NEC® Changes · 2020 NEC®

702.7 Standby signs

RevisedChanged in the 2020 NEC® (from the 2017 NEC®)· Updated October 24, 2026

What changed in 702.7

Standby system signs now go at the outdoor emergency disconnect on one- and two-family homes, matching the new 230.85 rule.

Point by point

  • Commercial and industrial sites: a sign at the service equipment shows the type and location of each on-site standby source.

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  • 3 more points on exactly what changed
  • The 2017 rule next to the 2020 rule, side by side
  • Why it changed
  • What to do and check on the job

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This section across NEC® editions

2020 NEC®RevisedYou're here

Standby system signs now go at the outdoor emergency disconnect on one- and two-family homes, matching the new 230.85 rule.

2023 NEC®Revised

The standby source sign at the service now covers every building other than one- and two-family dwellings, not just commercial and industrial jobs. Homes keep their sign at the outdoor emergency disconnect.

Open the 2023 page →
2026 NEC®No change

This section did not change from 2023 to 2026.

More 2020 changes in Article 702

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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