Motor FLA Chart – NEC Full-Load Current Tables
Full-load amps for single-phase and three-phase motors per NEC Tables 430.248 and 430.250, from 1/6 HP through 200 HP at 115V, 208V, 230V, 460V, and 575V.
Why the NEC Table Values Matter
NEC 430.6(A)(1) requires you to use the full-load current values from the NEC tables — not the motor nameplate amps — when sizing conductors, disconnecting means, and branch-circuit short-circuit and ground-fault protection. The tables provide standardized values so circuits are sized consistently, even if a specific motor draws slightly more or less current than average.
The nameplate current rating is used for one thing only: sizing the motor's separate overload protection per NEC 430.32. Everything else in the motor circuit — wire, breaker or fuses, and disconnect — is sized from the table FLA.
Single-phase AC motor currents come from NEC Table 430.248, and three-phase AC induction motor currents come from NEC Table 430.250. Both tables below list the standard values used in the field. Note that the tables use motor utilization voltages: a 460V motor runs on a 480V system, a 230V motor on a 240V system, and a 115V motor on a 120V system.
Tip: If your motor's horsepower or voltage isn't listed, or you need starting current, use our HP to amps calculator or motor starting calculator.
Single-Phase Motor FLA — NEC Table 430.248
Full-load currents in amperes for single-phase alternating-current motors running at usual speeds and with normal torque characteristics
| Horsepower | 115 Volts | 230 Volts |
|---|---|---|
| 1/6 HP | 4.4 A | 2.2 A |
| 1/4 HP | 5.8 A | 2.9 A |
| 1/3 HP | 7.2 A | 3.6 A |
| 1/2 HP | 9.8 A | 4.9 A |
| 3/4 HP | 13.8 A | 6.9 A |
| 1 HP | 16 A | 8 A |
| 1-1/2 HP | 20 A | 10 A |
| 2 HP | 24 A | 12 A |
| 3 HP | 34 A | 17 A |
| 5 HP | 56 A | 28 A |
| 7-1/2 HP | 80 A | 40 A |
| 10 HP | 100 A | 50 A |
Values assume motors running at usual speeds with normal torque characteristics. For 120V and 240V systems, use the 115V and 230V columns respectively.
Three-Phase Motor FLA — NEC Table 430.250
Full-load currents in amperes for three-phase alternating-current induction motors (squirrel-cage and wound-rotor) running at usual speeds with normal torque characteristics
| Horsepower | 208 Volts | 230 Volts | 460 Volts | 575 Volts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/2 HP | 2.4 A | 2.2 A | 1.1 A | 0.9 A |
| 3/4 HP | 3.5 A | 3.2 A | 1.6 A | 1.3 A |
| 1 HP | 4.6 A | 4.2 A | 2.1 A | 1.7 A |
| 1-1/2 HP | 6.6 A | 6.0 A | 3.0 A | 2.4 A |
| 2 HP | 7.5 A | 6.8 A | 3.4 A | 2.7 A |
| 3 HP | 10.6 A | 9.6 A | 4.8 A | 3.9 A |
| 5 HP | 16.7 A | 15.2 A | 7.6 A | 6.1 A |
| 7-1/2 HP | 24.2 A | 22 A | 11 A | 9 A |
| 10 HP | 30.8 A | 28 A | 14 A | 11 A |
| 15 HP | 46.2 A | 42 A | 21 A | 17 A |
| 20 HP | 59.4 A | 54 A | 27 A | 22 A |
| 25 HP | 74.8 A | 68 A | 34 A | 27 A |
| 30 HP | 88 A | 80 A | 40 A | 32 A |
| 40 HP | 114 A | 104 A | 52 A | 41 A |
| 50 HP | 143 A | 130 A | 65 A | 52 A |
| 60 HP | 169 A | 154 A | 77 A | 62 A |
| 75 HP | 211 A | 192 A | 96 A | 77 A |
| 100 HP | 273 A | 248 A | 124 A | 99 A |
| 125 HP | 343 A | 312 A | 156 A | 125 A |
| 150 HP | 396 A | 360 A | 180 A | 144 A |
| 200 HP | 528 A | 480 A | 240 A | 192 A |
Use the 460V column for motors on 480V systems and the 575V column for motors on 600V systems. NEC Table 430.250 continues through 500 HP; the values above cover the sizes most commonly installed.
How to Use FLA Tables for Circuit Sizing
Look up the table FLA
Find your motor's horsepower and voltage in Table 430.248 (single-phase) or 430.250 (three-phase) above. Use this value — not the nameplate amps — per NEC 430.6(A)(1).
Size the conductors at 125% of FLA
NEC 430.22 requires branch-circuit conductors supplying a single continuous-duty motor to have an ampacity of at least 125% of the table FLA. Then pick the wire from the ampacity table using our wire sizing calculator.
Size the branch-circuit protection per NEC 430.52
Motor branch-circuit short-circuit protection is sized as a percentage of table FLA from Table 430.52 — up to 250% of FLA for an inverse-time circuit breaker (175% for dual-element time-delay fuses). This allows the breaker to hold in during motor starting inrush; the separate overload device protects against sustained overcurrent.
Size the overloads from the nameplate
Overload protection is based on the actual nameplate current rating per NEC 430.32 — typically 125% for motors with a service factor of 1.15 or more, or 115% for all others.
Worked example: A 10 HP, 460V three-phase motor has a table FLA of 14 A (Table 430.250). Minimum conductor ampacity = 14 × 1.25 = 17.5 A → #12 THWN copper (25 A at 75°C). Maximum inverse-time breaker = 14 × 2.50 = 35 A. So a typical installation uses #12 copper conductors on a 35 A breaker with overloads set from the nameplate amps.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is motor FLA?
Motor FLA (full-load amps) is the current a motor draws when operating at its rated horsepower, voltage, and speed. For sizing conductors, disconnects, and branch-circuit protection, NEC 430.6(A)(1) requires using the FLA values from NEC Tables 430.247 through 430.250 — not the amps printed on the motor nameplate. The nameplate current is used only for sizing overload protection per NEC 430.32.
How many amps does a 5 HP motor draw?
A 5 HP single-phase motor draws 56 amps at 115V or 28 amps at 230V per NEC Table 430.248. A 5 HP three-phase motor draws 16.7 amps at 208V, 15.2 amps at 230V, 7.6 amps at 460V, or 6.1 amps at 575V per NEC Table 430.250. Three-phase motors draw far less current per horsepower, which is why larger motors are almost always three-phase.
Do I use nameplate amps or table amps?
Use the NEC table amps for sizing conductors, disconnecting means, and branch-circuit short-circuit protection — NEC 430.6(A)(1) requires it, even when the nameplate shows a different value. Use the nameplate amps only for sizing the motor's overload protection per NEC 430.32, because overloads protect the specific motor as built, while conductors and breakers are sized from the standardized table values.
What NEC table lists three-phase motor full-load current?
NEC Table 430.250 lists full-load currents for three-phase alternating-current motors (squirrel-cage and wound-rotor induction) from 1/2 HP through 500 HP at 115V, 200V, 208V, 230V, 460V, 575V, and 2,300V. For single-phase AC motors, use NEC Table 430.248; for DC motors, Table 430.247; and for two-phase motors, Table 430.249.
Why does the FLA table show 460V instead of 480V?
The NEC motor tables list motor utilization voltages, not nominal system voltages. A motor connected to a 480V distribution system is rated 460V to allow for voltage drop between the service and the motor terminals. The same applies to 115V motors on 120V systems, 230V motors on 240V systems, and 575V motors on 600V systems. For a 480V system, use the 460V column.
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