The NEC is intended to help protect people and property from electrical hazards. It is sponsored, controlled and published by the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA). While compliance with the NEC is not mandatory, many municipalities have adopted it, in part or in the whole as their legal fire and building codes.
The NEC, revised every three years, is used by lawyers and insurance companies to determine liability, and by fire marshals and either a UL Listed or UL Classified rating is appropriate.