The 2026 electrical code now applies to new Schertz permit applications, but Texas kept an exception for listed HVAC equipment from the outdoor GFCI requirement.
Schertz applicants filing non-exempt electrical work on or after Sept. 1 must use the 2026 code, while the Texas HVAC exception remains part of that code.
The adopted state rule changes Exception No. 2 by removing its Sept. 1, 2026 expiration. The exception covers listed heating, ventilation and air-conditioning equipment under the outdoor-outlet provision of the National Electrical Code.
Texas regulators said GFCI technology is designed to prevent electric shock, but unresolved compatibility problems can trip HVAC circuits and create air-conditioning outages. The commission declined requests to broaden the exception to other 240-volt outlets.
Our earlier report, Schertz Electrical Permits Switch to the 2026 Code Today, established the filing threshold. The state rule adds the practical HVAC detail: adopting the newer code did not restore the expiring GFCI requirement for listed equipment.
The next implementation questions concern revised applications filed before the effective date and the projects Schertz treats as exempt electrical work. Contractors and property owners can use the city’s permit notice to verify the filing date and reach the Inspections Division with project-specific questions.