What Power Plug

NEMA 5-15

Type B plug and socket

The earthed American three-pin. Used in 58 countries.

Type B socket face
Pins
2 flat blades plus 1 round earth pin
Rating
15 A / 125 V
Earth
Earthed
Standard
NEMA 5-15

What Type B looks like in use

Type B adds a round earth pin below the two flat blades of Type A. It is the standard earthed socket in North America, rated 15 A at 125 V, and it is deliberately backwards compatible: ungrounded Type A plugs still fit.

Higher-current versions (NEMA 5-20, with a T-shaped neutral slot) exist for 20 A equipment, and 240 V appliances such as dryers and stoves use entirely different NEMA 14 connectors.

Watch out: A Type B socket accepts both Type A and Type B plugs. If your device has a Type B plug, it will not fit an unearthed Type A socket.

Countries using Type B

58 countries in total
American Samoa 120 V / 60 Hz Anguilla 110 V / 60 Hz Antigua and Barbuda 230 V / 60 Hz Aruba 127 V / 60 Hz Bahamas 120 V / 60 Hz Barbados 115 V / 50 Hz Belize 110 V / 60 Hz Bermuda 120 V / 60 Hz Bolivia 230 V / 50 Hz British Virgin Islands 110 V / 60 Hz Canada 120 V / 60 Hz Cayman Islands 120 V / 60 Hz Colombia 110 V / 60 Hz Costa Rica 120 V / 60 Hz Cuba 110 V / 60 Hz Curaçao 127 V / 60 Hz Dominican Republic 120 V / 60 Hz Ecuador 120 V / 60 Hz El Salvador 115 V / 60 Hz French Polynesia 110 V / 60 Hz Guam 110 V / 60 Hz Guatemala 120 V / 60 Hz Guyana 240 V / 60 Hz Haiti 110 V / 60 Hz Honduras 120 V / 60 Hz Jamaica 110 V / 50 Hz Japan 100 V / 50 Hz Jordan 230 V / 50 Hz Laos 230 V / 50 Hz Lebanon 230 V / 50 Hz Liberia 120 V / 60 Hz Marshall Islands 120 V / 60 Hz Mexico 120 V / 60 Hz Micronesia 120 V / 60 Hz Montserrat 230 V / 60 Hz Nicaragua 120 V / 60 Hz Niger 220 V / 50 Hz Northern Mariana Islands 120 V / 60 Hz Palau 120 V / 60 Hz Panama 120 V / 60 Hz Paraguay 220 V / 50 Hz Peru 220 V / 60 Hz Philippines 220 V / 60 Hz Puerto Rico 120 V / 60 Hz Saint Kitts and Nevis 230 V / 60 Hz Saint Lucia 240 V / 50 Hz Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 230 V / 50 Hz Saudi Arabia 230 V / 60 Hz Sint Maarten 120 V / 60 Hz Taiwan 110 V / 60 Hz Thailand 220 V / 50 Hz Trinidad and Tobago 115 V / 60 Hz Turkmenistan 220 V / 50 Hz Turks and Caicos Islands 120 V / 60 Hz U.S. Virgin Islands 110 V / 60 Hz United States 120 V / 60 Hz Venezuela 120 V / 60 Hz Vietnam 220 V / 50 Hz

Other plug types

Type A socket Type A Type C socket Type C Type D socket Type D Type E socket Type E Type F socket Type F Type G socket Type G Type H socket Type H Type I socket Type I Type J socket Type J Type K socket Type K Type L socket Type L Type M socket Type M Type N socket Type N Type O socket Type O

Check your own devices

Will my plug work?

Compare where you are from with where you are going, including Type B destinations.

Pick two countries to see whether you need an adapter.