Bathroom Lighting Restrictions

Light fixtures are art says marie lail blackburn certified master kitchen and bath designer and owner of mlb design group in seattle.

Bathroom lighting restrictions. Zone 3 has no ip rating requirements. Remarkably enough code does not require a ventilation fan. There are so many beautiful choices out there. That s a bare minimum and you ll probably want to provide more lights such as vanity lights wall sconces or extra ceiling fixtures for convenience and safety.

The switch must be located near the entrance to the bathroom. Bathroom lighting regulation zones are as follows. However bathroom lighting isn t all about function. Zone 2 requires ipx4 or double insulated or low voltage or be recessed into the ceiling.

Zone 1 requires ipx4. The process of choosing lighting for a bathroom design can be overwhelming. Fixtures especially vanity lighting also finish the look of any design scheme. Important nec bathroom regulations.

This article gives guidelines for lighting location strength and safety for bathrooms. The vanity tub area and shower all require different lighting choices but the bathroom s overall design still needs to. Light fixtures and wall switches must be on a separate circuit. A 20 amp receptacle circuit for plug in appliances.

Zone 0 is permitted but it must be designed specifically for use in a bath or shower be low voltage and have an ipx7 ingress protection rating. Bathrooms must have at least one wall switch controlled light. General lighting fan circuit required. Vanity light bars optimize the light in your bathroom and come in a variety of multilight styles from 1 light sconces up to 8 light bars.

When making your selection keep in mind that a minimal pedestal sink will probably allow a fixture with up to 3 lights while a 2 sink vanity will leave enough space for an 8 light vanity light. Bathroom lighting requirements the nec requires at least one overhead light in the bathroom and this can be part of the ceiling fan. Bathroom lighting design specifications. A 15 amp circuit is minimum but this is often a 20 amp circuit especially if there is a heat lamp integrated into this circuit.

Each bathroom should have a circuit for lighting and an exhaust fan according to the code this circuit may be a 15 amp circuit if it serves just lighting but it should be a 20 amp circuit if it is also serving a vent fan. The distance from the centerline of a toilet and or bidet to any bath fixture wall or other obstacle should be at least 18 inches. This article series details guidelines for selecting and installing interior lighting to meet the requirements for different building areas.