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How Many Outlets Can You Put on a 15 Amp Circuit?

a lot of outlets plugged in

Technically, you can have as many outlets on a 15 amp circuit breaker as you want. However, a good rule of thumb is 1 outlet per 1.5 amps, up to 80% of the capacity of the circuit breaker. Therefore, we would suggest a maximum of 8 outlets for a 15 amp circuit.

National Electrical Code & Outlets

The National Electrical Code (NEC) does not limit the number of outlets per circuit.

The NEC only states that a circuit cannot supply more than 80% of the circuit breakers limits. This is so the circuit breaker does not constantly trip during regular use.

So, if you have a 15 amp circuit with 20 outlets, you should be fine as long as you are not running more than 12 amps through the circuit at one time. While this would be an extreme case, read further to find out how many amps you may use on a circuit.

15 amp circuit

How Many Amps Will I Use?

To find out how many amps you need or how many you will use, use this formula: 80%*(Amps) = Watts/Volts. Also, you should know modern-day U.S. outlets run on 120 volts (unless it is a special appliance connection like a dryer).

So, if you are using a 15 amp circuit and you are using regular 120-volt outlets, then the max watts you can use is 1440 watts. This ensuring your circuit does not supply more than 80% of the total 15 amp circuit.

All electrical appliances like TVs, chargers, and lightbulbs should state their wattage on the packaging so you can just add up the expected wattage from each appliance to get your total wattage for the circuit.

How Many Outlets Are In Most Bedrooms

Most new construction bedrooms have an outlet every 6 feet, or on every wall. They would also have a junction box on the ceiling for a light and fan.

For example, a master bedroom could have 7 outlets, and then a light fixture at the ceiling for a fan. All while, being on a 15 amp circuit.

Final Thoughts

While there is no direct rule for how many outlets you can have on a 15 amp circuit, you should not have more than 1440 watts of power plugged into those outlets at one time.

Again, a good rule of thumb is 1.5 amps per outlet, but stop at 80% of the total circuit breaker amperage so the breaker does not trip constantly. In the case of 15 amps, we recommend a maximum of 8 outlets.

During our home inspections, while we do not count the specific number of outlets in any given room, we will ensure the amperage per room is appropriate. For example, a kitchen should have more than a 15amp breaker.

If you have further questions, be sure to comment below!

Learn about preventing power surges or how many outlets can you put on a 20 amp circuit.