What this code requires
CEC 422.16 is the California Electrical Code section that sets the rules for connecting appliances with flexible cords and plug connections instead of permanent hardwiring. It limits cord length, specifies the type of cord required, and identifies which appliances can legally use a cord-and-plug connection at all. Appliances like dishwashers, garbage disposers, and built-in microwave ovens fall under this section. A plan-checker cites 422.16 when the drawings show a hardwired-only appliance connected via cord, when cord lengths exceed the allowed maximums, or when the cord type specified does not match what the code requires.
How to fix it
Confirm whether each appliance can legally use a cord-and-plug connection
CEC 422.16 lists the appliances permitted to use flexible cord connections. Garbage disposers, dishwashers, and built-in microwave ovens are explicitly allowed under specific conditions. Other built-in cooking appliances and range hoods may not be. Pull the nameplate data for each appliance in your drawings and verify it is on the permitted list. If you are not certain, default to hardwired. A hardwired connection is always code-compliant for appliances that would also allow a cord.
Note the connection method explicitly on the electrical plan
For every appliance on a dedicated circuit, the plan must state either "hardwired" or "cord-and-plug connection per CEC 422.16." Leaving it blank or writing "per manufacturer" often triggers a correction. Add a general note to the electrical plan and a callout on the fixture and appliance schedule. If the connection is cord-and-plug, also note the cord length and gauge you are specifying.
Show junction box location and cord routing for cord-connected appliances
For dishwashers and disposers using flexible cords, include a plan note or detail showing where the junction box is located relative to the appliance and the approximate cord routing. The plan-checker needs to see that the cord path is accessible and that the length fits within the allowed maximum. A simple kitchen elevation or floor plan callout is usually enough. You do not need a full wiring diagram, just enough to confirm geometry.
Specify cord length and verify it meets the maximum
CEC 422.16 sets maximum cord lengths that vary by appliance category. Disposers and dishwashers each have specific limits. Measure the actual path from the outlet or junction box to the appliance connection point and confirm it is within the allowed maximum. Add a plan note with the specified cord length. If the cabinet depth or appliance location pushes the cord path over the limit, relocate the junction box closer to the appliance before finalizing your drawings.
Specify the correct cord type — not a generic extension cord
CEC 422.16 requires that cords be the type listed for the appliance, typically a heavy-duty appliance cord rated for the appliance amperage. Generic or light-duty extension cords are not allowed. Your plan note or spec should call out the cord type. For a dishwasher or disposer, this is usually a listed appliance cord or a UL-listed whip kit from the appliance manufacturer. Reference the cord designation in your spec, such as SJO or SJT type as listed with the appliance.
Add a dedicated outlet inside the cabinet for cord-connected dishwashers
Dishwashers on cord-and-plug connections need a receptacle outlet accessible inside the sink cabinet or adjacent cabinet space, not an outlet behind the unit that becomes inaccessible once the appliance is installed. Show this outlet on the electrical plan with its location noted. The outlet must be on the dedicated dishwasher circuit. If your current drawing shows the outlet on the wrong circuit or in an inaccessible location, revise the plan before resubmitting.
Update the panel schedule to match the revised connection method
Check that your panel schedule matches what you have corrected in the appliance details. If a circuit was labeled "Dishwasher - hardwired" and you are switching to cord-and-plug with a dedicated outlet, update the circuit description. Plan-checkers cross-reference the panel schedule against the floor plan and appliance notes. Any mismatch gives them another reason to kick it back.
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Why you got flagged
Plan-checkers flag CEC 422.16 corrections most often on kitchen remodels and ADU builds where the electrical drawings do not spell out the connection method for each appliance. The most common miss is showing a dishwasher or garbage disposer on a circuit diagram without specifying whether it will be hardwired or cord-and-plug connected. Some inspectors will accept "per manufacturer" as a note; many will not. If your drawings are silent on this, the plan-checker will flag it.
Another trigger is cord length. CEC 422.16 caps flexible cords at specific maximum lengths depending on the appliance type. The classic mistake is a disposer installed under a deep cabinet where the distance from the junction box to the motor exceeds the allowed cord length. If the plans do not show cord routing or note the junction box location, the reviewer cannot confirm compliance and will issue a correction.
The third scenario hits remodels where an older dishwasher was hardwired and the new one is spec'd with a cord-and-plug kit. The electrical sub-plan shows the original hardwired circuit, the kitchen contractor intends to use a cord kit, and nobody updates the drawing. The plan-checker sees a discrepancy between the fixture schedule and the circuit diagram and flags 422.16.
Fourth: some appliances in Article 422 require hardwiring and cannot legally use a flexible cord. If the drawings show a cord connection for an appliance in that category, such as a range hood or built-in unit with a hardwire-only nameplate listing, the correction lands fast.
The official code
California Electrical Code (Title 24, Part 3) — Article 422, Appliances
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