Bedroom outlet before the house listing
What's wrong here?
- Paint has been rolled over the receptacle and into its contact openings
- The receptacle is mounted too low; bedroom receptacles must be at least 18 in. above the floor
- Bedroom receptacles must have AFCI protection built into the device
- Nothing. This installation is compliant
Show the answer and the code reference
The answer
The receptacle face and contact openings are contaminated with wall paint.
Correct choice: 1. Paint has been rolled over the receptacle and into its contact openings
110.12(B) prohibits internal parts of electrical equipment, including wiring terminals and contact surfaces, from being damaged or contaminated by foreign material such as paint or plaster. Paint that runs into the slots coats the contact springs, so a plug makes poor contact and heats up, and it can glue the tamper-resistant shutters shut so people force plugs in. Paint on the device also covers the listing and rating markings.
How to fix it
Replace the painted receptacle with a new listed tamper-resistant receptacle (406.4(D)(5)). Because this is a bedroom outlet, the replacement must also have AFCI protection, from an AFCI breaker already on the circuit or an outlet branch-circuit AFCI receptacle (406.4(D)(4)). Install a clean cover plate, and next time pull the plates and mask the devices before painting.
Code references
NEC 2023 110.12(B) — Integrity of Electrical Equipment and Connections
Internal parts of electrical equipment, including busbars, wiring terminals, insulators, and other surfaces, shall not be damaged or contaminated by foreign materials such as paint, plaster, cleaners, abrasives, or corrosive residues.
Drills citing 110.12(B)NEC 2023 406.4(D)(5) — Tamper-Resistant Receptacles
Listed tamper-resistant receptacles shall be provided where replacements are made at receptacle outlets that are required to be tamper-resistant elsewhere in this Code.
Drills citing 406.4(D)(5)NEC 2023 406.4(D)(4) — Arc-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection
Where a receptacle outlet in an area that requires AFCI protection under 210.12 is replaced, the replacement shall be an outlet branch-circuit AFCI receptacle, or a receptacle protected by an upstream outlet branch-circuit AFCI receptacle or a combination-type AFCI breaker (limited exceptions apply).
Drills citing 406.4(D)(4)NEC 2023 406.12 — Tamper-Resistant Receptacles
Nonlocking 15- and 20-ampere, 125- and 250-volt receptacles in dwelling units, among the other areas listed, shall be listed tamper-resistant receptacles.
Drills citing 406.12
2026 NEC:same rule and number. No 2026 change to 110.12(B) was found: it still bars internal parts and terminals from being damaged or contaminated by paint, plaster, cleaners or similar material. A new 2026 rule requiring replacement of overheated, fire-damaged or water-damaged equipment is related, but it is not a change to this rule. Separately, 2026 revised the AFCI replacement rule in 406.4(D)(4) to point to the outlet locations in 210.12(A) or (B), which still requires AFCI protection for a bedroom replacement, so the fix stands. Confidence: medium
Minnesota
Minnesota adopted the 2023 NEC without amendment as the Minnesota Electrical Code (Minn. Rules 1315.0200; Minn. Stat. 326B.35), effective July 1, 2023, so 110.12(B) and 406.4(D) apply as published. That edition governs permits filed through Aug. 16, 2026; permits filed on or after Aug. 17, 2026 fall under the 2026 NEC; see the 2026 NEC note on this drill for how the cited section fares there.
How Minnesota adopts the NECWhy the other choices are wrong
- The receptacle is mounted too low; bedroom receptacles must be at least 18 in. above the floor. The NEC sets no minimum mounting height for general-use receptacles in a bedroom. The 5.5 ft figure in 210.52 is a maximum height for counting a receptacle as a required outlet.
- Bedroom receptacles must have AFCI protection built into the device. 210.12(B) requires AFCI protection for bedroom outlets, but a combination-type AFCI breaker at the panel is one of the permitted means (210.12(A)). Nothing in the picture shows the circuit lacks protection.
- Nothing. This installation is compliant. Paint on and inside a receptacle contaminates the contacts and can jam tamper-resistant shutters; 110.12(B) prohibits it.