Reference tables · Conduit fill

EMT (electrical metallic tubing)

2" EMT conduit fill capacity

2" EMT has an internal area of 3.356 in². At the 40% limit that applies to more than two conductors, it holds up to 100 12 AWG THHN conductors.

Capacity

Maximum conductors by size and insulation

NEC 2023Every count in this table is transcribed from the 2023 NEC (NFPA 70, 2023). The code is republished on a three-year cycle and adoption varies by jurisdiction - confirm against your locally adopted edition and your authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) before you build.

Maximum number of same-size, same-insulation conductors in 2" EMT (3.356 in² internal). Counts above two use the 40% limit; a dash means not even one fits, or the published area table does not list that insulation at that size.
ConductorTHHN / THWN-2XHHW-2THW
14 AWG1389664
12 AWG1007451
10 AWG635540
8 AWG363024
6 AWG262218
4 AWG161613
3 AWG131311
2 AWG111110
1 AWG887
1/0 AWG776
2/0 AWG665
3/0 AWG554
4/0 AWG443
250 kcmil332
300 kcmil221
350 kcmil121
400 kcmil111
500 kcmil111
600 kcmil111
700 kcmil111
750 kcmil111
800 kcmil111
900 kcmil111
1000 kcmil111
1250 kcmil-1-

Fill limits

NEC 2023Every area and limit below is transcribed from the 2023 NEC (NFPA 70, 2023). The code is republished on a three-year cycle and adoption varies by jurisdiction - confirm against your locally adopted edition and your authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) before you build.

Internal area3.356 in²
One conductor53% - 1.7787 in²
Two conductors31% - 1.0404 in²
More than two40% - 1.3424 in²

Fitting is not the same as finishing

These counts are the mathematical fill limit, not a promise the pull will go well. A raceway at 39% fill with four 90° bends and a hundred feet between pull points is legal and miserable. Experienced installers routinely size up a trade size on long or bendy runs, and the material cost difference is usually smaller than the labour cost of a fight.

Two other things this table does not model. Nipples 24 inches and shorter between enclosures are permitted a much higher fill. And a mixed set of conductor sizes has to be summed by area rather than looked up by count - the conduit fill calculator handles that.

Remember also that conductor count drives ampacity derating separately. Filling this conduit with current-carrying conductors will reduce what each one can carry - see the bundling adjustment table.

Source: NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, Chapter 9, Table 1; NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, Chapter 9, Table 4; NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, Chapter 9, Table 5. Published by NFPA.NEC 2023Transcribed from the 2023 NEC (NFPA 70, 2023). Confirm against your locally adopted edition and your authority having jurisdiction (AHJ).

Related

Other sizes and types