What safety precautions need to be taken with closet lighting?

Whether you are using incandescent, LED or compact fluorescent (CFL) light sources, NEC safety standards should be followed for closet lighting design:

• Surface-mounted or recessed fixtures are permitted, but exposed light bulbs are not.
• Minimum clearance requirements are:
  • Surface-mounted incandescent and LED fixtures with completely enclosed light sources must be at least 12 inches from storage/clothing areas.
  • Surface-mounted fluorescent fixtures installed on the ceiling or on the wall above the door must be at least six inches from storage areas.
  • Recessed LED or incandescent lighting fixtures must be installed at least six inches from clothing/storage areas.
  • Incandescent fixtures with open or partially enclosed lamps and pendant fixtures or lamp holders are not permitted in clothes closets.