Instant Plan Sets now generate plan sets against the 2026 National Electrical Code (NEC 2026) for projects in jurisdictions that have adopted it. This article explains how Aurora chooses the code edition for your project and where you can change it.
In this article:
What it is
The National Electrical Code (NEC) is the electrical safety standard that most U.S. jurisdictions base their requirements on. It is revised every three years, and each Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) — the local office that reviews and approves your permit — adopts a new edition on its own timeline, so projects in different jurisdictions can fall under different code years. Before September 15, 2026, Instant Plan Sets supported editions through NEC 2023, so projects in NEC 2026 jurisdictions couldn’t generate a compliant plan set. NEC 2026 support is now available to all Instant Plan Sets customers.
How it works in Aurora
Aurora chooses the NEC edition for each project from the project’s AHJ, using the NEC code year in Aurora’s AHJ database. From there:
- If the project’s AHJ is on NEC 2026, Instant Plan Sets apply NEC 2026 automatically.
- Instant Plan Sets apply the 2026 code to conductor and overcurrent protection sizing, disconnect selection, and energy-storage sizing. They also generate the plan set’s notes, NEC references, and labels for that edition.
- Projects in NEC 2023 and earlier jurisdictions aren’t affected and continue to generate against their applicable code year.
If a project needs a different code year than the AHJ default, you can override the NEC code year in the project properties for your Instant Plan Set. For the full list of project properties, see Instant Plan Sets.
What changed in NEC 2026
NEC 2026 updates several rules that affect residential solar and storage designs. Highlights include:
- Section 706.16 is deleted, so backup sizing for energy storage now follows Article 702.
- Section 705.11(C)(1) reinstates length limits for supply-side conductors inside buildings.
- Section 690.4(G) adds a rule for fractions of an ampere or volt, which applies to the final calculated result after correction factors.
- Section 690.13 now directs you to Section 705.20 for installing the PV system disconnecting means.
For more detail, see 2026 NEC Updates for Solar and Energy Storage Systems from Mayfield Renewables.
Key considerations
- Check NFPA’s NEC enforcement and use page and confirm with your AHJ which edition applies, because adoption varies by jurisdiction and changes often.
- Override the code year only when your AHJ requires a different edition than the project’s default.
- Review the code information Aurora has for an AHJ in the AHJ database. For details, see AHJ Identification and Database.
FAQ
My AHJ adopted NEC 2026, but my plan set shows NEC 2023. How do I fix it?
Instant Plan Sets use the code year for the project’s AHJ. Override the NEC code year in the project properties for your Instant Plan Set so it matches what your AHJ requires.
Do I need to change my workflow to get NEC 2026 plan sets?
No. The steps to create an Instant Plan Set stay the same.