Where is GFCI protection typically required in a dwelling?

• A. Not required in dwellings built before 1990.
• B. Only in living rooms.
• C. Only for outdoor lighting circuits.
• D. In bathrooms, kitchens, garages, outdoors, unfinished basements, crawl spaces, and laundry areas, among others per code.

Answer: (D)

GFCI protection is required in locations where there is a higher risk of electric shock due to moisture or damp conditions. The listed areas—bathrooms, kitchens, garages, outdoors, unfinished basements, crawl spaces, and laundry areas—are classic examples where outlets must be GFCI-protected. The code also requires protection in additional locations as specified, so the phrase “among others per code” is important.

A GFCI monitors the current flowing in the hot and returning in the neutral, and it trips the circuit if it detects even a small imbalance (typically around 4–6 mA or less, depending on the standard). This quick interruption helps prevent serious shock if a person accidentally grounds a live conductor or wet skin becomes involved with a energized path.

The other options miss the broader, multi-area requirement. It’s not limited to outdoors only, nor restricted to living rooms, and it doesn’t hinge on the age of the building.