All receptacle outlets within 6 feet of the top inside edge of the bowl of any sink in a residence must be GFCI (Ground-Fault-Circuit-Interrupter) protected, and that includes a wet bar sink, according to the National Electrical Code [NEC 210.8 (A)(7)]. The NEC also states that the 6 foot distance should be measured “as the shortest path the cord of an appliance connected to the receptacle would follow without piercing a floor, wall, ceiling, or fixed barrier, or passing through a door, doorway, or window.” 

    The requirement has been in effect since the 2005 edition of the NEC, and also applies to laundry and utility sinks. Kitchen sinks were excluded from this standard, because they were covered by separate specs for kitchen counter receptacles, but the exception was deleted in the 2014 edition of the National Electrical Code. See our blog post How far apart should kitchen counter receptacles be spaced?

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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 GFCI and AFCI circuit breakers? 

• Where are GFCI receptacle outlets required?

• When were GFCI receptacle outlets first required?

• What happens when you press the "TEST" button on a circuit breaker in an electric panel?

• 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? 

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

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