Service · NFPA 70E-2027 5-year review
Arc flash study update that clears your 5-year review
US arc flash studies, PE-reviewed, quoted in 24 hours. Built on the current NFPA 70E-2027 edition, not the one your old study used.
- PE-reviewed
- Built on current NFPA 70E-2027
- IEEE 1584-2018
- Field engineers travel to every US state
- Written quote in 24 hours
An arc flash study update is a fresh check of your existing model against the equipment installed today: every change since the last study applied, incident energy recalculated to IEEE 1584-2018, and moved labels replaced. NFPA 70E-2027 requires that review at least every 5 years and sooner after major changes. AFSC quotes the update within 24 hours.
Why now
Six reasons the update cannot wait
| Trigger | Why it forces an update |
|---|---|
| Five years since the last review | NFPA 70E-2027 caps the interval; past that date the study is out of compliance |
| Utility service change | A new service or utility transformer changes available fault current at every bus |
| Equipment added or replaced | New gear has no assessed values and changes the system around it |
| Relay or breaker settings changed | Clearing time drives incident energy; new settings mean new numbers |
| Study used IEEE 1584-2002 | The current method is IEEE 1584-2018; older results need recalculating |
| Study written to an older NFPA 70E edition | NFPA 70E-2027 is the edition in force now; your program, labels and permits should cite it |
What the update includes
| Step | What you get |
|---|---|
| Model check | Your existing model compared with the equipment installed today |
| Field verification | Changed or uncertain equipment re-surveyed on site |
| Recalculation | Fault current, clearing time and incident energy in cal/cm² at every bus, to IEEE 1584-2018 |
| Change log | Every bus where boundary or PPE moved, before and after |
| Labels replaced | Changed labels printed and installed; unchanged ones kept |
| PE-reviewed report | Updated report with the next review date recorded |
How the update runs
Send what you have
Your last report, the model file if you hold it, and a list of changes you know about.
Verify on site
We walk the system and confirm what changed, including the changes nobody wrote down.
Recalculate
The model is updated and rerun, with every moved value flagged for your team.
Relabel and brief
New labels on the gear, PE-reviewed report, and a briefing on what changed.
Your review date will not move. Your quote can arrive tomorrow.
Send the date of your last study and what changed since. Scope, fixed price and a dated plan come back within one business day.
Standards the update brings you up to
Every update we deliver is built on the current NFPA 70E-2027 edition, the one an auditor or insurer will check you against today. If your last study cited an earlier edition, the report says what changed for your site and which labels and procedures move with it.
| Standard | Why it matters for an update |
|---|---|
| NFPA 70E-2027 | Current edition: the 5-year maximum review interval, label content and energized work rules |
| IEEE 1584-2018 | Current calculation method; replaced the 2002 edition |
| NEC (NFPA 70) | Equipment marking rules in the edition your state has adopted |
Arc flash study every 5 years, what the review covers
Running an arc flash study every 5 years is the maximum interval NFPA 70E-2027 allows, not a target. The review must confirm the model still matches the installed equipment, the protective device settings, and the utility source. If any of those changed, the incident energy, boundaries and labels change with them.
Arc flash study after equipment change
An arc flash study after equipment change is required when the change is major: a new transformer, a new service, replaced switchgear, or new protective device settings. Small like-for-like swaps may not move the numbers, but only a check against the model proves it. We review the change and quote the smallest update that covers it.
Related services, tools and guides
Frequently asked questions
Question not here? Ask an engineer
How often do arc flash studies need to be updated?
Arc flash studies need updating at least every 5 years under NFPA 70E-2027, and sooner after any major modification or renovation. A new utility service, transformer, switchgear or protective device setting can change incident energy at many buses at once, so the update should follow the change, not wait for the calendar.
How often should I do an arc flash study?
Do a full study once, then review it at least every 5 years and after every major change. You rarely need to start from zero again. A well-kept model makes each review faster and cheaper, because only the changed parts of the system need new field data.
What happens if my arc flash study is more than 5 years old?
Once your study passes 5 years without a review, it no longer meets NFPA 70E-2027, and your labels may show values the system no longer produces. Inspectors and insurers can cite it as an outdated assessment. Workers may wear too little PPE, or too much. An update fixes both problems at once.
Is my arc flash study still valid if it used IEEE 1584-2002?
Treat it as due for an update. IEEE 1584-2018 replaced the 2002 method with a new arc model that accounts for electrode configuration and enclosure size, and results can move in either direction. Recalculating with the current edition is the only way to know whether your labels still hold.
Do I need a new arc flash study after adding equipment?
Usually an update, not a new study. Added equipment needs its own values, and it can change fault current and clearing times nearby. We add the new gear to your existing model, rerun the affected part of the system, and relabel only what changed, which keeps cost and downtime low.
Our arc flash study is from 2019. Is it still compliant?
Not if nobody has reviewed it since. A 2019 study passed its 5-year review date during 2024, so under NFPA 70E-2027 it is overdue today. Check whether it used the 2002 or 2018 method too. Run our expiry checker, then ask for an update quote within 24 hours.
Do you need our original report and model file?
No. They help but are not required. With the original model, we verify and update it. Without it, we rebuild the model from your last report and a site survey. Either way, you end up with a current model on file, so every future review starts from verified data.
Will the update need an outage?
Rarely. Most verification is done with gear energized, from outside the enclosures, in proper PPE. Replacing labels needs no outage at all. If a cover must come off to read a nameplate or setting, we book it into an outage you already have planned, with your operations team agreeing the schedule.
Get your arc flash study quoted
Tell us about your facility. An engineer replies within one business day with scope, timeline and price.
- IEEE 1584-2018 and NFPA 70E-2027, PE-reviewed
- Labels and training in the same scope
- Field engineers travel to any US state