230.71 Number of service disconnects
What changed in 230.71
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.
Point by point
- A service gets one disconnect, or up to six under 230.71(B), and each must be in its own enclosure, section, or compartment.
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Get the whole breakdown
- 4 more points on exactly what changed
- The 2020 rule next to the 2023 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®Revised
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.
Open the 2020 page →2023 NEC®RevisedYou're here
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.
2026 NEC®No change
This section did not change from 2023 to 2026.
More 2023 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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