FAQ
37
Material taken from the National Electric Code
®
 is reprinted with permission 
from NFPA 70
®
, 2023 edition. National Electrical Code
®
, Copyright 2022, 
National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA. All rights reserved.
NEC
®
 Text 
Article 210 Branch Circuits Not Over 1000 Volts ac, 
1500 Volts dc, Nominal
210.70 Lighting Outlets Required.
(A) Dwelling Units.
(2) Additional Locations. 
Additional lighting outlets shall be installed in accordance 
with the following:
(1) At least one lighting outlet controlled by a listed 
wall-mounted control device shall be installed in hallways, 
stairways, attached garages, detached garages, and accessory 
buildings with electric power.
(2) For dwelling units, attached garages, and detached 
garages with electric power, at least one exterior lighting 
outlet controlled by a listed wall-mounted control device 
shall be installed to provide illumination on the exterior 
side of outdoor entrances or exits with grade-level access. 
A vehicle door in a garage shall not be considered as an 
outdoor entrance or exit.
Exception to (2): For an outdoor, grade bulkhead door with stairway access 
to a sub-grade-level basement, the required lighting outlet that provides 
illumination on the stairway steps shall be permitted to be located in the 
basement interior within 1.5 m (5 ft) horizontally of the bottommost stairway 
riser. This interior lighting outlet shall be permitted to be controlled by a 
listed wall-mounted control device or by a unit switch of the interior luminaire 
or interior lampholder.
(3) Where lighting outlets are installed for an interior 
stairway with six or more risers between oor levels, there 
shall be a listed wall-mounted control device at each oor 
level and at each landing level that includes a stairway entry 
to control the lighting outlets.
Exception to (1), (2), and (3): Remote, central, or automatic control of 
lighting shall be permitted in hallways, in stairways, and at 
outdoor entrances.
(4) Dimmer control of lighting outlets installed in 
accordance with 210.70(A)(2)(3) shall not be permitted 
unless the listed control devices can provide dimming 
control to maximum brightness at each control location for 
the interior stairway illumination.
continued on page 38










