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Friday, December 11, 2020
Question:
Dear Code Experts,
I'm a homeowner that is going through an extensive remodel in our kitchen. My question is, can a receptacle be taken out of the box, and the wires are capped off and a blank plate put on it, and then it will be covered by a new cabinet? This has occurred twice in the renovation, and the person doing the wiring says that it meets all Code requirements. My husband is a bit concerned, so we are reaching out. Thanks for any help you could provide.
Pamela Ward
A
Answer:
Hi Pamela, thank you for reaching out. The answer is no. Doing what you describe in the question creates a violation of the NEC in that the wiring in the outlet box is required to be accessible as defined in Article 100 of the NEC. Section 314.29. You and your husband are wise to question this. We advise making sure that the work has been permitted and inspected by the applicable authority having jurisdiction.