Upcoming 2025 NYC Electrical Code (2020 NEC plus amendments)

Merry Christmas
Grouch

Grouch

Senior Member
Location
New York, NY
On December 21st of this year, NYC will finally adopt the 2020 version of the NEC with amendments (which will be called the 2025 NYC Electrical Code).

Here is the formal buildings bulletin documenting the change:

My question is regarding Section I:
Local Law 128 of 2024 enacted the 2025 NYC Electrical Code, which goes into effect on December 21, 2025. Except as provided below, the 2025 NYC Electrical Code will apply to all projects filed on or after December 21, 2025.

When they say "to all projects filed on or after December 21, 2025", what filing are they referring to? Is this the filing of all the trade drawings (arch, mech, plumbing, sprinkler, fire alarm, etc.)? Or when the electrical permit is pulled (FYI electrical drawings in NYC under 1000 KVA don't have to be filed)?

My next question is regarding Section 3:
Applications for electrical work filed on or after December 21, 2024, and associated with a new building may elect to comply with the technical provisions of the 2025 NYC Electrical Code, at the option of the owner. This allowance is irrespective of the requirement for plan review.

When they say "electrical work filed on or after", what filing are they referring to? In NYC, any installation below 1000 KVA doesn't require EPR / advisory board filing. You don't need to file drawings. So what do they mean?

The language confuses me.
 
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I read it as the day they apply for plan review or for the permit. The building dept will be reviewing the plans based on the 2025 NYC electrical code starting on December 21, 2025.

I don't know what section 3 means. Unless there is a optional "technical provisions" like in California we have green building code and energy efficiency codes. But they aren't optional for us. Maybe they have something similar in the NYC 2025 codes?
 
Elect117 said:
I read it as the day they apply for plan review or for the permit. The building dept will be reviewing the plans based on the 2025 NYC electrical code starting on December 21, 2025.
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But Section 2 states 'regardless of whether electrical plan review is required'. So if your building is below 1000 KVA, what exactly are you filing to comply with Section 1?

Why can't this be written clearly?
 
My interpretation of "filed" is any projects requiring electrical permitting or electrical plan review. I think this covers for section 1 and 3
 
and what does this mean?: the application is diligently pursued to completion

does that mean the permit has to be pulled? or does this mean the permit has to be pulled AND the actual electrical work / installation has to be completed?

the way this is all written is laughable. way to keep everyone interpreting it differently and causing screw ups. A 2 page document that can't be more vague.
 
What does this mean?: When electrical work is filed in association with another work application, it shall be governed based on the date of that primary filing. It's at the end of the last page.

Does that mean if other trades, related to the same project, were filed prior to December 21st, 2025, you go by that filing date of those other trades? (arch, mech, plumbing, etc). Are these other trades considered the 'primary' filing?
 
Grouch said:
and what does this mean?: the application is diligently pursued to completion

does that mean the permit has to be pulled? or does this mean the permit has to be pulled AND the actual electrical work / installation has to be completed?

the way this is all written is laughable. way to keep everyone interpreting it differently and causing screw ups. A 2 page document that can't be more vague.
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I think they mean that they want you to pursue completion of electrical work filed under the 2011 NYC electrical code without waiting long periods of time. They just want to make sure all filings before Dec 21 are not delayed on purpose to "lock in" 2011 NYC electrical code. Imagine I am a contractor or owner and I want to save money by avoiding the 2025 NYC electrical code on a project that will start in 2027, I would want to file the permit before Dec 21 to avoid the new NYC electrical code and wait 2 years to begin work in 2027. This would not be diligently pursuing completion of a project because there are intentional delays for a permit that is filed before Dec 21.
 
Grouch said:
What does this mean?: When electrical work is filed in association with another work application, it shall be governed based on the date of that primary filing. It's at the end of the last page.

Does that mean if other trades, related to the same project, were filed prior to December 21st, 2025, you go by that filing date of those other trades? (arch, mech, plumbing, etc). Are these other trades considered the 'primary' filing?
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I believe so. So the first ever filing of the trade is the date the electrical code will be applied. So if you have arch, mech, and plumbing filed before Dec 21, the 2011 NYC electrical code applies.
 
Tainted said:
I think they mean that they want you to pursue completion of electrical work filed under the 2011 NYC electrical code without waiting long periods of time. They just want to make sure all filings before Dec 21 are not delayed on purpose to "lock in" 2011 NYC electrical code.
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That makes a lot of sense. Would not have thought of that.
 
My interpretation is that regardless of over/under 1000KVA of service switching, nothing is "filed' unless and until the permit is pulled. Filing for the permit and listing the scope of work etc etc to me is "filing".

The Electric Plan Review drawing SUBMISSION is not a "filing". I can submit drawings for EPR approval and never do it, or revise them 4 times with additional "submissions". Then, when I FILE (for the permit), if over 1000KVA of service switches, I have to at THAT point list the EPR approval calendar number in part of the application asking if it is EPR qualified.
 
Electrical projects that dont require an EPR and just require a trade permit, are subject to the electrical code on the day the permit is pulled. Pull a permit by Dec 20th and the code would be the 2011 NYC Electrical Code....provided the work is dilligently conducted, completed and inspected in 2 years. (One can optionally use the 2025 NYC Electrical Code if desired, however.)

Regarding EPR projects, for jobs with major building permits, (new buildings, Alt-1 and Alt-2 permits), the effective date determining the electric code version would be the date that the building permit was applied for, provide a 'complete package was filed'. This was as per Building's Bulletin #8 of 2024:


However, the DoB changed gears and issued a notice this past August that for an EPR (Electrical Plan Review) project to use the 2011 NYC Electric Code; the EPR would need to be filed, approved and a trade permit pulled prior to December 21st. That is no longer possible because it is taking at least a month for the DoB to review new EPR applications. So essentially as of today, (according to the DoB's service notice) that any job that requires an EPR will need to be designed & constructed under the 2025 NYC Electric Code. With non-EPR jobs, one still has until Dec. 21st to pull a permit to use the 2011 NYC Electrical Code.

 
Correct RM, Any EPR for an alteration would have needed to be Submitted and Approved before 12/21/25 AND then the permit pulled before or on 12/21/25 to qualify for the 2011. As of today 12/12/25 an Alteration EPR and Filing would probably be impossible to get under the wire. And so what, it's safer and charge the client for the added bump to pay for arc-fault mitigation on Service Switching and panels.
 
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