What are the NEC rules for holes in a wooden wall top plate? Specifically, how far apart do the holes need to be and what is the max diameter of a hole? In NEC 300-4 I found "…holes shall be bored so that the edge of the hole is not less than 1 1/4 in. (31.8 mm) from the nearest edge of the wood member." Is this all there is regarding this topic? Thanks.
Electrical – What are the NEC rules for holes in a wooden top plate
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Best Answer
Don't make it larger than half the top plate's width
Since the size of holes in a top plate is a structural concern, not an electrical concern, you need to be looking in the IRC (or other building code) for these details, not the NEC. In particular, IRC R602.6.1 states that a metal top plate tie strap is needed for a notch or hole in a load-bearing top plate that extends through over half of the top plate's width; unless you're running fat conduit or SE cable, you won't come close to this, though.