GFCI protection for spas and hot tubs
The outlets that supply a spa or hot tub need GFCI protection, or special-purpose GFCI above 150 V to ground. Field-assembled spas exempt in 2020 (three-phase, over 250 V or heater over 50 A) no longer are, and separate gas heater circuits need GFCI too.
What the code requires
The outlet or outlets that supply a self-contained spa or hot tub, a packaged spa equipment assembly or a field-assembled spa need ground-fault protection under 680.5. For circuits of 150 V or less to ground and 60 A or less, that is a Class A GFCI. For circuits above 150 V to ground, up to 480 V phase-to-phase, it is a special-purpose GFCI (SPGFCI) that trips at no more than 20 mA.
A listed unit marked as having integral GFCI protection on all of its electrical parts needs no additional protection. Circuits for gas-fired spa water heaters that are separate from the spa and operate above the low-voltage contact limit also need GFCI protection.
On the job
- Field-assembled spas that are three-phase, over 250 V or have a heater over 50 A lost their old exemption. Above 150 V to ground they need SPGFCI.
- A standalone gas heater's circuit needs GFCI protection, not just the spa's own supply.
- Don't count on a spa pack's internal GFCI unless the unit is listed and marked for it.
Exceptions that matter
- A listed spa or hot tub marked as having integral GFCI protection on all of its electrical parts needs no added GFCI.
What changed in 2023
The 2023 edition deleted the 2020 exemption for field-assembled spas that were three-phase, over 250 V or had a heater over 50 A, allowed SPGFCI, and added GFCI for gas heater circuits.
Related sections
- NEC 680.5
- NEC 680.41
- NEC 680.42
- NEC 680.43
- NEC 680.28
Where this comes from
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Kyle Robert Anderson KBC Electric · CSLB #1073066 · C-10 Electrical · Licensed since 2021