Which location in a dwelling unit is exempt from requiring a switch-controlled lighting outlet according to 210.70(A)(1)?

• A. Bathroom
• B. Clothes closet
• C. Bedroom
• D. Garage

Answer: (B)

The main idea is that lighting outlets in dwelling spaces are generally required to be controlled by a wall switch so you can illuminate a room as you enter. But there’s an exception for clothes closets. In a clothes closet, the code doesn’t require a lighting outlet to be switch-controlled at the entry. This recognizes that closets are small, storage-focused spaces where a wall switch isn’t as essential, and lighting can be activated by other means (like a fixture with a pull chain or a door-activated switch). Therefore, the clothes closet is the location exempt from needing a switch-controlled lighting outlet. Bathrooms, bedrooms, and garages typically do require switch-controlled lighting outlets, so they aren’t exemptions.