I’m a GS that’s a floating trouble shooter/fireman. I’m looking over prints getting up to speed on a project I’m about to head to and I’ve come across an unrelated issue.

Can NM cable be ran in a 5 story multi-family building?

I’m reading notes on the prints and notice one that specifically says to run M/C on all circuits 20A and less. I check div 26 and it states THHN cable in a raceway. MC qualifies. It’s a wood framed building with steel beams. Makes it a category III. My contract states NM in a few places. So I’m covered cost wise.

I know that the NEC dropped its restrictions that limited NM cable to height/# floors. It’s only limited by the category building it is III, IV and V. By NEC language I’m good. But we’re also bound to the IBC per contract.

I’ve got two senior PMs that at 445 this afternoon tell me above 4 stories no NM cable is allowed in a space that’s habitable. I’ve got 5 floors of apartments on one of the buildings.

I can’t find the IBC code as of yet that states this. The PM is saying the IBC code is hard to navigate and it’s not an easy one to find. I’ve got a call into the AHJ. Waiting on him to return it.

In the mean time I figured I would float this to you guys. Have y’all heard of that? This is the first building I’ve done above 3 floors that wasn’t a category I or II. Using wood on the many floors is insane to me. But here we are.

I’m inclined to think it does say that because it spells it out in the plans and div 26 specs for M/C or conduit. Somehow we contracted it for NM and it got missed. We shall see.