Which outlets in a house have to be GFCI protected?
GFCI protection is required for receptacles in bathrooms, garages, outdoors, kitchens (counter-serving), unfinished basements, and crawl spaces (IRC E3902).
The IRC requires ground-fault circuit-interrupter (GFCI) protection for 125-volt, 15- and 20-amp receptacles in higher-risk areas including bathrooms, garages and accessory buildings, outdoor locations, crawl spaces, unfinished basements, and kitchen receptacles that serve countertop surfaces.
Protection can be provided by either a GFCI receptacle or a GFCI circuit breaker. Newer code editions have expanded the list over time (for example to receptacles near sinks and in laundry areas), so confirm the edition your jurisdiction enforces.
GFCI devices trip on small current imbalances to protect people against shock. They are separate from arc-fault (AFCI) protection, which guards against arcing that can start fires.
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Need this scoped to your jurisdiction?
Adopted edition and local amendments vary by city and county. Ask Donnie checks your jurisdiction and cites the exact adopted section.
Ask Donnie →General information based on the International Residential Code (a model code). This is AI assistance to verify — not legal advice. Confirm the adopted edition and any local amendments with your local building department (AHJ) and a licensed professional before you build.