What is the 6 12 rule in electrical?

The 6 12 rule is the NEC's receptacle spacing requirement for dwellings, from 210.52: no point along a wall line may be more than 6 feet from a receptacle, which puts outlets at most 12 feet apart.

The logic is the 6 foot appliance cord; nothing should need an extension cord to reach power.

Details that catch people: any wall section 2 feet or wider needs its own receptacle, hallways 10 feet or longer need one, and countertops follow a tighter rule with GFCI protection.

It applies to habitable rooms, not garages or unfinished basements, which have their own shorter list. Remodels trigger it for the walls being opened.

Circuit-level rules like this pair with the numbers in the online electrical calculator when planning a room.