2017 Seattle Electrical Code

1 2017 Seattle Electrical Code Insert pages for 2017 NEC . Effective: October 21, 2017 . Council Bill Number: 119069. Ordinance Number: 125408. Published by the Seattle Department of construction & Inspections As stewards and regulators of land and buildings, we preserve and enhance equity, livability, safety, and health of our communities. CITY OF Seattle . 2017 Electrical CODE SUPPLEMENT. Effective October 21, 2017 . Seattle Department of construction and Inspections (SDCI). Nathan Torgelson, Director Richard G. Alford, Inspection Services Director Rich Meell, Electrical Code Official The 2017 Seattle Electrical Code (SEC) wouldn't be possible without the hard work of many people in our community. Every three years, the Seattle Department of construction and Inspections (SDCI) starts the code update process with a review of the changes to the latest edition of the National Electrical Code. We also review Washington Administrative Code (WAC) changes affecting Electrical work and Electrical installations.

2 This information is used to develop amendments designed to improve Seattle 's Electrical code. Early in the process we ask the public and various stakeholders to comment on proposed changes. Sometimes they submit changes of their own. A designated committee of the City's construction Codes Advisory Board (CCAB) reviews these proposed changes. The committee includes Electrical engineers, Electrical contractors, and other professionals. Based on their feedback, we develop a draft ordinance of written amendments. The draft ordinance is presented to CCAB. The Board includes construction and design professionals who advise us about the impact of code changes on building safety, sustainability, and accessibility. We use their recommendations to finalize the ordinance. The ordinance is then reviewed and approved by the Seattle City Council. We are grateful to the following volunteers and SDCI staff who helped us create the 2017 SEC. that improves the safety of Electrical equipment and installations for everyone who visits, lives, or works in Seattle : Electrical Code Review Committee SDCI Electrical Program Staff Charles E.

3 Beck, Christine Porter, Tim Bennett, Patrick Foss, Dan Klepac, Jim Degnan, Gene Quenneville, Joe Kraft, Tim Porter, David Rankin, Georginna Lucas, Haley Krommenhoek, Tim Rasmussen, John Saldana, Leonard Whalen, Tony Penna, Warren Shill Steve Sampson, Ben Scott, Jim Seamans City Attorney's Office (Legislative Editors) Technical Codes Program Staff Brandon Isleib and Phil Wood-Smith Jenifer Gilliland iii Frequently Asked Questions What is this document? This document contains sections of the 2017 National Electrical Code (NEC) that have been modified in some way by The City of Seattle . It includes changes made by the State of Washington to the NEC, which are also found in the Washington Administrative Code. This document is not the entire Seattle Electrical Code. The 2017 NEC and this document together make up the full 2017 Seattle Electrical Code. You will need to purchase a 2017 National Electrical Code from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

4 What are Informational Notes? Informational Notes provide additional information or explanation about the meaning or application of code sections. They do not have the force of law. Some Informational Notes refer to Washington Administrative Code (WAC) Rules adopted by the State of Washington. Seattle adopts some WAC rules word for word and edits others. This document incorporates 2017 NEC errata issued by the NFPA. available when the Seattle City Council adopted the Seattle Electrical Code. If a 2017 SEC requirement is different than what the WAC requires, which one do I follow? You must comply with the Seattle requirements found in this document. What do the notations in the 2017 NEC and the Seattle insert pages mean? Shaded text Gray shading shows substantive changes, not just the correction of typos made by NFPA to the National Electrical Code. A figure caption with gray shading changes an existing figure. *. Underlined text New text added by The City of Seattle to the 2017 SEC.

5 ((struck text)) Text eliminated by The City of Seattle and not enforced by the City. N New sections, tables, and figures (bold, italic N in a gray box to the left of the new material). An N next to an article title indicates that the entire article is new.*. When one of more paragraphs have been deleted, the deletion is indicated by a bullet ( ) between the remaining paragraphs.*. *Note: Sections with this marking are being incorporated into the NEC for the first time. iv Seattle Department of construction & Inspections Electrical Code Review and Inspection Program What do we do? Hours: Our mission is to safeguard people and property Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 8:00 pm to 4:00 pm;. from the hazards of electricity used in buildings Tuesday, Thursday: 10:30 am to 4:00 pm and structures. Our inspectors review and inspect Location: 700 5th Avenue, 20th Floor new Electrical equipment and wiring installations Mailing Address: PO Box 34019. for compliance with the requirements of the 2017 Seattle , WA 98124-4019.

6 Seattle Electrical Code. Phone: 206-684-8850. They also check licenses, respond to complaints, Who do I call with permit questions? and investigate accidents. Call us at (206) 684-8464. How do I get an Electrical permit? Can I schedule my inspection online? Online: You can apply online for any Electrical Yes. Here is a link: permit, but the process may be slightly different depending on if the project needs plan review. Projects that don't require plan review: Who do I call for an inspection? Many residential and low-voltage Electrical Give us a call at the numbers below: permits are issued quickly. Apply using this link: Electrical permit inspections: 206-684-8900. Electrical sign inspections: 206-684-8419. returnurl=%2fdpd%2fonlinepermits%2felect rical We take inspection requests 24 hours a day Projects that require plan review: Commercial projects generally require a formal Where can I find information about plan review. Use our Project Portal link to apply: the Electrical code?

7 Electrical Code questions: 206-684-5383. To see if your project needs a plan review, see: Electrical Code information: 2017 Seattle Electrical Code, Article 80, Sections and (page 8 of this document) Sign Code information: Low-voltage permit requirements: @pan/ documents/web_ When is my inspector on duty? In person: You can apply for many residential and Daily between 7 8 low-voltage over-the-counter permits without an appointment by visiting our Applicant Services Note: Inspectors work a flexible (9-80) schedule Center (ASC) in the Seattle Municipal Tower. with 9-hour days and usually have a Friday or Monday off on alternate weeks. Every attempt is made to shift work to other inspectors. However, the volume of inspection requests may not allow us to schedule an inspection on the day you request it. Here is a link you can use to find your inspector: and click on the district map link. v 2017 Seattle Electrical Code Quick Reference Seattle Municipal Code Section (B) Chapter 296-46B Washington Administrative Code.

8 An Adoption of the Electrical Code additional purpose of this Code is to provide equal, higher or better standards of construction and equal, higher or better The Seattle Electrical Code consists of portions of the National standards of materials, devices, appliances, and equipment Electrical Code, 2017 edition, published by the National Fire than those required by the State of Washington under the Protection Association; selected portions of the 2017 edition of provisions of Revised Code of Washington (RCW) Chapter Washington Administrative Code (WAC) Chapter 296-46B, Only those sections of the Washington State Electrical copies of which are filed with the City Clerk in Clerk Files Code adopted in 2017 amending the 2017 National Electric Code, 320384 and 320385; amendments, including deletions and as set forth at Chapter 296-46B of the Washington additions, to the 2017 National Electrical Code and the selected Administrative Code (hereinafter WAC) and specifically portions of WAC 296-46B; and Article 80, relating to incorporated in this Code are adopted.

9 Informational Notes administration, permitting, and enforcement, as adopted by providing the WAC rule number, as the source of the Seattle the ordinance introduced as Council Bill 119069. amendment, are informational only. Scope. This Code applies to the installation, alteration, repair, relocation, replacement, addition to, use, or ARTICLE 80 maintenance of Electrical wiring, systems, and equipment, Administration including communications systems and traffic management systems, within the City. The design and testing of equipment regulated by this Code are subject to the approval of the Informational Note: Article 80 is comprised entirely of amendments authority having jurisdiction. made by The City of Seattle to the National Electrical Code (NEC). It aligns the administration and enforcement of this Code with (A) Traffic Management Systems. Traffic management administrative chapters found in other construction codes adopted systems provide signalization for controlling vehicular traffic, by The City of Seattle .

10 Pedestrian traffic, or rolling stock. 2017 WAC 296-46B-010(16). through (23) are adopted as follows: I. Title, Purpose and Scope Traffic Management Systems. Title. These regulations shall be known as the Seattle (16) The department or city authorized to do Electrical Electrical Code, may be cited as such, and are referred to herein inspections will perform the Electrical inspection and as this Code. All references to the National Electrical Code acceptance of traffic management systems within its contained in this Code mean the Seattle Electrical Code. jurisdiction. A traffic management system includes: (A) Referenced Codes. The code provisions and standards (a) Traffic illumination systems;. referenced in this Code are considered part of this Code to the extent prescribed by each such reference. Where differences (b) Traffic signal systems;. occur between provisions of this Code and referenced codes (c) Traffic monitoring systems;. and standards, the provisions of this Code govern.