Within what distance of every box, cabinet, or fitting must Type NM cable be secured, absent a listed cable connector that provides support?
Not quite. The answer is B: 12 inches
334.30 requires NM cable to be secured within 12 inches of every box, cabinet, or fitting, and supported at intervals not exceeding 4.5 feet elsewhere along the run. Leaving too much slack right at the box is a common rough-in defect an inspector will flag immediately.
Reference: NEC 2023 334.30 (Securing and Supporting — Type NM Cable)
Checked against multiple published sources
Three sources agree: a municipal code reproduction of 334.30 (Building, Fire and Related Codes 2024 edition), a 2023 NEC explainer, and a city 2020 NEC inspection checklist. The 12 in. and 4-1/2 ft figures are the same in 2020 and 2023. None is NFPA's own page.
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