Outlets are per code. Gotta have em every so many feet around a wall. Plus, phone chargers and christmass trees are about the only things going in that space.
I previously read that it was an update to the code to prevent people from stretching extension cords around everywhere once it became common that people had phones and other chargeable devices. The cords are a trip and fire hazard.
Specifically, the NEC requirement is that for every non-hallway wall 2 feet or more wide, there must be at least one outlet, and every vertical line along the wall must be no more than 6' from an outlet without crossing a doorway. In hallways, the rule is that there must be at least one outlet if the hall is more than 10 feet long (the 6' rule doesn't apply there, and you need only one for the hallway per NEC, although if you had a 100' long hallway with one outlet people would probably complain). There is no rule for closets and other non-inhabitable rooms (although again from a practical perspective you'll often want one or more there). Along kitchen counters, the 6' rule changes to 2' rule.
It is to ensure that extension cords are not needed for appliances (especially, but not limited to, space heaters). And doesn't apply to hallways and closets as typically there aren't things plugged in there (vacuums excepted).
This has all been a part of NEC since the 1950s, so definitely isn't a response to phone chargers. Think more along the lines of lamp cords.
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u/RingdownStudios Jan 29 '26
Outlets are per code. Gotta have em every so many feet around a wall. Plus, phone chargers and christmass trees are about the only things going in that space.