On Sept. 1, the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) announced it adopted the 2023 National Electric Code (NEC).

The adoption caps a collaborative effort with input from an Electrical Code Advisory Committee that included representatives from government, industry and labor. The committee included representatives from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 494 in Milwaukee, as well as the National Electrical Contractors Association.

Adoption of the 2023 code took effect on the day of the signing. The state had previously been using the 2017 edition with amendments.

The new code will introduce several safety updates, such as the requirement for whole-home surge protection, restrictions on the number of feeders that can supply a building or structure and a requirement for permits and inspections for services on vacant land.

The DSPS has started updating its licensing exams to reflect the electrical code changes, and it expects exam updates to be completed by Oct. 1.

The NEC is updated every three years by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), a national nonprofit organization dedicated to developing safety standards.
The delay in adoption reflects a deliberative and collaborative process that includes public hearings and input from various stakeholders, both in developing the NEC and at the state level where the codes are eventually adopted and enforced.

On that note, the NFPA reports that six states have adopted the 2026 NEC. Effective Sept. 9, 2025, it is the most recent version of the code that has been developed. Wisconsin joins 20 other states that have adopted the 2023 NEC. Additionally, 15 states are still operating from the 2020 NEC. Three more states are using the 2017 NEC, and finally, the 2008 NEC is in effect in two states.