoption.

Statewide — the NEC is adopted by the state and is required to be enforced by all jurisdictions; for example, Minnesota.

Hybrid — the NEC is adopted by the state, often for state-owned buildings, but local jurisdictions are allowed to adopt their own local codes; for example, Alabama. This model can also include states which adopt a minimum version of the NEC and allow local jurisdictions to adopt either minimum or greater.

Local — the state does not adopt any version of the NEC and all adoptions and enforcement are left to the local jurisdictions; for example, Mississippi.

Here is an updated list of the states that have adopted the electrical codes as of September 2017.

Alabama

2014 NEC
Adopted: 5/31/2016
Implemented: 7/1/2016
Type: Hybrid

Alaska

2014 NEC
Adopted: 3/6/2016
Implemented: 3/6/2016
Type: State

Arizona

Local Adoption Only

Arkansas

2014 NEC
(Note: 2017 NEC is in review to be adopted)
Adopted: 10/15/2014
Implemented: 11/15/14
Type: State

California

2014 NEC
Adopted: 1/2016
Implemented: 1/2017
Type: State/Hybrid

Colorado

2017 NEC
Adopted: 6/1/2017
Implemented: 6/1/2017
Type: State

Connecticut

2014 NEC
Adopted: 8/10/16
Implemented: 10/1/16
Type: State

Delaware

2014 NEC
Adopted: 3/11/16
Implemented: 3/11/16
Type: State

District of Columbia

2011 NEC
Adopted and Implemented: March 2014
Type: State

Florida

2011 NEC
Adopted: 1/5/2015
Implemented: 7/1/2015
Type: State

Georgia

2014 NEC
Adopted: 11/5/2014
Implemented: 1/1/2015
Type: State

Hawaii

2014 NEC
Adopted/Implemented:
March 27, 2017
Type: State

Idaho

2017 NEC
Adopted/Implemented:
July 1, 2017
Type: State

Illinois

2008 NEC (only certain commercial occupancies)
Type: Local Adoption Only

Indiana

2008 NEC
Adopted: August 2009
Implemented: 9/26/2009
Type: State

Iowa

2014 NEC
(Note: A hearing has been held to establish a tentative adoption date of the NEC 2017 of 1/1/18).
Adopted: 6/25/14
Implemented: 1/1/15
Type: State

Kansas

2008 NEC (State Fire Marshall)
Type: Local Adoption

Kentucky

2014 NEC
Adopted: 4/9/14
Implemented: 10/1/14
Type: State

Louisiana

2011 NEC
Adopted: 12/28/12
Implemented: 1/1/13
Type: State

Maine

2014 NEC
Adopted: 7/18/14
Implemented: 8/1/14
Type: State

Maryland

2014 NEC
Implemented: 1/1/15
Type: Hybrid

Massachusetts

2017 NEC
Adopted: 12/15
Implemented: 1/1/17
Type: State

Michigan

2014 NEC
Commercial Adoption: 6/18/2015
Residential Adoption: 2/8/2016
Type: State

Minnesota

2017 NEC
Adopted: 6/1/17
Implemented: 7/1/17
Type: State

Mississippi

Local Adoption Only

Missouri

Local Adoption Only

Montana

2014 NEC
Implemented: 10/23/14
Type: State

Nebraska

2017 NEC
Adopted: 5/10/17
Implemented: 8/1/17
Type: State

Nevada

2011 NEC (Nevada State Public Works Division)
Adopted: 7/1/13
Type: Hybrid

New Hampshire

2014 NEC
(Note: 2017 NEC was approved to adopt the 2017 effective 1/1/2018)
Adopted: 8/1/14
Implemented: 1/1/2015
Type: State

New Jersey

2014 NEC
Adopted: 9/21/15
Implemented: 3/21/16
Type: State

New Mexico

2014 NEC
Adopted/Effective: 8/1/14
Type: State

New York

2014 NEC
Adopted: 4/6/16
Implemented: 10/6/16
Type: State

North Carolina

2014 NEC
(Note: 2017 NEC is in review; potential effective date of 4/1/18)
Adopted: 12/15/2015
Implemented: 4/1/2016
Type: State

North Dakota

2017 NEC
Adopted: 3/14/17
Implemented: 7/1/17
Type: State

Ohio

2017 NEC (Commercial)
2014 NEC (Residential)
2017: Effective 11/1/17
2014: Effective 1/1/16
Type: State

Oklahoma

2014 NEC
Adopted: 6/8/15
Implemented: 11/1/15
Type: Hybrid

Oregon

2017 NEC
Effective: 10/1/17
Type: State

Pennsylvania

2008 NEC
Adopted: 12/10/09
Implemented: 1/1/10
Type: State

Rhode Island

2014 NEC
Adopted: 7/1/14
Implemented: 8/1/14
Type: State

South Carolina

2014 NEC
Adopted: 8/26/15
Implemented: 7/1/16
Type: State

South Dakota

2017 NEC
Adopted: 5/4/17
Implemented: 7/1/17
Type: State

Tennessee

2008 NEC
(Note: A hearing has been called to adopt the 2017 NEC in September 2017.
Type: Hybrid

Texas

2017 NEC
Adopted: August 17
Implemented: 9/15/17
Type: Hybrid (State with local exempt jurisdictions)

Utah

2014 NEC
Implemented: 7/1/2016
Type: State

Vermont

2014 NEC
Adopted: 7/1/2014
Type: State

Virginia

2011 NEC
Adopted: 3/14/14
Implemented: 7/14/14
Type: State

Washington

2017 NEC
Implemented: 7/1/17
Type: State

West Virginia

2014 NEC
Implemented: 8/1/16
Type: State

Wisconsin

2011 NEC
Adopted: 11/30/13
Implemented: 12/1/13
Type: State

Wyoming

2017 NEC
Adopted: 2/1/17
Implemented: 7/1/17
Type: State

⁺These states are in review to adopt the 2017 NEC and may have finalized the procedure by the press date of October 1, 2017.