Every three years, the EC&M audience anxiously awaits the release of the latest edition of the National Electrical Code (NEC) to see how it will affect the electrical design, installation, and maintenance of electrical equipment — and how specifically these revisions will impact their daily work. With this cycle’s round of changes, the 2026 NEC brings a wide range of updates, reorganizations, and new requirements that affect nearly every facet of the electrical industry. With 3,933 public inputs, 1,507 first revisions, 1,800 public comments, 894 second revisions, and 63 certified amending motions, significant changes were implemented across the Code. These updates reflect ongoing trends in safety, energy efficiency, and emerging technologies — from expanded GFCI and GFPE protection to updated load calculation methods and new rules for electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE). Scroll through the slides of this photo gallery for short summaries of each change. And don’t miss the full comprehensive article and downloadable PDF with analysis and commentary on each change coming in our November print issue and online in late November.
About the Author
Mike Holt
Mike Holt is the owner of Mike Holt Enterprises (www.MikeHolt.com), one of the largest electrical publishers in the United States. He earned a master's degree in the Business Administration Program (MBA) from the University of Miami. He earned his reputation as a National Electrical Code (NEC) expert by working his way up through the electrical trade. Formally a construction editor for two different trade publications, Mike started his career as an apprentice electrician and eventually became a master electrician, an electrical inspector, a contractor, and an educator. Mike has taught more than 1,000 classes on 30 different electrical-related subjects — ranging from alarm installations to exam preparation and voltage drop calculations. He continues to produce seminars, videos, books, and online training for the trade as well as contribute monthly Code content to EC&M magazine.