Electrical Panel Working Space — 30 In. Wide, 3 Ft Deep, 6-1/2 Ft Tall
The working space in front of a panel is not a courtesy. It is a dimensioned volume the NEC protects, and nothing may be stored in it. Three numbers cover almost every dwelling: 30 inches wide, 3 feet deep, 6-1/2 feet tall.
Minimum depth is 3 ft for equipment operating at 0 to 150 volts to ground under any of the three conditions; above 150 volts the depth grows to 3, 3-1/2 or 4 ft depending on what is on the opposite side
NEC Table 110.26(A)(1)
Width
Width is 30 in. or the width of the equipment, whichever is greater, and any equipment door must be able to open at least 90 degrees
NEC 110.26(A)(2)
Height
Headroom is 6-1/2 ft or the height of the equipment, whichever is greater; equipment above may project no more than 6 in. into the space
NEC 110.26(A)(3)
Floor
The 2023 edition adds a requirement that the working space have a level, flat floor or platform over its full extent
NEC 110.26(A)(6)
No storage
The working space may not be used for storage, and where energized parts are exposed it must be guarded or attended
NEC 110.26(B)
Illumination
Illumination is required for working spaces at services and panelboards, and it may not be controlled solely by automatic means
NEC 110.26(D)
Dedicated space
The footprint of the equipment must be kept clear of foreign piping and ducts from the floor to 6 ft above the equipment or to the structural ceiling
NEC 110.26(E)(1)(a)
Handle height
The highest circuit-breaker handle may not be more than 6 ft 7 in. above the floor or working platform
NEC 240.24(A)
Worth knowing
The biggest 2023 change is easy to miss: the rule that equipment doors must not block the working space moved out of the large-equipment subsection and into the parent text, so it now applies to all equipment regardless of ampere rating.
Personnel doors in rooms containing equipment rated 800 amps or more, within 25 ft of the working space, need panic hardware and must swing out. The threshold dropped from 1200 amps in the 2014 cycle, not 2017 as often reported.
Where panels may not go is a separate set of rules from working space. Section 240.24(D) keeps overcurrent devices out of spaces with easily ignitible material, which is the clothes-closet ban; 240.24(E) keeps them out of bathrooms; 240.24(F) out of the space over steps; and 408.43 prohibits a face-up panelboard.
Two published readings of the dedicated-space rule disagree. Most sources read the zone as extending 6 ft above the equipment or to the structural ceiling, whichever is lower; at least one reads it as whichever is greater. Confirm with the inspector before framing a soffit at that height.
The code requires illumination but names no foot-candle value, so a single fixture that actually lights the panel face satisfies it.
Common questions
What does the code say about depth for Electrical Panel Clearance?
Minimum depth is 3 ft for equipment operating at 0 to 150 volts to ground under any of the three conditions; above 150 volts the depth grows to 3, 3-1/2 or 4 ft depending on what is on the opposite side. (NEC Table 110.26(A)(1))
What does the code say about width for Electrical Panel Clearance?
Width is 30 in. or the width of the equipment, whichever is greater, and any equipment door must be able to open at least 90 degrees. (NEC 110.26(A)(2))
What does the code say about height for Electrical Panel Clearance?
Headroom is 6-1/2 ft or the height of the equipment, whichever is greater; equipment above may project no more than 6 in. into the space. (NEC 110.26(A)(3))
Adopted edition by state
Base-code year from BuildSpec’s adoption records. States often amend the base code, and your city or county may differ, so confirm with your building department.
This guide is BuildSpec’s own summary, not code text. It cites the 2021 International Residential Code and the 2023 National Electrical Code as model standards. The IRC 2021 text itself is in the Code Library for signed-in members; BuildSpec publishes no NEC text, which is at nfpa.org.Neither is an adoption record: your state may be on a different edition with amendments — check your jurisdiction page or get an Address Report.