OCPD required on both sides for conductors in a trench?

[CharlesM99]

Hi all,
I've never posted here, but I've definitely searched through the forums before when looking to find information on codes I am unfamiliar with!

I design PV systems, so I'm familiar with 690 & 705, but I am not as familiar with the rest of the code book as I could be. So I'm glad this resource exists to help me sort out how to use the bulk of the code book!

On to my reason for posting, a few years back an inspector asked us to make sure that conductors in a trench landed on OCPD on both sides of the trench. So I've been designing systems like that ever since then. Typically when we have some equipment on a house, and other equipment in a detached garage. I'd put a fused disconnect on one end, and then a subpanel with a main breaker on the other.

Just recently I was talking to one of our EJ's and he was saying its not necessary to have OCPD on both sides, like I had been designing them.
Is he right?
I started digging into codes, and I can't find anything. 300.5 just mentions protecting the conductors, but not over current protection.

 

[CharlesM99]

We are still using NEC 2017 BTW.

 

[EC Dan]

Conductors are only required to be protected by an OCPD where they receive their supply (240.21). It's possible he meant disconnecting means rather than OCPD. A circuit to a separate structure must have a disconnecting means at the conductor entrance, but that doesn't necessarily have to be an OCPD (225.32).