Services, Feeders, and Branch Circuits (NEC Articles 210, 215, 225, 230)
Branch circuits, feeders, and services
Article 210 governs branch circuits. In dwellings, 210.11(C) requires at least two 20 A small-appliance circuits, a 20 A laundry circuit, and a 20 A bathroom circuit. 210.52(A) requires receptacle spacing so that no point along the floor line of any qualifying wall space is more than 6 ft from a receptacle, and any wall space 2 ft or wider counts; kitchen countertops and islands have their own spacing requirements in the edition adopted. 210.8 lists GFCI locations and 210.12 the AFCI-protected areas - both have expanded each cycle, so read the adopted text instead of trusting memory. Article 220 supplies calculation methods, including the optional method for dwellings.
Article 215 sets feeder minimum size at the calculated load with the continuous/noncontinuous adjustments of 215.2. Article 225 covers outside branch circuits and feeders, including clearances and disconnects at separate structures.
Article 230 covers services: 230.24 overhead clearances (10 ft above sidewalks, 12 ft above driveways, 18 ft above public streets, 8 ft above roofs subject to foot traffic), 230.70 service disconnect at the nearest point of entry and never in a bathroom, 230.72 grouping, and 230.79 minimum ratings (100 A for a one-family dwelling, 60 A for others).
Worked example: a 12 ft wall section between two doorways is wall space, so at least one receptacle is required and the 6 ft/12 ft rule applies across the opening.
Trap: GFCI requirements attach to the receptacle and its location and rating, not to which circuit breaker feeds it.