Electrical Standards & Codes by Country

Page highlights

• International baseline
• Europe / UK
• Australia / New Zealand
• Asia entry points
• Americas
• Mainland China

Which electrical code applies where you work?

There is no single global electrical code. The United States uses the National Electrical Code (NEC / NFPA 70) alongside OSHA workplace safety rules; the United Kingdom uses BS 7671 (IET Wiring Regulations); Europe and many other countries build on IEC 60364; Australia and New Zealand use AS/NZS 3000 (Wiring Rules); and Mainland China's building electrical work commonly cites GB 55024, GB 50054 and GB 50303.

Codes are jurisdiction-specific. Start with the country and local authority, then confirm the adopted edition, amendments and type of work — a newer publisher edition is not automatically the edition adopted everywhere. IEC standards provide international references, not a universal installation permit.

• foundational electrician English guide: Before diving into regional rulebooks like the NEC, CEC, or AS/NZS 3000, new apprentices can build everyday site vocabulary with our foundational electrician English guide.
• first-step language guide for electrical apprentices: Because national wiring rules use dense technical phrasing, we recommend starting with our first-step language guide for electrical apprentices to practice basic jobsite terms and question routines first.
• Electrical symbols chart and circuit practice
• Understand LOTO terms and US scope

International baseline

IEC 60364 is a common reference framework for many low-voltage building installation rules; field work still follows the adopted local version.

• IEC 60364-1:2025: Part 1 of the IEC 60364 series: fundamental principles and scope. Verify the edition adopted locally.

Europe / UK

European countries often build on IEC/CENELEC structures and adopt national rules; in the UK, BS 7671 / IET Wiring Regulations is the common study entry.

• IET BS 7671: UK national standard and IET Wiring Regulations entry.
• CENELEC: European electrotechnical standardization portal for harmonized standards context.

Australia / New Zealand

Australian/New Zealand residential and low-voltage learning commonly centers on AS/NZS 3000 Wiring Rules plus state/territory regulator requirements.

• AS/NZS 3000: Standards Australia official store entry for the Wiring Rules.
• ERAC: Electrical Regulatory Authorities Council portal for regulatory context.

Asia entry points

Asia varies widely: Hong Kong, Singapore, India, Japan, and others have their own regulators or adopted systems; identify the exact jurisdiction first.

• Hong Kong EMSD: Hong Kong EMSD electricity safety portal.
• Singapore EMA: Energy Market Authority of Singapore portal.
• India CEA: Central Electricity Authority of India portal for electrical regulations and safety context.
• Japan METI: Japan METI portal for electrical safety and regulatory context.

Americas

North America commonly centers on the US NEC/NFPA 70, OSHA workplace safety, and the Canadian Electrical Code; Latin American countries use national standards and regulators.

• NFPA 70 / NEC: Official US National Electrical Code entry.
• OSHA Electrical: US OSHA electrical safety topic portal.
• CSA C22.1: Canadian Electrical Code entry.
• Mexico NOM: Mexico Ministry of Economy portal for NOM electrical standards lookup.

Mainland China

Mainland China requires separating national standards, mandatory construction codes, construction acceptance standards, and licensing/special-operation rules; do not directly apply NEC or BS 7671.

• 国家标准全文公开系统: Primary portal for GB/GB/T standard lookup and disclosed texts.
• 国家标准信息公共服务平台: Lookup standard status, numbers, publication, and effective dates.
• 住房和城乡建设部: MOHURD portal for construction standards, mandatory codes, and announcements.
• 应急管理部: Emergency management, work safety, and special-operation context portal.