The National Electrical Code (NEC), published by the National Fire Protection Association as NFPA 70, is the wiring and installation code that governs electrical work. Texas adopts it by statute — Texas Occupations Code §1305.101 — following the NFPA's 3-year revision cycle.
The 2023 NEC took effect in Texas on September 1, 2023: all non-exempt electrical work started on or after that date — through August 31, 2026 — must comply with it. Key 2023 changes include:
- Updated GFCI and AFCI requirements
- Expanded surge protection provisions
- New provisions for energy storage systems and electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE)
- Changes to grounding and bonding, plus updated emergency and standby system requirements
The NEC is also the backbone of your continuing education. TDLR requires your 4 hours to cover the NEC, Texas law and rules, and electrical safety (NFPA 70E); in the approved outline of our 4-hour course, roughly 3 of those hours are NEC content — code changes, key articles such as Article 250 (grounding and bonding), wiring methods, overcurrent protection, branch circuits, services, and feeders. Texas applies the 2023 NEC through August 31, 2026; on July 28, 2026 the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation adopted the 2026 NEC, effective September 1, 2026, keeping Texas's amendment to 210.8(F) (no GFCI required for outlets supplying listed outdoor dwelling-unit HVAC equipment).
What it means for your renewal
Annual CE is how Texas keeps all 10 individual license types current on a code that changes every three years. Note that your 4 hours cannot be all NEC content — Texas law, rules, and NFPA 70E safety must be covered too, which is why our course bundles every required topic into one 4-hour package.
Authority: Texas Occupations Code §1305.101