Thread: Entrance exterior light required?

Here's a basic question: Is an exterior light required at the home's main/front entrance?

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Originally Posted by John Arnold

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Here's a basic question: Is an exterior light required at the home's main/front entrance?

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Yes.
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Expanded basic answer: And not 'just' at the main/front entrance.

From the NEC: (bold and underlining is mine)
- 210.70 Lighting Outlets Required.
- - (A) Dwelling Units.
- - - (2) Additional Locations.
- - - - (b) For dwelling units, attached garages, and detached garages with electric power, at least one wall switch–controlled lighting outlet shall be installed to provide illumination on the exterior side of outdoor entrances or exits with grade level access. A vehicle door in a garage shall not be considered as an outdoor entrance or exit.

From the IRC:
- E3803.3 Additional locations. At least one wall-switch-controlled lighting outlet shall be installed in hallways, stairways, attached garages, and detached garages with electric power. At least one wall-switch-controlled lighting outlet shall be installed to provide illumination on the exterior side of each outdoor egress door having grade level access, including outdoor egress doors for attached garages and detached garages with electric power. A vehicle door in a garage shall not be considered as an outdoor egress door. Where one or more lighting outlets are installed for interior stairways, there shall be a wall switch at each floor level and landing level that includes an entryway to control the lighting outlets where the stairway between floor levels has six or more risers.

The entryway needs to be lit. The NEC does not say where the light has to be located. I think you could argue that a remote mounted light pointed at the door could satisfy the rquirement.

Originally Posted by Jim Port

The entryway needs to be lit. The NEC does not say where the light has to be located. I think you could argue that a remote mounted light pointed at the door could satisfy the rquirement.

One can argue almost anything ... heck, we do that here.

I suspect that if the remote mounted light could, in any way, for any reason, intentionally or unintentionally, be moved/turned/pointed/etc in any manner which might not illuminate the entryway ... that argument would be lost.

Then again, even if the remote mounted light could not be -see above - in any way, that argument could still be lost.

Thanks. You guys are enabling my laziness.

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

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One can argue almost anything ... heck, we do that here.
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What?

This well versed , thoughtful input , gentile conversions ?.
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Funny thing is a lighting outlet is required at the door to provide illumination but the switch can be located anywhere even the basement.

I recently OK'd a motion sensor for a soffit mounted spot to illuminate an exit/entrance stair on a fire repair, where a "sunroom" with a newly vaulted ceiling and a concrete slab floor and brick walls did not give sparky a reasonable path to feed a switched light. BTW there was no landing, just brick steps leading to entry. It sucked but it was existing.