Short answer: Spas and hot tubs are covered by Part IV of Article 680 (NEC 680.40), and fountains by Part V (NEC 680.50). Outside single-family dwellings, a spa or hot tub needs a clearly labeled emergency shutoff for the recirculation and jet motors, readily accessible to users, adjacent to and within sight of it, and at least 5 ft from the inside walls (NEC 680.41). Indoors, receptacles stay at least 6 ft from the inside walls, at least one general-purpose receptacle goes between 6 ft and 10 ft, wall switches stay at least 5 ft away, and luminaires over or within 5 ft need height or GFCI protection (NEC 680.43). The outlet supplying a spa or hot tub generally needs GFCI protection, and the section has its own provisions for listed units with integral GFCI protection (NEC 680.44). Fountain luminaires and submersible equipment are generally GFCI protected, with an exception for equipment listed for low voltage and supplied as the section requires (NEC 680.51). The fountain electrical equipment and panelboards the section specifies are grounded, and the metal parts the section names are bonded, subject to the section’s exceptions (NEC 680.54).
In the Texas Journeyman exam outline, PSI assigns 6 scored NEC Knowledge and 3 scored Calculations questions to Special Occupancies, Equipment and Conditions, a subject area that names pools and fountains among several topics. Those counts are not specific to Article 680, and PSI does not say how many questions cover spas or fountains. The Texas Journeyman Practice Pack has 1,000 original questions and 10 timed mock exams in the real two-part format, with step-by-step solutions for every calculation. Try free practice questions without signing up. Get the full pack for US$39 with one payment.
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.
Where this fits
Permanently installed swimming pools, the equipotential bonding grid and pool receptacle distances are on the swimming pool bonding page. This page focuses on two other parts of Article 680: Part IV for spas and hot tubs, and Part V for fountains. Article 680 has further parts for other installations, such as storable pools and hydromassage bathtubs. The trick is that the distances change from part to part.
Spas and hot tubs: the emergency switch (680.41)
- What it stops. The motors that power the recirculation and jet system.
- Where. Readily accessible to the users, adjacent to and within sight of the spa or hot tub, and at least 5 ft away from its inside walls.
- Label. Clearly labeled as the emergency shutoff.
- Where it applies. Spas and hot tubs other than those at single-family dwellings, such as hotels, gyms and apartment amenities.
Outdoor spas and hot tubs (680.42)
Permanently installed outdoor spas and hot tubs generally follow Parts I and II of Article 680. 680.42 then adds its own provisions, including a perimeter bonding exception for certain listed self-contained units that meet the installation conditions the section lists (listing, aboveground installation and rim height). Check those conditions in your code book before applying it.
Indoor spas and hot tubs (680.43)
| Item | Distance from inside walls of the spa |
|---|---|
| Any receptacle | At least 6 ft |
| At least one general-purpose 125 V, 15 or 20 A receptacle | Between 6 ft and 10 ft |
| Receptacles within 10 ft, within the ratings the section lists | GFCI protected (check the voltage, phase and ampere limits in your code book) |
| Wall switches | At least 5 ft |
| Luminaires, lighting outlets and ceiling fans over the spa or within 5 ft | See the height rules below |
Luminaire heights over or within 5 ft of the spa:
- 12 ft or more above the maximum water level: no GFCI required.
- 7 ft 6 in. or more: permitted with GFCI protection.
- Less than 7 ft 6 in.: only certain GFCI-protected luminaires that meet the construction and damp-location requirements the section lists are permitted. Do not apply this allowance automatically to other lighting outlets or ceiling fans.
Bonding indoors. Bonding generally covers metal fittings within or attached to the spa, metal parts of electrical equipment in the water circulating system, and qualifying metal raceways, piping and surfaces within 5 ft of the inside walls. The permanent barrier exception applies only to the nearby metal parts the section names, and other exceptions cover certain listed self-contained equipment and small conductive parts.
GFCI (680.44)
The outlet that supplies a self-contained spa or hot tub, a packaged equipment assembly or a field-assembled spa or hot tub generally needs GFCI protection. Check the section’s provisions for a listed unit with integral GFCI protection for all its electrical parts before treating that unit as compliant.
Worked example: an indoor hot tub room
A hotel puts a hot tub in a 20 ft by 16 ft room. At its closest point, the tub’s inside wall is 3 ft from the north wall.
- North wall receptacle. 3 ft is less than 6 ft: no receptacle on the stretch of north wall that is within 6 ft of the tub, measured along the path 680.43(A) describes.
- Required receptacle. Place at least one 125 V, 15 or 20 A receptacle on a general-purpose branch circuit between 6 ft and 10 ft from the tub’s inside walls, GFCI protected. Measure the way 680.43(A) describes, along the shortest path a cord would follow around permanent barriers.
- Light switch by the door. The proposed switch location is 4 ft horizontally from the tub’s inside wall: it moves to a point at least 5 ft away, measured the way 680.43 describes.
- Ceiling light. The ceiling is 9 ft above the water level and the fixture is right over the tub: 9 ft is between 7 ft 6 in. and 12 ft, so it is permitted with GFCI protection.
- Emergency switch. Hotel, so required: clearly labeled, readily accessible to users, adjacent to and within sight of the tub, and at least 5 ft from its inside walls.
Fountains (680.50 to 680.54)
- Scope. Fountains, including decorative pools and display pools, follow Part V. A fountain that shares water with a permanently installed pool also has to meet the Part II pool requirements the section points to, including equipotential bonding.
- GFCI. Branch circuits supplying luminaires, submersible pumps and other submersible equipment generally need GFCI protection. The exception applies only when the equipment and its supply meet the low-voltage, listing and power-supply conditions in 680.51.
- Voltage and location. Fountain equipment that operates above the low-voltage contact limit has location restrictions in the general fountain rules (680.50), and 680.51 covers how luminaires and submersible equipment are protected and installed. Do not assume every fountain load is treated the same; check both sections and the equipment listing.
- Lenses. Luminaires are installed with the top of the lens below the normal water level, unless listed for above-water use.
- Cords. Submersible equipment can have a flexible cord of limited length, and the equipment is removable from the water for relamping and maintenance.
- Grounding and bonding. These are two separate jobs. Grounding: the fountain electrical equipment and the panelboards the section specifies connect to the equipment grounding conductor of the supply circuit, subject to the section’s exceptions. Bonding: metal piping, fittings, circulation equipment and nearby metal raceways and surfaces the section names are bonded, with the bonding conductor size and exceptions the section sets.
- Nearby receptacles. Receptacles near a fountain’s edge that fall within the distance and the voltage, phase and ampere ratings the section lists have GFCI protection. Check those limits in your code book.
Check yourself
- How far from the spa is the emergency switch? At least 5 ft, within sight and readily accessible.
- Minimum distance for any receptacle at an indoor spa? 6 ft.
- A light 12 ft above the water over an indoor spa: GFCI needed? No.
- Which section covers fountain luminaires and submersible equipment? 680.51.
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Find the three key parts of Article 680 faster
NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, 2026 Edition (softcover). Mark Part II (pools), Part IV (spas) and Part V (fountains) with different highlight colors so you never pull a pool distance for a spa question. The Texas exam is open book. PSI allows a soft-bound NEC with highlighting, underlining and notes made in advance. 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; homemade and third-party tabs are not.
FAQ
Does a hot tub need an emergency shutoff switch?
Yes, other than at single-family dwellings. It is clearly labeled, readily accessible to users, adjacent to and within sight of the spa or hot tub, and at least 5 ft from its inside walls.
How close can a receptacle be to an indoor hot tub?
Not closer than 6 ft from the inside walls. At least one general-purpose receptacle is placed between 6 ft and 10 ft.
How far must a wall switch be from an indoor spa?
At least 5 ft measured horizontally from the inside walls.
Does a hot tub need GFCI protection?
Generally yes. The outlet supplying a spa or hot tub needs GFCI protection, and the section has its own provisions for listed units with integral GFCI protection.
Do fountain pumps need GFCI protection?
Yes, submersible pumps and luminaires are GFCI protected unless they are listed for low voltage and supplied by a suitable transformer or power supply.
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, Article 680 Parts I, II, IV and V
