Minimum sockets and light points per room
In the US, the NEC asks for a receptacle so that no point along a wall is more than 6 ft (1.8 m) from one, which works out to one every 12 ft (3.7 m) of usable wall, plus a switched light in every habitable room. In Italy, CEI 64-8 level 1 sets a fixed count per room: 4 sockets and 1 light point for a room of 8 to 12 m², 5 and 1 from 12 to 20 m², 6 and 2 above 20 m², with separate figures for kitchens, bathrooms and corridors.
Updated October 3, 2026 · Cristiano Soleti
United States: NEC 210.52 and 210.70
The National Electrical Code (NFPA 70) does not give a count per room. It gives a spacing rule for receptacles along the walls and a list of places that need at least one, and it asks for a wall-switched lighting outlet in habitable rooms, bathrooms and hallways.
| Room | Sockets | Light points | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Living room, bedroom, dining room, kitchen walls and similar rooms | 1 per 12 ft (3.7 m) of usable wall | 1, wall switched | 210.52(A): no point along the floor line more than 6 ft (1.8 m) from a receptacle. Wall spaces 2 ft (600 mm) or wider count |
| Bathroom | 1, within 3 ft (900 mm) of the basin | 1, wall switched | 210.52(D), with GFCI protection under 210.8 |
| Laundry area | 1 | 1, wall switched | 210.52(F) |
| Hallway of 10 ft (3.0 m) or more | 1 | 1, wall switched | 210.52(H) |
| Balcony, deck or porch | 1 | Not counted here | 210.52(E)(3) |
Italy: CEI 64-8, level 1
CEI 64-8 chapter 37 defines three levels for a home's electrical installation. Level 1 is the minimum for a new or fully rebuilt installation. The table gives the minimum socket points and light points per room.
| Room | Sockets | Light points | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Living room, bedroom, study: 8 to 12 m² | 4 | 1 | A bedroom may have one socket fewer |
| Living room, bedroom, study: 12 to 20 m² | 5 | 1 | A bedroom may have one socket fewer |
| Living room, bedroom, study: over 20 m² | 6 | 2 | |
| Kitchen | 5 | 1 | Two of the sockets at worktop level |
| Kitchenette | 2 | 0 | Added to the room it opens onto; one at worktop level |
| Bathroom or shower room | 2 | 2 | One socket is enough without a washing machine |
| Separate WC | 1 | 1 | |
| Laundry | 3 | 1 | |
| Entrance | 1 | 1 | |
| Corridor up to 5 m | 1 | 1 | |
| Corridor over 5 m | 2 | 2 | |
| Balcony or terrace of 10 m² or more | 1 | 1 | Nothing required under 10 m² |
| Storage room of 1 m² or more | 0 | 1 |
Worked example: a 47 m² one-bedroom flat
The same flat, checked both ways by Layroom's editor. Each cell reads sockets placed over sockets needed, then lights placed over lights needed. The NEC figure depends on the length of usable wall, so it changes when a door or window moves.
| Room | Area | CEI 64-8 level 1 | NEC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bedroom | 10.9 m² | 2/3 · 1/1 | 2/3 · 1/1 |
| Living room | 28.1 m² | 5/6 · 4/2 | 5/5 · 4/1 |
| Hallway | 3.2 m² | 0/1 · 1/1 | 0/0 · 1/1 |
| Bathroom | 4.8 m² | 1/2 · 1/2 | 1/1 · 1/1 |
What these numbers are not
- They are minimum counts for planning a layout. They are not a design, a load calculation or a certificate of compliance.
- The NEC is adopted state by state, in different editions and with local amendments. The authority having jurisdiction decides.
- Kitchen countertop receptacles (NEC 210.52(C)), outdoor, garage and basement receptacles have their own rules and are not covered here.
- CEI 64-8 levels 2 and 3 ask for more points per room; level 1 is the floor, not the target.
Sources
- NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, articles 210.52, 210.8 and 210.70 (NFPA)
- CEI 64-8 minimum provision of sockets and light points, level 1 (Edilizia.com, in Italian)
- CEI 64-8, Part 3, chapter 37, Table A (Comitato Elettrotecnico Italiano)
Questions
- How many outlets does a bedroom need by code?
- Under the NEC, enough that no point along a wall is more than 6 ft from a receptacle, so about one per 12 ft of usable wall: a 10 by 12 ft bedroom usually needs four. Under CEI 64-8 level 1 in Italy, a bedroom of 8 to 12 m² needs at least 3 sockets and one of 12 to 20 m² at least 4.
- How far apart can receptacles be under the NEC?
- At most 12 ft (3.7 m) apart along a wall, because NEC 210.52(A) requires that no point along the floor line of a wall space be more than 6 ft (1.8 m) from a receptacle. Any wall space 2 ft (600 mm) or wider counts.
- How many sockets does a kitchen need under CEI 64-8?
- At least 5 socket points and 1 light point at level 1, with two of the sockets at worktop level. A kitchenette that is part of another room adds 2 sockets to that room's count.
- Does a bathroom need a GFCI outlet?
- In the US, yes: NEC 210.52(D) requires at least one receptacle within 3 ft of the basin and 210.8 requires GFCI protection for bathroom receptacles. In Italy, CEI 64-8 level 1 asks for 2 sockets and 2 light points in a bathroom, or 1 socket if there is no washing machine.
- Is there a tool that counts sockets and lights per room?
- Yes. Layroom's free editor detects the rooms on a floor plan, counts the sockets and light points you place in each, and compares them with the NEC spacing rule or the CEI 64-8 level 1 table.