Skip to content
CrossBeamStart a pre-check

Building Code Reference

Got a CEC 408.4 correction?

Panel circuit directory

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 408.4 is the California Electrical Code section that requires every circuit in a panelboard to be legibly identified on a directory mounted inside or on the panel cover. Each circuit must be labeled with its purpose — such as 'kitchen receptacles' or 'master bedroom lights' — so that anyone opening the panel can tell at a glance which breaker controls what. Residential, ADU, and commercial permits all get flagged under 408.4 when the panel schedule on the plans is missing, generic, or doesn't match the installed circuits.

How to fix it

  1. Add a complete panel schedule to the electrical plan sheet

    The panel schedule must appear on the electrical plan set, not just inside a separate load calculation document. List every circuit by slot number (or breaker position), the circuit's amperage, and its purpose label. For a typical single-family home, that means entries like '1-2: 20A — kitchen small appliance (north counter)' and '3: 20A — refrigerator.' Spare or future circuits can be labeled 'spare,' but all installed, energized circuits need a real descriptive name. If the panel was roughed in without a specific circuit layout, produce the schedule from the as-built rough-in before submitting.

  2. Use plain descriptive labels, not generic load categories

    CEC 408.4 requires that each circuit's purpose be clearly identifiable. Labels like 'general load,' 'misc receptacles,' or 'electrical circuit 1' don't pass. Use the actual end use: 'master bath GFCI receptacles,' 'garage door opener,' 'outdoor GFCI west side,' 'laundry 240V.' For multi-unit projects, prefix each circuit with the unit number: 'Unit 3 — bedroom lights.' The goal is that a stranger opening the panel can find the right breaker without calling anyone. If you have multiple circuits serving the same room, number them: 'kitchen counter north' and 'kitchen counter south.'

  3. Reconcile the panel schedule against the load calculation

    Plan-checkers cross-reference the panel schedule against the service load calculation. If your load calc shows a 20-amp dishwasher circuit and a 20-amp disposal circuit, those exact loads must appear in the panel schedule with matching labels. Mismatches between the two documents trigger both a 408.4 comment and a load calc comment on the same corrections letter. Reconcile the two documents before resubmitting so they tell a consistent story about what is in the panel.

  4. For ADU sub-panels, list all circuits including the feeder slot

    If the ADU project includes a new sub-panel, the panel schedule must cover every circuit fed by that sub-panel, plus show the feeder breaker slot in the main panel. Label ADU circuits by room and use: 'ADU kitchen — 20A small appliance,' 'ADU bathroom — 20A GFCI,' 'ADU heat pump — 240V 30A.' If the main panel is being upgraded or reworked as part of the ADU project, include an updated main panel schedule too. Plan-checkers want both schedules on the same electrical sheet.

  5. Match the physical directory card to what you submitted on plans

    CEC 408.4 is enforced both at plan check and at final inspection. The physical panel installed in the field must have a legible directory card inside the cover that matches what you submitted on the plans. Inspectors will open the panel. If the directory card is blank, penciled over, or says 'see plans,' that is a field correction that holds up your final approval. Print a clean directory card from your plan schedule and have it installed before calling for final.

  6. On remodel projects, update the full panel directory, not just new circuits

    When you're adding or changing circuits in an existing panel, the whole panel directory gets revisited, not just the new work. If the panel has unlabeled breakers or labels that say 'unknown,' you're expected to document those too. Walk the building, trace the existing circuits, and produce a complete updated directory. Inspectors rarely approve a partial update where half the breakers are labeled and half are blank. If there are genuinely untraceable circuits, note them as 'existing — location unknown' and propose a labeling plan.

  7. Use durable, printed labels rather than handwritten pencil

    Pencil on a paper card fades and smears. Typed or printed labels on the factory directory card, or a replacement card in the same format, are the way to go. Some inspectors flag handwritten directories as a durability concern even though CEC 408.4 does not specify the material. To avoid any field comment, use a printed card. Breaker labeling systems that put adhesive strips on the breaker faces rather than on the directory card are not a substitute for a proper directory entry.

Take the CEC 408.4 fix steps with you

All 7 steps in one email, so you have them on site instead of on this page.

Why you got flagged

Here's why plan-checkers flag CEC 408.4: the most common trigger is a panel schedule on the electrical plan that lists circuits as 'spare' or 'general load' instead of naming each circuit's actual purpose. A plan-checker reviewing a kitchen remodel, for example, expects to see dedicated circuit labels for the refrigerator, dishwasher, and countertop receptacles. Vague entries won't clear the comment.

A second frequent scenario is a complete omission. On smaller projects like a bathroom addition or a detached garage conversion, the electrical sheet gets submitted without a panel schedule at all. The plan-checker has no way to verify that the new circuits are properly distributed, so the entire electrical sheet gets flagged pending a complete directory submittal.

ADU projects get hit on 408.4 regularly because the new sub-panel serving the ADU often shows up on the plans with placeholder labels. The plan-checker is checking that the ADU's dedicated circuits — kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, HVAC — are all identified. If the schedule just says 'ADU circuits, see load calc,' that's a correction.

A less obvious cause is mismatch between the panel schedule on the plans and the service load calculation. If your load calc names a 20-amp dishwasher circuit and a 20-amp disposal circuit, those exact loads must appear in the panel schedule with matching labels. A discrepancy between the two documents triggers both a 408.4 comment and a load calc correction on the same letter.

The official code

California Electrical Code (Title 24 Part 3) — 2025 Edition, via CA Building Standards Commission

Read the source →

Common questions

Does CEC 408.4 apply to sub-panels as well as the main panel?
Yes, CEC 408.4 applies to every panelboard: main panels, sub-panels, load centers, and distribution panels. Each one needs its own complete circuit directory. For an ADU with a dedicated sub-panel, you need a full directory for the sub-panel showing all its circuits, plus the feeder slot must be labeled in the main panel. Plan-checkers and inspectors will check both. Submitting a schedule only for the main panel when the project includes a new sub-panel is a common reason for a 408.4 correction.
How specific does the circuit label need to be?
Specific enough that someone who didn't wire the building can identify the right breaker in an emergency. 'Kitchen counter — north wall' is fine. 'Kitchen receptacles' usually works for a small kitchen. 'Receptacles' alone, or 'general use,' doesn't pass because it doesn't say which receptacles or where. For multi-unit buildings, include the unit number in the label. The code's standard is that each circuit must be legibly identified as to its clear, evident, and specific purpose, so the label has to be descriptive enough to be useful, not just technically present.
My panel has blank labels from 20 years ago — does a remodel permit force me to label all of them?
Generally yes, once you pull a permit that involves the panel or adds circuits, you're expected to bring the directory into compliance. Plan-checkers use this opportunity to get the panel labeled. In practice, no one will make you rip open walls to trace unknowns at your own cost, but every circuit you're touching must be properly labeled, and the plan submission needs a directory that accounts for all circuits in that panel. If there are genuinely untraceable circuits, note them as 'existing — location unknown' on the schedule and plan to label them at final with whatever you can confirm during rough-in.
Can I put the panel schedule in the load calculation instead of on the E-sheet?
No. Plan-checkers expect the panel schedule on the electrical plan sheet, cross-referenced to the load calculation. A panel schedule buried in the load calc document may not get reviewed by the plan-checker who's marking up the electrical sheet. Even when the load calc is thorough, include a clean panel schedule on the E-sheet with breaker positions, amperage, and purpose labels. Keep both documents consistent so the plan-checker sees the same circuit list in both places.
Does the inspector check the physical panel directory at final inspection?
Yes. CEC 408.4 is enforced at final inspection, not just at plan check. The inspector will open the panel and look at the directory card. If it's blank, penciled over, or missing, that is a field correction that holds up your final approval. Print the directory from your plan schedule, install it in the panel, and make sure it's legible before you call for final. This is one of the easiest field corrections to avoid, and one of the more annoying ones to go back and fix after the crew has left.
Do empty or spare breaker slots need to be labeled?
Spare or empty slots can be labeled 'spare' or 'future' without issue. What you can't leave blank are installed, energized circuits. If a breaker is in the panel and feeding loads, it needs a purpose label in the directory. Empty physical slots with no breaker installed can be noted as 'spare' in the directory or left blank in that field, depending on what your jurisdiction's inspector prefers.

Related corrections

Check my plans for this →