What color is the grounding wire?

Grounding wires are typically green, often green with a yellow stripe; bare copper is also common in older installations.

Color conventions for grounding conductors vary by country and era. This article explains the standard colors you will encounter, why they matter for safety and compliance, and how to identify the grounding conductor on common fixtures.

What grounding wire does and why color matters

The grounding wire, also called the equipment grounding conductor (EGC), provides a low-impedance path to earth in fault conditions. This helps protect people from shock and reduces the risk of electrical fires. Color coding helps electricians quickly identify the EGC in panels, outlets, and fixtures, especially in complex or older installations.

Color conventions by region

The color used for the grounding conductor depends on where you live and when the wiring was installed. The following are the most common standards you’ll encounter.

• United States and Canada: green insulated grounding conductor or bare copper. The National Electrical Code (NEC) requires the equipment grounding conductor to be green or bare copper.


• IEC-harmonized regions (many parts of Europe, Asia, and elsewhere): green-yellow striped insulation for protective earth conductors. This is the international standard in many new installations.


• Legacy or mixed installations: older homes or specific equipment may still use bare copper or nonstandard insulation for earth/ground in some cases. When in doubt, verify with a qualified electrician.

In practice, today you are most likely to encounter green or green-yellow grounded conductors in modern wiring, with bare copper used in older wiring where insulation is not available or required.

Safety and identification tips

Color alone should not be the sole method of identifying a grounding conductor. Always verify with appropriate equipment and adhere to local electrical codes. If you are unsure about any wiring work, hire a licensed electrician.

Summary

Grounding wires are typically green or bare copper in the United States and Canada, and green-yellow striped in many other regions following IEC standards. Always check the local code and consult a professional for installation or modification to ensure safety and compliance.

Can I connect ground to black or white?

The ground wire goes with the grounding screw, not the black or white wires. The black wire is for the hot (live) electrical current, the white wire is for the neutral current, and the ground wire (which is typically green or bare copper) provides a safety path for electricity to flow to the ground. You should never connect the ground wire to the black or white wires.
 

• Black wire: Connect to the hot or live terminal. 
• White wire: Connect to the neutral terminal. 
• Ground wire (green or bare copper): Connect to the grounding screw or strap on the electrical box or fixture. 

What is the 3 color code wire?

Three-Phase Electrical Wire Colors This image defines the standard color coding for three -phase electrical wiring: Phase 1 (Black) Phase 2 (Red) Phase 3 (Blue) Neutral (White) Ground (Green) This helps electricians and engineers ensure safe connections and prevent miswiring.

What color is a grounding wire?

A grounding wire is typically green, bare copper, or green with a yellow stripe. Its purpose is to provide a safe path for electricity to flow to the ground in case of a fault, preventing electrical shock. 

• Green: The most common color for an insulated ground wire in the United States. 
• Bare Copper: Another common form, this wire has no insulation at all. 
• Green with a Yellow Stripe: This is another acceptable identification for an insulated ground wire. 
• Other Colors: In some cases, insulated wires of other colors may be used for grounding, but they must be marked at the terminations with green tape or labels to clearly indicate they are ground wires. 

What does a grounding wire look like?

A grounding wire is typically green or bare copper in color, and can also have a green with a yellow stripe insulation. These colors help distinguish it from other wires, such as the black or red "hot" wire and the white or gray "neutral" wire. In conduit systems, insulated green wires are often used to prevent unintended contact with other wires or the conduit itself.
 
You can watch this video to learn how a ground wire works: 59sThe Engineering MindsetYouTube · Dec 6, 2022

• Color: Most commonly, grounding wires are either bare copper or have green insulation. Some may have a green and yellow stripe pattern. 
• Purpose of color: These colors are standardized to make them easy to identify and distinguish from the hot and neutral wires, which are typically black/red and white/gray, respectively. 
• Insulated vs. bare: Ground wires can be insulated (usually green) or uninsulated (bare copper), depending on the application and wiring system. Insulated wires protect against accidental contact in some environments. 
• Location: In a home, the grounding wires run from outlets to a central point, usually near the main circuit breaker box, and are connected to a grounding rod driven into the earth. 

This video explains how ground rods work: 43sFlannel Guy DIYYouTube · May 31, 2025