Yes, as of the 2017 edition of the National Electrical Code (NEC), any receptacles in a laundry room must be GFCI-protected. Although the code does not specifically state that a washing machine receptacle has to be GFCI, the washing machine must have water service and a drain, so its location becomes defined as a laundry. 

    Previously, the laundry was required to have a receptacle on a 20-amp circuit for the washing machine, but it was not automatically necessary for it to be Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) protected. There were two scenarios where a GFCI would be required:

1. If the receptacle was within 6 feet of the top inside edge of a sink, such as an adjacent laundry sink, per National Electrical Code, NEC 210.8(A)(7).
2. If the laundry receptacle was located in a bathroom or unfinished basement, per 210.8(A)(1) and 210.8(A)(5).

    But, as of when your local jurisdiction adopts the 2017 NEC—which may take several years, all washing machine receptacles must be GFCI-protected. See our blog post Where are GFCI receptacle outlets required? for more code-mandated GFCI locations.

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Here’s links to a collection of our other blog posts about AFCI and GFCI RECEPTACLES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS:

• Does a septic pump or sump pump require a GFCI-receptacle?

• What is the difference between what trips a GFCI (ground fault) receptacle and a circuit breaker?

• Are Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs) really necessary and worth the trouble? 

• What is the code requirement for GFCI protection for receptacles near a wet bar sink?

• When was GFCI-protection for kitchen dishwasher receptacle outlet first required? 

• When did arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) breakers first become required?

• Does a washing machine receptacle outlet require GFCI protection?

• My spa tub stopped working. What's wrong?  

• How do I identify a combination AFCI (CAFCI) circuit breaker? 

• What does "listed and labeled" mean for an electrical component? 

• What electrical hazards does a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) NOT protect against?  

• What is the difference between the electric service to a mobile home and a site built home? 

• Why is there a wall switch next to the furnace or indoor unit of the air conditioner in the garage?

• What is a Dual Function Circuit Interrupter (DFCI)? 

• How I can tell if a receptacle outlet is tamper resistant?

• What is the difference between a Combination Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter (CAFCI) and an Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI) circuit breaker?  

• What is the difference between "grounded" and "grounding" electrical conductors? 

• What does it mean when a wire is "overstripped" at a circuit breaker?

• Why is there a GFCI breaker in the electric panel for the bathroom shower light and exhaust fan?

• What is the switch on the wall with two pushbuttons? 

• How far apart should kitchen counter receptacles be spaced?  

• How far above a kitchen countertop do electrical outlets have to be? 

• How is it possible to provide both GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) and CAFCI (Combination Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter) protection for kitchen and laundry circuits?

• My bathroom electric receptacle/outlet is dead and there are no tripped breakers in the electric panel. What's wrong?  

• My GFCI reset button is hard to push and won't reset. What's wrong?

• Why do some breakers in my electric panel have a "TEST" button on them?

    Visit our AFCI AND GFCI and APPLIANCES pages for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.