General Receptables (see Appendices B and G)
Receptacles for all residential occupancies (including dwelling units and single dwellings) shall meet the
following requirements:
a) for the purposes of this Rule,
i) “finished wall” shall mean any wall finished to within 450 mm of the floor with drywall, wood panelling, or like material; and
ii) a controlled outlet duplex receptacle shall mean an outlet that has an integral switching means to allow remote switching of the connected load;
b) for the purposes of this Rule, all receptacles shall be CSA configuration 5-15R or 5-20R (see Diagram 1);
c) receptacles shall not be mounted facing up in the work surfaces or counters in the kitchen or dining area;
d) where receptacles (5-15R split or 5-20R) are installed on a side of a counter work surface in a kitchen designed for use by persons with disabilities, such receptacles shall not be considered as substituting for the receptacles required by Rule 26-722 d);
e) at least one duplex receptacle shall be provided
i) in each space where the complete plumbing is installed to accommodate a washing machine;
ii) in each laundry room, in addition to any receptacle specified in Item i);
iii) in each utility room; and
iv) in any unfinished basement area;
f) at least one receptacle shall be installed in each bathroom and washroom with a wash basin(s) and shall be located within 1 m of any one wash basin;
g) receptacles installed in bathrooms shall, where practicable, be located at least 1 m but in no case less than 500 mm from the bathtub or shower stall, this distance being measured horizontally between the receptacle and the bathtub or shower stall, without piercing a wall, partition, or similar obstacle;
h) a receptacle shall not be placed in a cupboard, cabinet, or similar enclosure, except where the receptacle is
i) an integral part of a factory-built enclosure;
ii) provided for use with an appliance that is suitable for installation within the enclosure;
iii) intended only for a microwave oven;
iv) intended only for a cord-connected range hood; or
v) intended only for a cord-connected combination microwave oven/range hood fan;
i) except for cord-connected dishwashers, in-line water heaters, garbage disposal units, and other similar appliances, receptacles installed in cupboards, cabinets, or similar enclosures in accordance with Item h) ii) shall be de-energized unless the enclosure door is in the fully opened position;
j) any receptacle that is part of a luminaire or appliance, or that is located within cabinets or
cupboards as permitted by Item h), or that is located more than 1.7 m above the floor shall not be considered as any of the receptacles required by this Rule;
k) where a switched duplex receptacle or a controlled outlet duplex receptacle is used instead of a lighting outlet and luminaire, the receptacle shall be considered as one of the wall-mounted
receptacles meeting the requirements of Rule 26-722 a), provided that only half of the receptacle
is switched;
l) at least one receptacle shall be provided for each cord-connected central vacuum system, where the complete duct for such a central vacuum system is installed;
m) public corridors in buildings of residential occupancies shall have at least one duplex receptacle in each 10 m of length or fraction thereof; and
n) where required by the National Building Code of Canada, receptacles for use with electric vehicle supply equipment as specified in Rule 86-306 shall be provided for car spaces in a garage or carport serving buildings of residential occupancies.
Source: Rule 26-720, CSA C22.1:21, Canadian Electrical Code, Part 1 (25th Edition), Safety Standard for Electrical Installations. © 2021 Canadian Standards Association. Please visit store.csagroup.org
