The question sounds simple, but the NEC answer depends entirely on whether you are wiring a dwelling or a commercial space — and for dwellings, the code's answer may surprise you.
For single-family and multifamily dwelling units, the NEC does not set a maximum number of receptacles per circuit. This is one of the most common misconceptions on the journeyman exam — many test-takers expect a fixed number like "eight outlets on a 15-amp circuit," but that figure appears nowhere in the code for dwellings.
Instead, the NEC handles dwelling load by using a general lighting load allowance expressed in volt-amperes per square foot of living space (Article 220, Table 220.12). That figure covers general lighting and general-use receptacles together. The assumption built into that calculation is that you will never have every outlet loaded at once, so counting individual receptacles is unnecessary for residential branch circuits. The practical implication is that an inspector cannot fail a dwelling rough-in simply because a 15-amp circuit has twelve or fifteen receptacles on it — the code does not prohibit that count.
What the code does require for dwellings is that certain circuits be present (small-appliance, laundry, bathroom) and that receptacles be placed so no point along a wall is more than a specified distance from an outlet (210.52). That spacing rule, not a receptacle count, is the binding dwelling requirement.
For occupancies that are not dwelling units — offices, retail spaces, warehouses, and similar — the NEC takes a different approach. Section 220.14(I) assigns each general-use receptacle outlet a calculated load of 180 volt-amperes. That figure is used when determining the required feeder and service capacity; it is a load-calculation tool, not an explicit wiring limit, but it has a direct implication for how many receptacles a circuit can reasonably serve.
Worked example — 20-ampere circuit:
Worked example — 15-ampere circuit:
On the exam, if a question asks how many receptacles a non-dwelling circuit can serve and gives you the circuit amperage, 220.14(I) and the 180 VA figure are the tools to use.
A common field rule of thumb is "no more than 8 outlets on a 15-amp circuit" or "no more than 10 on a 20-amp." Those guidelines come from trade practice and some local interpretations of load diversity, not from the NEC itself. On the journeyman exam, you are being tested on the code, not the rule of thumb.
| Occupancy | NEC basis | Receptacle limit? |
|---|---|---|
| Dwelling unit | Article 220 (sq ft load allowance) | No fixed limit in the code |
| Non-dwelling (general use) | 220.14(I) — 180 VA per receptacle | ~13 on 20 A; ~10 on 15 A (by calculation) |
Knowing which rule applies to which occupancy type is the key to answering exam questions correctly. A question that names a house or apartment is asking about the dwelling rule. A question that names an office or store is asking about 220.14(I).
Even in cases where the NEC does not explicitly cap outlet count, the continuous load rule reduces the usable capacity of any circuit. If a load is expected to run for three hours or more, the branch-circuit conductors and overcurrent device must be rated at 125 percent of that load — or equivalently, the circuit should not be loaded above 80 percent of its rating for sustained use. A 20-ampere breaker in a commercial space serving continuously energized outlets is effectively limited to 16 amperes of continuous load, which changes the 180 VA math.
Lighting circuits in commercial buildings are a classic exam trap here: luminaires run continuously, so a 20-ampere circuit serving only lighting is limited to 80 percent of its capacity — 16 amperes of sustained load — before the 180 VA per-outlet calculation is even applied. Being able to layer the continuous load factor over the outlet-count calculation is the kind of multi-step reasoning journeyman exam questions are designed to test.
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