110.26(A) Working space
Equipment likely to require examination, adjustment, servicing or maintenance while energized needs clear working space:
Width: the width of the equipment or 30 in., whichever is greater.
Height: generally 6 ft 6 in. minimum.
Depth: from Table 110.26(A)(1) by voltage to ground and condition; generally 3 ft for 150 V or less to ground.
The equipment footprint is not the room the equipment needs. Working space cannot become storage, mechanical space or a pipe route.
110.26(C) Entrance and egress
At least one entrance of sufficient area serves the working space; large equipment adds requirements. For equipment rated 800 A or more, personnel doors within 25 ft of the working space open in the direction of egress and have listed panic or fire-exit hardware.
110.26(D) Illumination
Indoor working spaces around service equipment, switchboards, switchgear, enclosed panelboards and motor control centers are illuminated.
110.26(E) Dedicated equipment space
Indoor service equipment, switchboards, switchgear, enclosed panelboards and motor control centers get a dedicated zone the width and depth of the equipment, up to 6 ft above it or to the structural ceiling, whichever is lower. Piping, ducts and equipment foreign to the electrical installation stay out of that zone. The exceptions are narrow (for example, sprinkler protection where the piping complies).
Why it matters
This is where electrical and mechanical coordination collide. In Miami tenant-improvement and condo work the usual intruder is the air-conditioning condensate line or the refrigerant line set routed straight over the panel, found at rough-in when moving it costs the most.
Where to show it
Electrical room plans with the working-space and dedicated-space zones drawn and dimensioned, door swings and hardware for 800 A and larger equipment, lighting in the electrical room, and the mechanical and plumbing routing overlaid on the same plan.
Do
Dimension working clearances on the plan.
Coordinate door swings and egress.
Keep piping and ductwork out of the dedicated space.
Protect equipment from leaks and condensation.
Do not
Use working space for storage.
Route piping through the dedicated space.
Assume “it fits” means it complies.
Wait for coordination drawings to find the conflicts.
Field tip
Draw the required clearance zone in front of and above every major piece of electrical equipment, then overlay piping, ductwork, doors, structure and other equipment. The conflicts become obvious in minutes. Related: readily accessible. Next: #026 — NEC 110.27–110.29 Guarding & Enclosures.
Code basis
NEC 2026 Article 110.26 education from the owner-provided Daily Code Talk. Confirm the locally adopted NEC edition, the table conditions and amendments. Not a room layout for your project.