standard byInternational Electrotechnical Commission , 09/01/2025
IEC 60364-1:2025 Defines the scope and objective of the IEC 60364 series and specifies
the fundamental safety requirements for an electrical installation.
This document addresses the fundamental principles, assessment of general characteristics
and definitions of low-voltage electrical installations.
Scope of the IEC 60364 series
The IEC 60364 series specifies the rules for the design, erection, and verification of low-voltage
electrical installations. The rules are provided for the safety of human beings (persons),
livestock and property against dangers and damage which can arise from the intended use of
low-voltage electrical installations and for the proper functioning of those installations.
EXAMPLE A non-comprehensive list of electrical installations or systems includes:
– residential premises;
– commercial premises;
– public premises;
– industrial premises;
– agricultural and horticultural premises;
– prefabricated buildings;
– caravans, caravan sites and similar sites;
– construction sites, exhibitions, fairs and other installations for temporary purposes;
– marinas;
– external lighting and similar installations;
– medical locations;
– mobile or transportable units;
– photovoltaic systems;
– stationary secondary batteries;
– low-voltage generating sets;
– temporary connected batteries (e.g. electric vehicle).
NOTE 1 "Premises" covers the land and all facilities including buildings belonging to it.
The IEC 60364 series covers
– electrical installations with nominal voltages not exceeding 1 000 V AC or 1 500 V DC; for
AC, the preferred frequencies which are taken into account in this document are 50 Hz and
60 Hz. The use of other frequencies is not excluded;
– circuits, other than the internal wiring of apparatus, operating at voltages exceeding
1 000 V AC or 1 500 V DC and derived from an installation having a nominal voltage not
exceeding 1 000 V AC or 1 500 V DC, for example, discharge lighting, electrostatic
precipitators;
– fixed wiring for information and communication technology (ICT), signalling, etc., including
installation and support of fibre optic cables;
– wiring systems and cables not specifically covered by the standards for appliances.
The IEC 60364 series applies to:
– a new installation; and
– an addition or alteration to an installation; and
– parts of an existing installation affected by an addition or alteration; and
– the design of functional aspects, such as energy efficiency, local production and storage of
energy (prosuming).
The IEC 60364 series applies to any kind of low-voltage electrical installation or system, except:
a) electric traction equipment, including rolling stock and signalling equipment;
b) electric circuits and electrical equipment for automotive purposes within motor vehicles;
c) electrical installations of ships and of mobile and fixed offshore units;
d) electrical installations in aircraft;
e) public street-lighting installations which are part of the public electric power network;
f) installations in mines and quarries.
Electrical equipment is dealt with only in so far as its selection and application in the installation
are concerned.
The IEC 60364 series does not apply to the selection and erection of the following electrical
equipment:
1) radio interference suppression equipment, except where it affects the safety of the
installation;
2) electric fences;
3) external lightning protection systems for buildings (LPS);
NOTE 2 Atmospheric phenomena are covered in IEC 60364-1 but only in so far as effects on the electrical
installations are concerned (e.g. with respect to the selection of surge protective devices).
4) electrical equipment of machines.
The IEC 60364 series is not intended to apply to low-voltage public distribution networks.
1.2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies.
For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any
amendments) applies.
IEC 60050-195, International Electrotechnical Vocabulary (IEV) - Part 195: Earthing and
protection against electric shock, available at https://www.electropedia.org
IEC 60050-826, International Electrotechnical Vocabulary (IEV) - Part 826: Electrical
installations, available at https://www.electropedia.org
