How High to Install an Outlet Above a Bathroom Vanity

Nationwide Regulations

• If you are installing the outlet in a bathroom that is supposed to be accessible per the standards of the Americans With Disabilities Act, or ADA, the outlet can’t be any higher off the ground than 4.5 feet. If your bathroom vanity has a high backsplash that covers the wall past this point, for example -- and vanities often have “backsplashes” along the sides, too -- you won’t meet ADA standards if you place the outlet above the backsplash.

Local Regulations

• Other than the ADA, the only regulations might be from your city’s building code. These can meet or be stricter than the ADA regulations, and they may apply to both residential and commercial buildings. For example, the city of San Jose in California requires outlets in commercial buildings to be no more than 48 inches high unless a person has to reach over something to reach it. If that’s the case, the outlet can’t be more than 46 inches if they are reaching across to an outlet that faces to the side, or 44 inches if the outlet faces forward.

Practical Considerations

• If you do not need to meet ADA rules or local codes, placing the outlet is a matter of convenience. Don’t place it too close to the counter, as that makes plugging in appliances a bit awkward. Check your plans for medicine cabinets and mirrors, as you don’t want to find that the outlet placement now requires that you redo your plans for the rest of the wall. Also note if water from the sink or from you washing your face might splash onto the place where you want to place the outlet. Moving it higher could help avoid that, although you are probably better off choosing an entirely different location.

Caution

• While there might not be any non-ADA regulations regarding outlet height above a bathroom vanity, there are regulations concerning horizontal placement away from the shower. Outlets cannot be within 36 inches of a shower stall or bathtub, nor can they be located within a shower/tub enclosure, although Starcraft Custom Builders notes one exception where an outlet is actually part of a manufactured enclosure, such as a whirlpool switch that is protected. There is too much of a chance that someone could touch the outlet with a wet hand by mistake.