The Florida Building Code 9th Edition (2026) is proposed to take effect on December 31, 2026. The Florida Building Commission's proposed rule adopting it was published on September 23, 2026, and it is not final. For electrical work, the biggest consequence is the model code underneath it: the 9th Edition's model codes include the 2023 National Electrical Code, replacing the 2020 NEC that Florida enforces today.
This guide covers where the rule stands, the 2023 NEC changes most likely to affect South Florida residential and light commercial jobs, and how to think about jobs permitted before and after the proposed date. It is part of our South Florida electrical permits, codes and inspections guide. Everything here is "proposed" until the rule is adopted.
Where the 9th Edition stands
- Proposed rule published September 23, 2026. Rule 61G20-1.001 appeared in the Florida Administrative Register (Vol. 52, No. 185) adopting the 9th Edition (2026) "as updated by the Florida Building Commission on March 13, 2026," with a proposed effective date of December 31, 2026. See the Florida Administrative Register notice.
- How it got here. Rule development was first noticed September 12, 2024; the Commission acted on amendments December 9-10, 2025 and approved the proposed rule March 13, 2026, per the Commission's code update process webinar.
- What can still happen. A hearing can be requested within 21 days of publication, which runs to about October 14, 2026 (Florida Building Commission). Dates and text can move until adoption.
- The electrical model code. ICC's front matter for FBC-Building 9th Edition lists NEC 2023 among the model codes (ICC FBC-Building 9th Edition contents).
Until the rule takes effect, the 8th Edition (2023) and the 2020 NEC apply. Our guide to Florida Building Code 2023 electrical requirements explains how that works today.
2023 NEC changes builders should plan for
The table compares the current rule with the 2023 NEC version, using Leviton's code-change guides for both editions (Leviton Captain Code 2020; Leviton Captain Code 2023). Florida may amend the NEC in the 9th Edition, so check the final Florida text and your building department before relying on any row.
| Section | 2020 NEC (in force now) | 2023 NEC (proposed with the 9th Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| 210.8(A)(6) kitchens | GFCI on countertop-serving receptacles in dwelling kitchens (Leviton 2020) | GFCI on all kitchen receptacles rated 125-250 V, not only countertop (Leviton 2023) |
| 210.8(D) appliances | Points to the 422.5(A) appliance list (Leviton 2020) | List adds dishwashers, ranges, wall ovens, cooktops, dryers and microwaves (Leviton 2023) |
| 210.8(F) outdoor outlets | Dwelling outdoor outlets up to 150 V to ground and 50 A (Florida exempts listed HVAC equipment) (Leviton 2020) | Extends to garages with below-grade floors, accessory buildings and boathouses (Leviton 2023) |
| 210.12 AFCI | Dwelling AFCI on 120 V, 15 and 20 A branch circuits in listed rooms (Leviton 2020) | 10 A branch circuits added (Leviton 2023) |
| 210.52(C) islands and peninsulas | Receptacle outlets required at islands and peninsulas (Leviton 2020) | Receptacles no longer required; a raceway or cable to a box must be provided; no receptacles under the countertop (Leviton 2023) |
| 230.67 / 215.18 / 225.42 surge protection | Type 1 or Type 2 SPD at dwelling services (Leviton 2020) | Extended to feeders and more occupancies; SPD rated at least 10 kA nominal discharge current; required when equipment is replaced (Leviton 2023) |
| 230.85 / new 225.41 emergency disconnect | Outdoor emergency disconnect at one- and two-family dwellings (Leviton 2020) | Outdoors on or within sight of the dwelling; SCCR at least the available fault current; grouped disconnects; applies when service equipment is replaced (Leviton 2023) |
| 220.57 and 220.70 load calculations | No 220.57; the EVSE load section is new in the 2023 edition (Leviton 2020) | EVSE load at the larger of 7,200 W or nameplate; an energy management system setpoint may be used (Leviton 2023) |
| 625.40 to 625.43 EV charging | 625.54: GFCI protection for EV charging receptacles (Leviton 2020) | EVSEs may share a circuit under an energy management system; 625.49 covers island mode (Leviton 2023) |
| 445.18 / 445.19 generators | Emergency shutdown for standby generators at dwellings (445.18(D)) (Leviton 2020) | Generator disconnect and emergency shutdown requirements separated (Leviton 2023) |
| 680 pools | GFCI on pool motors up to 150 V to ground and 60 A, including replacements (680.21) (Leviton 2020) | 680.5 SPGFCI above 150 V to ground; 680.12(B) GFCI receptacle in pool equipment rooms; 680.22(A)(4) extends to 250 V receptacles (Leviton 2023) |
Two changes deserve a closer look for South Florida houses. First, kitchen and appliance GFCI: under the 2023 NEC, all kitchen receptacles rated 125-250 V need GFCI protection, and ranges, wall ovens, cooktops and dryers join the appliance list, per Leviton Captain Code 2023. That affects breaker selection and panel space on every new house. Second, the emergency disconnect: the 2023 version requires the outdoor disconnect "on or within sight of" the dwelling, with a short-circuit current rating at least equal to the available fault current, and applies it when service equipment is replaced, per Leviton Captain Code 2023.
Florida's current HVAC exception to 210.8(F) sits in FBC-Residential E3408.1 (FBC-Residential 2023, E3408.1). Whether and how it carries into the 9th Edition should be confirmed from the final adopted text. See GFCI and AFCI requirements in Florida for the full GFCI and AFCI comparison.
Jobs permitted before vs after the proposed date
Permit life for single-family homes
Since July 1, 2026, a building permit issued by a local government for a single-family dwelling expires 1 year after issuance or on the effective date of the next edition of the Florida Building Code, whichever is later, and a local government may extend it (section 553.79(1)(c), Florida Statutes; HB 803 (2026) bill summary). In plain terms, a single-family permit issued now has at least a year of life, and the arrival of a new edition does not cut it short. Keep inspections moving, though: under FBC 105.4.1 a permit can become invalid if work is not started within 6 months or is suspended for 6 months (UpCodes: conditions of the permit). How a department applies that alongside the statute is a question for the department.
Which code applies to your job
Florida law ties some outcomes to the application date. For example, an expired permit whose work is substantially complete can be closed without a new permit, with the remaining work done under the building code in effect when the local enforcement agency received the application (section 553.79(16)(b), Florida Statutes). Departments commonly review an application under the code in effect when it was submitted, but they handle a code change differently, especially for revisions, re-submittals and expired permits that must be reissued. Confirm with the building department that has jurisdiction which edition it will apply to your application.
Practical planning
- If your drawings are designed to the 2020 NEC, submit a complete application well ahead of the proposed December 31, 2026 date (proposed rule notice) and ask the department to confirm the edition in writing.
- For jobs that will be applied for after that date, design to the 2023 NEC items in the table, pending Florida's final text.
- Watch expirations: Broward County notes an expired permit can be renewed within 180 days of expiring, and after that a new permit under the current code is needed (Broward County permit guidance). Our plan review guide covers submittals.
- Budget panel space and breaker types for the expanded GFCI and AFCI rules on post-cutover jobs; see our 2020 NEC checklist for new homes for what applies now.
Questions builders ask
Is the 9th Edition in effect?
No. It is proposed to take effect December 31, 2026, under a proposed rule published September 23, 2026 (Florida Administrative Register). The 8th Edition and the 2020 NEC remain in force.
Will the 2023 NEC apply in Florida?
The 9th Edition's model codes include the 2023 NEC (ICC 9th Edition contents), so it is expected to apply once the 9th Edition takes effect, with any Florida amendments. Until then it is not Florida law.
My single-family permit was issued in 2026. Does it expire when the new code starts?
No. A single-family permit lasts 1 year after issuance or until the next edition takes effect, whichever is later (section 553.79(1)(c)). Keep inspections active and ask your department about its own rules.
Should I redesign plans that are already in review?
Ask the building department which edition it will apply to your application and to any revisions. That answer decides whether a redesign is needed.
Builders and developers can see how we work at for general contractors and for developers, and our electrical planning service covers early coordination.
Planning a job that straddles the code change? Send us the address, the permit status and the drawings, or call (305) 359-7312. KRW Electric Company LLC (Florida certified electrical contractor EC13012832) handles the permit and the inspection on its jobs across Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.
Reviewed by Kyle White, KRW Electric Company LLC — licensed electrical contractor EC13012832.
