Short answer: In the 2026 NEC, Article 406 (Wiring Devices) covers receptacles and device-type switches such as snap switches, dimmers and electronic control switches. Article 404 now covers larger switches such as general-use and motor-circuit switches and circuit breakers used as switches. Article 410 covers luminaires. On a dwelling job, expect tamper-resistant receptacles, a neutral at most lighting switch locations, boxes rated for the fixture or fan they hold, and luminaires rated for damp or wet spots. PSI lists receptacles and switches among the topics in the Electrical Equipment and Devices subject area, which has 10 scored NEC Knowledge questions for the whole area.
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Tsai Electro is an independent learning site. Not affiliated with TDLR, PSI or NFPA. We explain the ideas in our own words and do not reproduce NEC text. Check every rule and table value in your own 2026 NEC, and follow your supervisor and the local inspector on the job.
The three articles and what each one decides
The 2026 NEC moved device-type switches, the everyday wall switches and dimmers, from Article 404 into Article 406, now titled Wiring Devices. If your notes or an older book send you to 404 for a wall switch, look in 406 instead.
| Article | Covers | What you check on the job |
|---|---|---|
| 406 Wiring Devices | Receptacles, snap switches, dimmers, electronic control switches | TR in dwellings, WR outdoors, GFCI and AFCI when you replace one, neutral at the switch box, grounding terminals and yoke bonding |
| 404 Switches | Larger general-use switches, motor-circuit switches, disconnect and isolating switches, circuit breakers used as switches | Ratings, accessibility, operating-handle requirements |
| 410 Luminaires | Light fixtures, lampholders, closet lighting | Box support, damp or wet rating, clearances in closets |
Where a receptacle must be GFCI protected or where outlets must be placed is a branch circuit question; see our NEC 210 branch circuits guide.
Receptacles
- Tamper-resistant. Most 15 A and 20 A, 125 V and 250 V nonlocking receptacles in dwelling units must be listed tamper-resistant (NEC 406.26). Treat a listed TR receptacle as the starting choice in a dwelling, then check the specific exceptions before you pick a non-TR device. Do not assume a receptacle qualifies for one.
- Weather-resistant devices and covers. These are two separate checks (NEC 406.9). Common 15 A and 20 A, 125 V and 250 V nonlocking receptacles in damp and wet locations must be listed weather-resistant. The enclosure is its own rule: in a damp location it generally has to be weatherproof with the cover closed, and for 15 A and 20 A receptacles in a wet location it has to stay weatherproof whether or not a plug is inserted, which is why outdoor boxes use in-use covers. Check the cover listing rules and exceptions in your 2026 book.
- Replacements. Replacing a receptacle can bring in current GFCI, AFCI, tamper-resistant and weather-resistant requirements, depending on the location. A two-prong outlet with no ground has a short list of allowed replacements, including certain GFCI-protected arrangements that need labels. Check the replacement rules and their exceptions in your 2026 book before you choose a device.
- Grounding. The grounding terminal connects to the equipment grounding conductor. Bonding of the yoke and box follows its own section.
Switches
The everyday wall switch rules below now sit in Article 406 with the receptacles. Article 404 keeps the other switches, such as enclosed disconnect switches and circuit breakers used as switches.
- Neutral at the switch box. Where switches control lighting loads on branch circuits that have a grounded conductor, the NEC generally requires that conductor (the neutral) at the switch location, with some exceptions. That gives compatible electronic controls, such as smart switches and occupancy sensors, a way to get operating power without using the equipment grounding conductor as a normal current path. In your 2026 NEC, find this rule in Article 406, where it moved from Article 404, and check whether a neutral is required at that switch location and whether an exception applies. Do not assume every existing switch box has a neutral, and never use the equipment grounding conductor in its place.
- Do not switch only the neutral. A switch opens the ungrounded (hot) conductor. The grounded conductor may be switched only in the limited cases the NEC allows, such as when the switch opens all circuit conductors at the same time.
- Height. For switches and circuit breakers used as switches that fall under the operating-handle height rule, the center of the grip of the handle in its highest position generally cannot be more than 6 ft 7 in above the floor or working platform. Check the 2026 switch-location and operating-height rules for device-type switches in Article 406 and for other switches in Article 404, measure to the operating handle or actuator as the rule specifies, and verify any exceptions.
- Grounding. Metal faceplates and switch yokes must meet the NEC equipment grounding and bonding rules. Check the permitted grounding methods and exceptions rather than assuming every installation uses the same arrangement.
Luminaires and ceiling fans
- Box support. A ceiling outlet box installed for a luminaire generally has to support at least 50 lb. A luminaire over 50 lb must be supported independently of the box unless the box is listed for that weight. Where it is, the maximum weight the box supports must be marked inside it.
- Ceiling fans. An outlet box used as the sole support of a ceiling-suspended paddle fan must be listed and marked as suitable for fan support, and it cannot support a fan heavier than 70 lb. A box made to support a fan over 35 lb must also be marked with the maximum weight it supports. If a fan-support box has no weight marking, do not count on it for more than 35 lb. For example, a 40 lb fan needs a fan-support box marked for at least 40 lb. A box listed only for luminaires is not enough even when the fan is light. The other option is to support the fan independently of the box, by a permitted structural method. That changes only the support; the outlet box and wiring connections still have to be installed correctly.
- Damp and wet. A luminaire in a damp or wet location must be marked for it (NEC 410.10(A)). Shower and tub zones have their own rules (NEC 410.10(D)).
- Closets. Clothes closets limit the luminaire type and set clearances from storage space (NEC 410.16).
Worked example: receptacles on a commercial circuit
In a non-dwelling load calculation, the 2026 NEC (Article 120, moved from Article 220) generally counts each single or multiple receptacle on one yoke at not less than 180 VA. A single piece of equipment made up of four or more receptacles is counted at not less than 90 VA per receptacle instead, so one four-receptacle unit counts as at least 360 VA. Do not confuse that with two separate duplex receptacles, each on its own yoke. One duplex receptacle on one yoke counts as 180 VA, not 360 VA, and two duplex receptacles on separate yokes count as 360 VA. For this simplified exercise, assume a 120 V, 20 A branch circuit that serves only noncontinuous general-use receptacle loads and nothing else. For arithmetic practice only, divide 2,400 VA by the 180 VA calculation allowance per yoke. How many whole 180 VA allowances fit? This comparison is not a method for deciding how many receptacles a branch circuit may have, and it is not an NEC limit on receptacle count.
- Circuit capacity: 20 × 120 = 2,400 VA.
- Arithmetic comparison: 2,400 ÷ 180 = 13.3, so 13 complete 180 VA allowances total less than 2,400 VA. This is not an NEC receptacle-count limit.
- Check: 13 × 180 = 2,340 VA, which fits. 14 × 180 = 2,520 VA, which does not.
The key exam distinction is between non-dwelling receptacle load calculations and dwelling general-purpose receptacle loads. The 180 VA per yoke method applies to the non-dwelling calculation, while general-purpose dwelling receptacles are ordinarily included in the dwelling’s general lighting load. Actual branch-circuit design must also account for the connected loads, including continuous loads, and the applicable circuit requirements.
Check yourself
- Which article covers luminaires? Article 410.
- In the 2026 NEC, where do you look up the rules for snap switches and dimmers? Article 406. Find the provision in your own book before you check the answer.
- Can a standard ceiling box be the only support for a ceiling fan? No. A box that is the sole support must be listed and marked for fan support, or the fan needs independent support.
- In the simplified noncontinuous example above, how many 180 VA receptacle loads fit within 2,400 VA? 13. It is a calculation result, not a receptacle-count limit.
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Find Articles 404, 406 and 410 in your 2026 NEC
NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, 2026 Edition (softcover). The 2026 NEC moves device-type switch rules from Article 404 to Article 406. Use this softcover to locate Articles 404, 406 and 410, mark the provisions you need to revisit, and practice finding them under exam conditions before test day. The Texas exam allows a soft-bound NEC with highlighting, underlining and notes added before the exam. Loose-leaf, spiral-bound and ring-bound copies are not allowed, and only permanent index tabs made or supplied by the NEC publisher are permitted.
FAQ
Do receptacles in a house have to be tamper-resistant?
In most cases yes. The NEC requires most 15 A and 20 A, 125 V and 250 V nonlocking receptacles in dwelling units to be listed tamper-resistant, with a short list of exceptions.
Why does the NEC want a neutral at switch boxes?
Many electronic lighting controls use a neutral to power their electronics, although not every device needs one. The NEC generally requires a neutral at lighting switch locations under set conditions, with exceptions, and the equipment grounding conductor must never serve as a normal neutral return path.
Can I hang a ceiling fan from a light fixture box?
Not if that box is the fan’s only support and it is listed only for luminaires. A box that is the sole support must be listed and marked for fan support. Otherwise the fan must be supported independently of the box, by a permitted structural method.
How many questions about devices are on the Texas Journeyman exam?
The PSI outline gives 10 scored NEC Knowledge questions to the whole Electrical Equipment and Devices subject area, which also covers HVAC equipment, appliances and other devices. It does not say how many cover receptacles or switches alone. The Calculations part has a separate equipment-and-devices area with 2 scored questions on HVAC equipment and appliances.
Sources checked October 2026
- PSI Candidate Information Bulletin, Texas electrician examinations (updated September 15, 2026): https://test-takers.psiexams.com/api/content/bulletin/1682
- NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, 2026 Edition, Articles 314, 404, 406 and 410
- IAEI Magazine, 2026 NEC code changes: device-type switches transition from Article 404 to 406: https://iaeimagazine.org/standards/2026-nec-code-changes-device-type-switches-transition-from-article-404-to-406/
