Updated November 13, 2026 · No Shorts Electric
NFPA 70B became a standard in 2023. Here is who it applies to, what an electrical maintenance program must include, how inspection intervals are set, and what an insurer or inspector will ask to see.
For decades NFPA 70B was a recommended practice: good advice that nobody had to follow. The 2023 edition changed it to a standard, written in mandatory language, and insurers and authorities have started to treat it that way. For a building manager the practical effect is simple: you are now expected to have a documented electrical maintenance program, and to be able to show it.
Who it applies to
Any facility with electrical distribution equipment: panels, switchgear, transformers, transfer switches, motor controls. Offices, multifamily buildings, retail, healthcare, schools and industrial buildings all fall inside it. Whether it is enforced in your building depends on your jurisdiction and, more often, on your insurance carrier.
What the program must contain
- An inventory of the electrical equipment covered, with a condition assessment for each item.
- Inspection and maintenance tasks for each equipment type, drawn from the standard’s chapters.
- Intervals for those tasks, set from the condition of the equipment and how critical it is to the building.
- Records: what was inspected, when, by whom, what was found and what was done about it.
- A process for correcting deficiencies and for updating the program when equipment changes.
How often equipment is inspected
The standard uses a condition-based approach. Equipment in good condition, in a clean and dry environment, that is not critical to operations can be inspected less often, typically annually. Older equipment, equipment in a harsh environment, or equipment whose failure would shut the building down is inspected more frequently. Infrared thermography under load is one of the main tools used to assess condition between full inspections.
What an insurer or inspector asks for
- The written program itself.
- The equipment inventory and condition ratings.
- Inspection and test records for the last several cycles.
- Infrared reports and evidence that findings were corrected.
- Who performs the work and their qualifications.
Common questions
Is NFPA 70B law in New York?
It is a standard, not a statute. It becomes binding when a jurisdiction adopts it, an insurer requires it, or another code references it. Many insurers now ask for a program that follows it.
Can we run the program ourselves?
Parts of it, such as record keeping and visual checks. The inspection and testing of live equipment should be done by a licensed electrical contractor.
What we do about it
- Electrical maintenance plans →
Scheduled inspection, testing and documentation for panels, switchgear, lighting and emergency systems, built to the NFPA 70B electrical maintenance standard and delivered by a named account contact.
- Infrared thermal imaging inspections →
Annual infrared scans of panels, disconnects and switchgear under load, with a report that ranks findings by temperature rise and gives your insurer what it asks for.