Reference tables

2023 NEC

Equipment Grounding Conductor Sizing

Minimum equipment grounding conductor size in copper and aluminum, by the rating of the overcurrent device ahead of the equipment.

Overcurrent device ratingCopperAluminum
15 A or less14 AWG12 AWG
20 A or less12 AWG10 AWG
60 A or less10 AWG8 AWG
100 A or less8 AWG6 AWG
200 A or less6 AWG4 AWG
300 A or less4 AWG2 AWG
400 A or less3 AWG1 AWG
500 A or less2 AWG1/0 AWG
600 A or less1 AWG2/0 AWG
800 A or less1/0 AWG3/0 AWG
1000 A or less2/0 AWG4/0 AWG
1200 A or less3/0 AWG250 kcmil
1600 A or less4/0 AWG350 kcmil
2000 A or less250 kcmil400 kcmil
2500 A or less350 kcmil600 kcmil
3000 A or less400 kcmil600 kcmil
4000 A or less500 kcmil750 kcmil
Minimum size of equipment grounding conductors for grounding raceway and equipment, by the rating of the overcurrent device ahead of the equipment.

Source: NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, Table 250.122. Published by NFPA.NEC 2023

Sized by the breaker, not the circuit conductors

The equipment grounding conductor is sized from the overcurrent device rating, because its job is to carry enough fault current to trip that device quickly. It is a safety path, not a load-carrying conductor, and it does not have to match the circuit conductors.

The upsizing rule

Where circuit conductors are increased in size — for voltage drop, most commonly — the equipment grounding conductor generally has to be increased proportionally. The reasoning is that a longer run has more impedance in the fault path, and the ground path needs to keep up so the breaker still clears the fault fast enough. This reference does not compute that adjustment.

Not the same as a grounding electrode conductor

This table is for equipment grounding conductors. Grounding electrode conductors — the ones running to ground rods, water pipe, or building steel — are sized from a different table based on the service conductors. The two are frequently confused.

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