Section 250.119/Identification of Equipment Grounding Conductors
NEC 250.119 specifies how equipment grounding conductors must be identified: bare, green, or green with yellow stripes, with re-identification permitted for conductors larger than 6 AWG.
Equipment grounding conductors (EGCs) must be identified by one of three methods: a bare conductor (no insulation), a conductor with continuous green insulation, or a conductor with continuous green insulation with one or more yellow stripes. For conductors larger than 6 AWG, the conductor is permitted to be permanently identified as an EGC at each end and at every point where the conductor is accessible by stripping the insulation, coloring the exposed insulation green, or marking the exposed insulation with green tape or green adhesive labels. Conductors with green insulation or green with yellow stripes must not be used for any purpose other than equipment grounding. The identification must be permanent and visible at all termination and splice points.
Why this section exists
Correct identification of the equipment grounding conductor is critical for electrical safety. An EGC that is confused with a circuit conductor during installation or maintenance could result in a grounding path being used to carry load current, or a circuit conductor being connected to equipment enclosures. Either error creates electrocution risk. The dedicated green color coding ensures that electricians and maintenance personnel can immediately identify the grounding conductor. The re-identification provision for conductors larger than 6 AWG is practical because large green conductors are not stocked by most suppliers, and field identification with tape or paint is accepted practice.
What plan reviewers look for
Plan reviewers check conductor schedules and panel schedules for EGC identification. They verify that the EGC is listed separately from the neutral (grounded) conductor and that the color coding is specified correctly. For feeders and branch circuits, they verify the EGC is sized per Table 250.122 and identified per 250.119. For conductors larger than 6 AWG that will be re-identified in the field, they check that the specification calls out the re-identification method. They verify that no other conductor in the system uses green insulation.