Which occupancy type does 230.85 require to have an emergency disconnecting means for its electrical service?
Not quite. The answer is A: One- and two-family dwelling units
230.85 targets one- and two-family dwelling units. It was added in the 2020 NEC after firefighter-safety concerns about quickly finding a way to de-energize a house from outside. The 2023 NEC added 225.41 to cover such dwellings fed by an outdoor feeder rather than a service. Multi-family and commercial buildings follow the general service-disconnect location rules instead (see 230.70). Exam-vs-field note: Washington's electrician exam is administered on the 2020 NEC, in which 230.85 first appeared, so this is fair game on the exam.
Reference: NEC 2023 230.85 (Emergency Disconnects — Occupancies)
Checked against multiple published sources
A St. Paul 2023 bulletin, a Georgia 2023 code-change presentation and an ExpertCE lesson agree that 230.85 requires an emergency disconnect for one- and two-family dwellings and that 2023 added 225.41 for feeder-supplied dwellings. None is the code text.
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