Manchester, NH Building Safety: Electrical Permits (2026)

086 requires that every dwelling unit be supplied with electric service, outlets and fixtures installed and maintained in accordance with the electrical code for the city, then sets specific minimums: every habitable room needs at least two separate and remote outlets, one of which may be a ceiling or wall light fixture; kitchens need three separate wall outlets plus a ceiling or wall fixture; and every water closet compartment, bathroom, laundry room or furnace room needs at least one light fixture, with bathrooms and laundry rooms also requiring a separate outlet.

The section bars using temporary wiring or extension cords to satisfy these requirements, and where extension cords are used they must run directly from a portable fixture to a convenient outlet, never under rugs or through doorways. Subsection (F) addresses crosswiring, where a tenant's unit is wired onto another unit's meter: no unit may be crosswired unless the building owner pays for that unit's service, and a tenant who suspects crosswiring may hire a licensed electrician, at the tenant's own expense, to inspect after giving the owner five working days' notice.

If the electrician's written report confirms crosswiring, the tenant can file it with the Department, which then notifies the owner of the violation, and the owner must correct it by rewiring or by assuming the cost of that unit's electric service.