Auburn, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 182 § 182-36
Electrical standards
Operative Text
A. General. (1) The electrical system shall be properly installed, connected to an approved source of supply, and maintained free of hazards. (2) Electrical wiring and equipment shall be firmly secured to the surface on which it is mounted. (3) Electrical wiring and equipment in damp or wet locations, or exposed to explosive or flammable gases or excessive temperatures, shall be of an approved type for the purpose and location. (4) Electrical wiring and equipment shall be protected against excessive current by approved, properly rated overcurrent protection devices. Overcurrent protection devices, of ratings higher than the ampacities of the conductors to be protected, shall not be used, except where expressly permitted by generally accepted standards. Where a circuit has been overfused, the Edison-base plug fuse shall be replaced with a Type S plug fuse, of the proper rating, with a suitable fuse adapter. (5) Electrical service equipment and overcurrent protection devices shall be installed in a readily accessible location, and access to such location shall be kept unobstructed. (6) Electrical equipment shall be grounded or otherwise protected by insulation, isolation, or guarding. (7) Parts of electrical equipment which in ordinary operation produce arcs or sparks shall be enclosed, unless separated and isolated from combustible material. (8) Flexible cord shall not be run through holes in walls, ceilings, or floors; or run through doorways, windows, or similar openings; or attached to building surfaces; or concealed behind building walls, above ceilings, or under floors or floor coverings. B. Facilities. (1) A dwelling unit shall be supplied with at least one fifteen-ampere lighting branch circuit for each multiple of 400 square feet of floor area, or fraction thereof. (2) Hotel units, lodging units, and dormitory units shall be supplied with at least one fifteen-ampere lighting branch circuit for each multiple of 600 square feet of cumulative floor area, or fraction thereof. (3) Habitable spaces, except kitchens, shall be provided with at least one receptacle outlet for each multiple of 20 feet, or fraction thereof, of the total distance around the room, measured horizontally along the wall at the floor line. An electric light outlet and fixture may be substituted for only one receptacle outlet. (4) Kitchens and kitchenettes shall be provided with at least two receptacle outlets served by at least one fifteen-ampere small appliance branch circuit. In addition, one electric light outlet and fixture shall be provided. (5) Bathrooms, toilet rooms, and laundry rooms shall be provided with at least one electric light outlet and fixture and one receptacle outlet. Furnace rooms, storage rooms, workshops, and similar service rooms shall be provided with at least one electric light outlet and fixture. (6) Light switches or other devices for controlling lights which illuminate entrances shall be provided at points of entrance to dwelling units, hotel units, lodging units, and dormitory units. C. Exit and directional signs. (1) Exits in multiple dwellings shall be provided with exit and directional signs, visible from the approach to the exits, except that such signs shall not be required in an apartment house, or in those portions of a multiple dwelling where exit from dwelling units, hotel units, lodging units, or dormitory units is directly to the outside. (2) Directional signs shall be provided at locations from which the exit doorway is not readily discernible. (3) Signs shall be worded in plainly legible block letters with the word "Exit" for exit signs and the words "To Exit" with a suitable pointer or arrow indicating the direction of exit for directional signs. (4) Any door, passageway, stair, or other means of communication that is not an exit, or that is not a way to an exit, but is so located as to be mistaken for an exit shall be identified with a sign reading "Not An Exit," or identified by a sign indicating its use or purpose, or provided with a directional sign. (5) Letters for signs shall be conspicuous, readily discernible, and at least six inches high with three-fourths-inch strokes. (6) Signs shall be illuminated either externally or internally by electric lights and be kept illuminated at all times when the building is occupied. Such electric lights shall be supplied with current from a separate circuit, or circuits which supply no other outlets. D. Overhead conductors. (1) Overhead electrical conductors, rated 600 volts or less, shall clear on-premises areas as follows: Location Clearance (feet) Above streets, driveways, parking spaces and other use areas where motor vehicles are permitted 18 Above areas accessible to pedestrians only 10 Above buildings and structures 8 Horizontal clearance from any window, door, porch, balcony or other similar point of access 6 (2) Metal fences, enclosures, or railings which enclose a swimming pool and which could become energized through accidental contact with overhead electrical conductors shall be properly grounded.
Auburn, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 182 § 182-36 establishes comprehensive electrical standards for residential and lodging properties, covering everything from safe installation and grounding of wiring and equipment to minimum numbers of circuits, outlets, and lighting fixtures required in various rooms. The provision also sets rules for exit and directional signage in multi-unit dwellings, including illumination requirements, and specifies minimum clearance heights for overhead electrical conductors on the property. Flexible cords may not be routed through walls, floors, or concealed spaces, and overcurrent protection devices must be properly rated for the conductors they protect.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers subject to Auburn, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 182 § 182-36 generally ensure that all electrical systems are professionally installed, properly grounded, and free of hazards, with overcurrent protection devices matched to conductor ratings. Compliant operators maintain the required number of lighting branch circuits and receptacle outlets for each room type—including at least two receptacle outlets in kitchens and one light outlet in bathrooms and service rooms—and keep electrical panels and service equipment unobstructed and accessible. In multi-unit buildings, operators also maintain properly worded, illuminated exit and directional signs on dedicated circuits, and verify that overhead conductors meet the clearance distances specified in the provision.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under Auburn, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 182 § 182-36, tenants in dwelling units are entitled to a properly installed, hazard-free electrical system with a minimum number of circuits and outlets appropriate to each room's size and function, as well as adequate exit signage in multi-unit buildings. If electrical conditions appear unsafe—such as improperly rated fuses, missing outlets, blocked electrical panels, or missing exit signs—tenants may document the conditions and report them to the local code enforcement or housing inspection authority in Auburn. Tenant-rights organizations can help residents understand what remedies may be available, including raising code violations in relevant housing proceedings.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 7, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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