NEC 220.87 · Table 220.55
Can My Panel Handle an Electric Range?
Almost always, and for a reason most people miss: a 240V electric or induction range counts as only 8 kW of demand in the load calculation, not its 40A nameplate. Here is the NEC 220.87 fit threshold by service size, worked, and why a range fits panels you would assume it would not.
Will it fit? By service size
Each figure is the highest existing 12-month metered demand your service can already be carrying and still take a single 240V range. Compare it to your own utility peak: if your peak is at or under the number, the range fits.
| Service | Range adds | Fits if your metered peak is |
|---|---|---|
| 100A service | 8 kW (33.3A) | ≤ 53.3A |
| 125A service | 8 kW (33.3A) | ≤ 73.3A |
| 150A service | 8 kW (33.3A) | ≤ 93.3A |
| 200A service | 8 kW (33.3A) | ≤ 133.3A |
The “range adds” figure is the NEC Table 220.55 Column C demand for a single household range of 12 kW or less, not the nameplate: a range is demand-factored, unlike an EV charger or tankless heater. The branch circuit is still sized to the full nameplate (NEC 210.19(A)(3)). Thresholds computed at 125% of the metered demand per NEC 220.87.
Why a 40A range only counts as 8 kW
This is the part that decides the job. A range never runs every burner and the oven at full power at the same moment, so the NEC gives household cooking equipment a demand factor no other large load gets. NEC Table 220.55 Column C lets a single range of 12 kW or less be calculated at 8 kW of demand for the service load, regardless of whether the nameplate is a 40A or a 50A circuit. That is the opposite of an EV charger or an electric tankless heater, which the code adds at their full load with no such factor. It is exactly why a range fits panels that a tankless of the same nameplate amps never would.
The check, worked (NEC 220.87)
Take the highest 15-minute demand from twelve months of the utility's metering data, multiply by 125%, and add the range's 8 kW demand. Say a 200A service whose 12-month peak was 100A: 125% × 100A = 125A, and 8 kW adds 33.3A, for 158.3A against the 200A service, so it fits with 41.7A to spare. On a 100A service the same range needs your peak at or under 53.3A, which a mostly-gas home almost always clears. The load calculator runs this on your real numbers and shows every line, including the Table 220.55 demand.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my 200A panel handle an electric range?
Almost certainly. A single 240V range, resistance or induction, counts as 8 kW of demand in the load calculation by NEC Table 220.55 Column C, not its 40 or 50A nameplate. By NEC 220.87 that 8 kW fits a 200A service as long as your 12-month metered peak stays at or under 133.3A, which covers essentially every home on a 200A service. A range is one of the loads you almost never have to worry about for panel capacity.
Can a 100A panel handle an electric range?
Usually yes, which surprises people. Because a single range is counted at 8 kW of demand (NEC Table 220.55 Column C) rather than its 40A nameplate, a 100A service takes it as long as your 12-month metered peak is at or under 53.3A. A mostly-gas home converting one appliance to an electric or induction range almost always has that headroom. The tight case is an all-electric 100A home already running heat, a dryer, and a water heater; run the load calculation to be sure.
Why does a 40A range only count as 8 kW on the load calculation?
Because the NEC gives cooking equipment a demand factor that no other big load gets. A range never runs every burner and the oven at full power at once, so NEC Table 220.55 Column C lets a single household range of 12 kW or less be calculated at 8 kW of demand regardless of the nameplate, and the branch circuit is still sized to the full nameplate. This is the opposite of an EV charger or an electric tankless heater, which the code adds at their full load with no such factor. It is why a range fits panels that a tankless of the same nameplate amps would not.
Is an induction range different from a resistance range for panel capacity?
For a 240V hardwired unit, no. Both are household cooking appliances under NEC Table 220.55, so a single 240V induction range of 12 kW or less is calculated at the same 8 kW of demand as a resistance range. The panel-capacity answer is identical. The only induction range that changes the math is the battery-buffered 120V plug-in class, which draws just 12 to 15A at the wall and is a far smaller load again.
What breaker and wire does an electric range need?
Sized to the nameplate, not the 8 kW demand. A household range rated 8-3/4 kW or more needs a minimum 40A branch circuit by NEC 210.19(A)(3), typically #8 copper on a 40 or 50A breaker with a #10 ground, on a 4-wire NEMA 14-50 receptacle for a new install. The 8 kW figure is only for the service load calculation; the branch circuit is always sized to the full range. The induction range circuit tool sizes it exactly.
Related Calculators
Induction Range Circuit
The 240V range circuit, or the battery-buffered 120V plug-in class sized from the wall draw, not the burner kW.
Dwelling Load Calculator
Run the full NEC 220.87 existing-load check against your service, with every step and the Table 220.55 demand shown.
What Size Breaker Do I Need?
The breaker and copper wire for a range and 20+ other common loads once you know the panel can take it.
Can My Panel Handle It?
The same check for an EV charger, heat pump, tankless water heater, or hot tub.