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Building Code Reference

Got a CEC 210.52 correction?

Outlet spacing 6 foot rule

For builders in California, Greater Seattle, the Las Vegas area, the Denver area and Kansas City · CrossBeam Permits

What this code requires, how to fix it, and how cities and counties review it

What this code requires

CEC 210.52 is the California Electrical Code section that sets where and how many receptacle outlets are required in dwelling units. The core rule: no point along a wall in a living area can be more than 6 feet from an outlet, which means outlets must appear at least every 12 feet. Kitchen countertops need outlets within 24 inches of each end and every 4 feet along the counter run. Islands and peninsulas do not require an outlet, but if none is installed, provisions for a future one must be provided. Most residential plan corrections citing 210.52 come down to missing counter outlets or inadequate spacing shown on the electrical plan.

How to fix it

  1. Draw receptacle locations on the electrical plan sheet

    Every outlet must appear on a dedicated electrical plan sheet, not just as a note on the architectural floor plan. Use the standard receptacle symbol (a circle with two lines) and place each one at its actual wall location. The plan needs to show enough information for a plan-checker to measure spacing without guesswork. If you're submitting digitally, this means properly placed symbols, not a sticky note saying 'outlets per code.'

  2. Verify the 6-foot wall-spacing rule in every habitable room

    In every living room, bedroom, and similar habitable room (hallways have their own rule), measure from any point along a wall to the nearest receptacle. That distance cannot exceed 6 feet. The practical result is that outlets appear no more than 12 feet apart along a wall. Doorways, fireplaces, and fixed cabinets break the wall line, and any wall space 2 feet or wider counts, so a short wall between doors still needs an outlet. Go room by room and mark the worst-case span on the plan — if any gap is over 12 feet, you need another outlet in that stretch.

  3. Cover every kitchen counter segment within 24 inches of its ends

    For kitchen countertops, the rule tightens. Any counter segment 12 inches wide or wider needs an outlet within 24 inches of each end of that segment, and no more than 4 feet apart along the run. Measure each counter run independently. If your kitchen has a peninsula that turns, treat each straight section as its own run. Mark the endpoint outlets on your electrical plan and show the dimension from the end of the counter to the nearest outlet so the plan-checker can verify at a glance.

  4. Show an outlet or a future-outlet provision at islands and peninsulas

    An island or peninsula does not need a receptacle, but if you leave it off, 210.52(C)(2) requires a provision at the island for adding one later. If you do install one, it must be on or not more than 20 inches above the countertop, or in the countertop using an assembly listed for countertop use. Show the outlet or the future-outlet provision on the plan with a note indicating island/peninsula location. A receptacle on the side of the island cabinet below the countertop does not count.

  5. Show bathroom receptacle on or adjacent to the basin

    Each bathroom basin needs at least one outlet on the wall or partition adjacent to it. The outlet must be within 3 feet of the outside edge of each sink. If you have a double-sink vanity, one outlet between the sinks satisfies both as long as it falls within 3 feet of each basin edge. Show the exact wall location on the plan. Bathroom outlets also require GFCI protection under CEC 210.8 — make sure both citations are addressed if your correction letter includes both.

  6. Add outdoor receptacle at front and rear of dwelling

    Single-family homes and townhomes need at least one outdoor receptacle accessible from grade at both the front and rear of the structure. The outlet must be no more than 6.5 feet above grade. Show both locations on the site plan or exterior elevation. If the structure has an attached garage, the garage requires its own outlet separate from the exterior requirement. Outdoor and garage outlets also fall under CEC 210.8 GFCI requirements.

  7. Add dimensions to the electrical plan to prove spacing compliance

    After placing all outlets, add dimension annotations that show the distance from wall ends to the nearest outlet and the gap between adjacent outlets on counter runs. This is the fastest way to get a clean plan-check — the reviewer doesn't have to measure anything, they just read your numbers. Spend 20 minutes adding these dimensions and you'll likely cut out a full correction round.

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Why you got flagged

Plan-checkers flag CEC 210.52 most often when the electrical plan simply doesn't show outlet locations at all. A set of architectural sheets may show wall elevations and interior layouts, but if the electrical plan is a single-line diagram without actual receptacle placement, the plan-checker has no way to verify spacing compliance and will cite 210.52 as a correction.

The second common scenario is kitchen countertop coverage. Contractors and designers sometimes place outlets along the backsplash in a general way without confirming that no countertop is more than 24 inches from the nearest outlet at either end. A galley kitchen or a run that turns a corner is a frequent miss — one side of the turn gets an outlet, the other side doesn't, and the plan-checker measures the gap and flags it.

Islands and peninsulas catch a lot of first-time corrections too. If the floor plan shows an island but the electrical plan has neither an outlet nor a provision (box and wiring) for a future outlet, that's a straightforward citation. The fix is straightforward but requires a marked-up electrical plan showing the outlet position.

Remodels are where 210.52 corrections sneak up on people. A kitchen remodel that moves walls or extends counter runs inherits 210.52 compliance requirements on the new or altered areas. If the submitted plans don't show the full outlet layout for the remodeled zone, the plan-checker will ask for it — especially in jurisdictions like Anaheim and Irvine that do a thorough electrical review even on partial remodels.

The official code

California Building Standards Commission — California Electrical Code (Title 24, Part 3)

Read the source →

Common questions

Does CEC 210.52 apply to ADU construction?
Yes. An ADU is a dwelling unit, so the full 210.52 receptacle spacing requirements apply to every habitable room, kitchen, bathroom, and exterior face of the ADU. Detached ADUs need their own outdoor outlets at front and rear. Attached ADUs that share a wall with the main dwelling still need independent exterior outlet coverage. The ADU kitchen and bathroom counters are subject to the same 24-inch end-of-counter and 4-foot spacing rules as a full-size home. Budget for this in the electrical rough-in phase.
What counts as a 'wall space' for the 6-foot spacing rule?
Any section of wall that's 2 feet wide or wider counts. That includes fixed panels beside doors, wall sections between windows, and the spaces flanking a fireplace if those sections are 2 feet or more. Wall sections under 2 feet wide don't trigger the measurement, so a narrow pillar or a tight corner doesn't require an outlet. The 6-foot rule measures along the floor line, not diagonally. A U-shaped room, for example, requires you to walk the perimeter with a tape measure and confirm no stretch is over 6 feet from an outlet.
Can I put the island outlet on the side panel instead of the counter surface?
Not if it is below the countertop. Under 210.52(C)(3), a receptacle serving an island or peninsula must be on or not more than 20 inches above the countertop or work surface, or in the countertop using a listed countertop assembly. A side-mounted outlet below the counter does not count as the island receptacle, so call out the actual location on your plan to avoid questions in the field. Pop-up outlets flush with the counter surface also work, but show them explicitly on the electrical plan — they're easy to overlook in a plan review if not labeled.
Do receptacles inside kitchen cabinets count toward 210.52?
No. Outlets installed inside cabinet interiors, such as an outlet inside a drawer or inside a cabinet to power small appliances, don't count toward 210.52 counter-spacing compliance. The code's intent is accessible counter use, so the outlets need to be on the wall behind or above the counter, at counter height, where someone standing at the counter can reach them. Cabinet-interior outlets are allowed as additions but won't satisfy the spacing requirement on their own.
My kitchen remodel only touches one wall. Do I have to bring the whole kitchen up to 210.52?
The general rule is that altered areas must comply with the current code. If you're moving or adding counter runs, those sections need to meet 210.52 spacing. If your permit scope includes electrical work in the kitchen, most plan-checkers will expect the altered zones to comply — some will flag the entire kitchen. Pull the permit application scope description and match your electrical plan to exactly the work area. If you're uncertain, call the building department before you submit; asking ahead takes less time than a correction round.
How many outlets does a small bathroom need?
At minimum, one. The 210.52 requirement for bathrooms is one outlet per basin, on or adjacent to the wall closest to the basin, within 3 feet of the basin edge. A single-sink bathroom needs one outlet. A double-sink vanity can satisfy both basins with one outlet placed between them, provided it's within 3 feet of each sink's outer edge. All bathroom outlets require GFCI protection — that's a separate citation under CEC 210.8, but it will show up on the same corrections letter if missed.

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