Code Reference
NEC 2023 vs 2026 Dwelling Load Calculation
Exactly what changes in a residential load calculation from the 2023 to the 2026 National Electrical Code, side by side, with a same-house worked example run under both editions.
Load-calculation changes only. Verified July 2026 against the NFPA 2026 change summary, EC&M, City Electric Supply, and Kopperfield. This page summarizes published change reports; it does not reproduce code text. Your adopted edition and AHJ govern.
What Changed, Side by Side
| Load-calculation rule | NEC 2023 | NEC 2026 | 2026 section |
|---|---|---|---|
| Load-calculation article | Article 220 | Article 120 | Art. 220 to 120 |
| Dwelling general lighting + receptacle load (service and feeder sizing) | 3 VA/ft2 | 2 VA/ft2 | 120.41 (was 220.41) |
| General lighting basis for counting required branch circuits | 3 VA/ft2 | 3 VA/ft2 (unchanged) | 120.13 (was 220.12) |
| Optional method: first tier taken at 100% | First 10 kVA | First 8 kVA | 120.82(B) (was 220.82(B)) |
| Optional method: remainder demand factor | 40% | 40% (unchanged) | 120.82(B) |
| EV charger (EVSE) in the optional method | No explicit rule (widely debated) | 100% of nameplate, no demand factor | 120.82(D) new, per 120.57 |
| 125% continuous-load factor inside the load calculation | Applied to continuous loads in the calc | Removed from load calcs (applies only to conductor and OCPD sizing) | 120.5 (was 220-series) |
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Same House, Both Editions: A Worked Example
A 2,400 square foot dwelling with an electric range, water heater, dryer, dishwasher, disposal, and microwave, plus central AC and a 40 A Level 2 EV charger, run through the optional method (NEC 220.82 in 2023, 120.82 in 2026). The AC and the EV charger are added at 100 percent in both columns, so the only things moving the answer are the two edition changes: the lighting cut and the smaller first tier.
| Load | NEC 2023 | NEC 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| General lighting + receptacles (2,400 ft²) | 3 VA/ft² = 7,200 VA | 2 VA/ft² = 4,800 VA |
| Small-appliance branch circuits (2) | 3,000 VA | 3,000 VA |
| Laundry branch circuit | 1,500 VA | 1,500 VA |
| Fastened-in-place appliances (nameplate) | 25,100 VA | 25,100 VA |
| General connected load | 36,800 VA | 34,400 VA |
| General demand (first tier at 100% + 40% of remainder) | 10,000 + 40% = 20,720 VA | 8,000 + 40% = 18,560 VA |
| Central AC (100%, largest of the heating/cooling options) | 6,000 VA | 6,000 VA |
| EV charger, 40 A (100% of nameplate) | 9,600 VA | 9,600 VA |
| Total calculated load | 36,320 VA | 34,160 VA |
| Minimum service (total ÷ 240 V) | 151.3 A | 142.3 A |
| Standard service size | 200 A | 150 A |
Does the 2026 Code Shrink or Grow Your Service?
- Both changes make it smaller. The 2026 edition lowers the calculated load two ways at once. For a typical house they add up to a few percent less than the 2023 result, which is enough to change the service size on a house near a breakpoint.
- The smaller first tier does most of the work. Dropping the 100 percent tier from 10 kVA to 8 kVA moves 2,000 VA from the 100 percent band into the 40 percent band, which cuts the calculated demand by about 1,200 VA. On a house under roughly 3,000 square feet this is the larger of the two reductions.
- The lighting cut adds to it. The 3 VA to 2 VA per square foot reduction takes 1 VA off every square foot; on a 2,400 square foot house that is about 960 VA of demand after the 40 percent factor. Because it scales with floor area, it overtakes the tier change only on larger homes, above about 3,000 square feet.
- An EV charger can push the other way. New 120.82(D) forces EVSE in at 100 percent of nameplate. If a 2023 calc leaned on the ambiguity to demand-factor the charger, the 2026 number can land higher, not lower. When we add the charger at 100 percent in both editions, as here, the 2026 result stays lower.
- The 125 percent factor leaves the calc. Under 2026 the load calculation states the load; the 125 percent continuous multiplier now shows up only where conductors and overcurrent devices are sized (120.5). The final wire and breaker do not shrink; the math just lives in a different place.
Which Edition Do You Run?
Publication is not adoption. Nothing here applies until your jurisdiction adopts the 2026 edition. As of July 2026 only Massachusetts is on the 2026 NEC (in force April 24, 2026), with Texas next on September 1, 2026. Most states are still on the 2023 or 2020 edition. Run your load calc under the code your AHJ enforces, and confirm the edition before you bid or pull the permit: NEC adoption by state tracker.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the 2026 NEC make a dwelling load calculation bigger or smaller?
For most homes, slightly smaller. Two changes both push the calculated load down: the general lighting and receptacle load drops from 3 VA to 2 VA per square foot, and the optional method's 100 percent first tier shrinks from 10 kVA to 8 kVA, which moves 2,000 VA into the 40 percent band and cuts demand by about 1,200 VA. For a typical house under 3,000 square feet the tier change is the larger of the two, and together they bring the 2026 result a few percent under 2023. The exception is an EV-charger home: new 120.82(D) forces the charger in at 100 percent of nameplate with no demand factor, which can raise the 2026 result versus an aggressive 2023 reading that tried to demand-factor it.
Is the 3 VA per square foot lighting load gone in the 2026 NEC?
No, and this trips people up. The 3 VA per square foot drops to 2 VA per square foot only for sizing the service and feeder (120.41). The 3 VA per square foot basis is retained for counting the number of required general-lighting branch circuits (120.13). So you size the service with 2 VA and still count branch circuits with 3 VA. They are two different calculations that happen to share a number in the 2023 edition and split apart in 2026.
Which NEC edition do I actually use for my load calc?
Whichever edition your jurisdiction has adopted, not whichever is newest. As of July 2026 only Massachusetts is on the 2026 NEC (in force April 24, 2026); Texas switches September 1, 2026, and most states are still on the 2023 or 2020 edition. Publication is not adoption. Run the numbers under the edition your AHJ enforces, and check the adoption tracker before you bid or pull a permit.
Related Tools
Dwelling Load Calculator
Run the optional-method service calc and the 220.87 “will my panel take an EV charger” check, every step shown.
NEC 2026 Changes
Every verified 2026 change beyond load calcs: EV charging, outdoor GFCI, service disconnects, and more.
NEC Adoption by State
Which edition is in force in all 50 states plus DC, with effective dates and 2026 status, verified monthly.
EV Charger Circuit Calculator
Wire, breaker, and panel capacity for Level 2 EVSE circuits, the load at the center of 120.82(D).
Know your edition, then run the numbers.
The same house sizes differently under 2023 and 2026. Confirm which code your jurisdiction enforces, then let the calculator show every line.