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Outdoor outlet: what the Code requires
How many outlets outside, which circuit, which cover, which protection: Québec’s Code rules for an outdoor outlet, and who installs it.
In short
This guide covers a home’s outdoor electrical outlet: what Québec’s Code requires, and who is allowed to install it.
- Under the 2018 edition, each single dwelling at ground level has at least one duplex receptacle outside, readily accessible from the ground.
- The 2026 Code, like the 2018 edition, requires at least one circuit dedicated to these receptacles.
- A receptacle exposed to the weather has a wet-location cover, even when something is plugged into it (2018 edition).
- An outdoor receptacle less than 2.5 m above the ground is protected by a GFCI (2018 edition).
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How many outlets outside
In the 2018 edition of the Code, each single dwelling located at ground level has at least one duplex receptacle outside, readily accessible at ground level.
Under the Code, a single dwelling is a detached house, a row house, or each unit of a semi-detached house, a duplex, a triplex or a fourplex.
Any other receptacle installed outside has a wet-location cover if it is exposed to the weather, and a GFCI if it is within 2.5 m of the ground (2018 edition).
The outdoor outlet circuit
The 2026 Québec Construction Code requires outdoor receptacles readily accessible from the ground to be supplied by at least one branch circuit dedicated to those receptacles.
The same principle was in the 2018 edition: at least one branch circuit solely for any outdoor receptacle readily accessible from the ground.
Before adding a circuit, we check that the panel can take it.
The cover
In the 2018 edition of the Code, a receptacle located outdoors and exposed to the weather has a cover suitable for wet locations.
That cover is required even when a plug is inserted in the receptacle.
For a receptacle that isn’t in a wet location, a conventional cover is allowed if it is marked “wet location only when cover closed”.
A box whose seal has aged lets water in: moisture in an outdoor outlet is the number one cause of a GFCI tripping for no apparent reason, in spring and during storms.
An outlet to add outside?
Circuit, cover and GFCI protection: the price is in the written quote, at no charge.
Send my quote requestGFCI and arc-fault protection
Under the 2018 edition of the Code, any 5-15R or 5-20R receptacle installed outdoors and less than 2.5 m above the ground is protected by a Class A ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI).
A specific example, confirmed in the edition in force: a 120-volt CSA 5-20R receptacle installed outdoors, less than 2.5 m above the ground, must be GFCI protected.
According to the CMEQ, since the 2019 change (2018 edition of the Code), outdoor outlets on the house are both GFCI and arc-fault protected.
In a dwelling, 5-15R and 5-20R receptacles are also tamper-resistant (2018 edition).
Before you sell a house, we recommend replacing outdoor outlets with GFCI outlets, with a cover.
What a GFCI does, how to test it and why it trips in summer: our guide GFCI: what it protects, and where you need one.
Garage, pool, EV
The garage or carport of a single dwelling has at least one circuit reserved for its receptacles, under the 2026 Code; the lighting and the door opener can be connected to it.
Pools and hot tubs have their own requirements: our guide Hot tub and pool wiring: what it takes.
An outlet for charging an electric car isn’t an ordinary duplex receptacle: the Code calls for a single, labelled receptacle. See NEMA 14-50 outlet or hardwired EV charger?.
To find out which appliances need their own circuit, see our guide on dedicated circuits.
Who installs an outdoor outlet
Our master electricians add, move or replace outlets, and install GFCI outlets where the Code requires them, including outdoors.
In Québec, adding an outdoor outlet is work for an electrical contractor, like any outlet: according to the Corporation des maîtres électriciens du Québec, no one may perform electrical work of any kind, in their own home or elsewhere for others, unless they are an electrical contractor.
Frequently asked questions
Does an outdoor outlet need a GFCI?
Yes for a 5-15R or 5-20R receptacle less than 2.5 m above the ground, under the 2018 edition of the Code.
What cover does an outdoor outlet need?
When it is exposed to the weather, a wet-location cover, even with a plug inserted (2018 edition).
Do outdoor outlets need their own circuit?
Yes. The 2026 Code requires at least one branch circuit dedicated to outdoor receptacles readily accessible from the ground.
How many outdoor outlets are required?
At least one duplex receptacle, readily accessible from the ground, for each single dwelling at ground level (2018 edition).
Why does my outdoor outlet trip the GFCI?
Moisture in an outdoor outlet is the number one cause in spring and during storms: a box whose seal has aged lets water in.
Can I install an outdoor outlet myself?
No. In Québec, electrical work is reserved for electrical contractors, even for a single outlet.
An outlet to add outside?
We make sure the panel can take the circuit, and the price is in the quote.
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Get a quote: outdoor outlet
Sources
Consulted on October 30, 2026.
- Gazette officielle du Québec, March 11, 2026, Order in Council 236-2026 (Construction Code, Chapter V) (in French)
- Régie du bâtiment du Québec, Quality control of electrical installation work (in French)
- Corporation des maîtres électriciens du Québec, Electricity in my home, a safety matter (in French)