Breaker labels: what to write. With a template you can copy.

What should a breaker label say?

The load and where it is. Write it so someone who has never seen the building can find what goes dark. Vague names are the problem that labels are supposed to fix.

Is there a breaker label template I can copy?

Yes. Copy this into a spreadsheet, one row per breaker. It works as a panel directory, and it's also a list we can quote directly if you want the labels engraved.

Sample wording, not a real panel. Get the actual loads by tracing each circuit, and use your own panel and circuit numbers.

What size are breaker labels?

Engraved breaker tags are usually 1/2" × 2" with 1/8" letters, sized to sit beside a breaker. Keep the wording short at that size. If circuits need longer descriptions, one larger circuit directory plate can list them all.

Do I label every breaker or use a directory?

Either works, and many panels have both. Individual tags sit right at the breaker, so nobody has to count down a list. A directory plate holds more words per circuit. For the panel itself, add an ID plate with the name, the voltage and where it's fed from.

The bigger picture is in how to label an electrical panel.

Should breaker labels be engraved or printed?

For a home panel that nobody inspects, a neat printed label is usually fine. On commercial and industrial panels, engraved tags hold up better because the letters are cut in and can't fade or peel. In Ontario, the RU4 amendment ties circuit identification to any change in a panel, so service calls need it done too.

See breaker and panel labels for colours, sizes and ordering.

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