In NEC terminology, what is a branch circuit?

• A. A circuit that runs from the service disconnect to the main panel
• B. A circuit that extends from the final overcurrent device to the outlets or loads it serves
• C. Conductors that carry power from service equipment to distribution equipment
• D. The equipment grounding conductor color coding

Answer: (B)

A branch circuit is the wiring that runs from the final overcurrent device protecting that circuit to the outlets, lights, or other loads it serves. In NEC terms, the conductors start at the circuit’s last protective device (the breaker or fuse) and continue to the points of use, delivering power to the devices and receptacles you plug into. This makes it distinct from service conductors, which bring power from the utility to the building, and from feeders, which carry power between service equipment and distribution equipment such as subpanels. The concept also sits separate from grounding conductor color coding, which is about grounding, not the path of the powered circuit. For example, a living-room receptacle circuit that runs from a wall receptacle’s circuit breaker to all the receptacles and lights it serves is a branch circuit.