230.71 Number of service disconnects
What changed in 230.71
Up to six service disconnects are still allowed, but each now needs its own enclosure or separated section; six breakers in one panel no longer qualifies.
Point by point
- Each service now gets one disconnect, unless the two-to-six rule in 230.71(B) applies.
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- 3 more points on exactly what changed
- The 2017 rule next to the 2020 rule, side by side
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This section across NEC® editions
2020 NEC®RevisedYou're here
Up to six service disconnects are still allowed, but each now needs its own enclosure or separated section; six breakers in one panel no longer qualifies.
2023 NEC®Revised
Clarified how service disconnects work in meter centers, transfer switches, and motor control centers, and added an allowance for existing equipment that met older editions.
Open the 2023 page →2026 NEC®No change
This section did not change from 2023 to 2026.
More 2020 changes in Article 230
This is a plain-English summary, not the NEC®'s exact wording. Always check the full section in the NEC® edition your area has adopted, plus any local amendments.
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