Wire Size by Amperage

Select your circuit amperage to see all valid wire options, max distance, and breaker pairing.

15A Circuitlighting and general-purpose outlets 20A Circuitkitchen countertop outlets, bathrooms, garages, an 30A Circuitelectric dryers, water heaters, and small HVAC equ 40A Circuitelectric ranges, cooktops, and Level 2 EV chargers 50A Circuitelectric ranges, large EV chargers, and RV hookups 60A Circuitsubpanels, hot tubs, spa wiring, and high-power EV 100A Circuit100A subpanels for detached garages, workshops, an 200A Circuit200A main service entrance wire, whole-house panel 25A Circuitdedicated appliance circuits where 20A is insuffic 70A Circuitlarge subpanels, whole-house tankless water heater 80A Circuitmedium subpanels and commercial kitchen equipment 90A Circuitlarge subpanels and feeders for additions with sig 110A Circuitlarge subpanels and feeders for ADUs or shops with 125A Circuit125A subpanels for large additions, ADUs, and comm 150A Circuit150A subpanels and older home service upgrades 175A Circuitlarge subpanels and feeders where 150A is insuffic 225A Circuit225A subpanels for large commercial spaces and mul 400A Circuit400A service for large homes, dual-panel setups, a 35A Circuitsmall commercial equipment and larger residential 45A Circuitmedium commercial loads between 40A and 50A standa 250A Circuit250A commercial services and large subpanels 300A Circuit300A commercial feeders and large building service 500A Circuit500A commercial and industrial services 600A Circuit600A commercial and industrial services and switch 800A Circuit800A commercial and industrial main services 1200A Circuit1200A commercial and industrial main switchgear

Requirements vary by state. NEC edition, licensing, permits, and GFCI rules differ by jurisdiction. Check your state or pick it below for personalized info across WireRef.

Important: For reference only. Not a substitute for a licensed electrician. Electrical work can cause serious injury, death, fire, or property damage if performed incorrectly. Always hire a licensed electrician for electrical work, especially for service upgrades, panel work, and 240V circuits. Values are derived from NFPA 70 (NEC) for educational purposes. Always verify against your locally adopted NEC edition and amendments - local jurisdictions may enforce stricter requirements. WireRef provides reference information only and is not responsible for work performed based on this content. NEC® is a registered trademark of the National Fire Protection Association. Free NEC access via NFPA · OSHA Electrical Safety · Terms of use.

NEC 2023 references verified April 2026