Why won't my GFCI outlet reset?

What a GFCI that will not reset is telling you

A GFCI that refuses to reset is not necessarily broken. The device is built to stay off whenever it cannot confirm that it can protect you, and the reasons are narrower than they look. Leviton's instruction sheet for one common model says its GFCIs contain a lockout feature that will prevent RESET if:^[1]

• There is no power being supplied to the GFCI.^[1]
• The GFCI is miswired due to reversal of the LINE and LOAD connections.^[1]
• The GFCI cannot pass its internal test, indicating that it may not be able to provide protection in the event of a ground fault.^[1]

Those three cover most of what an electrician finds, and they point in very different directions. No power means the problem is upstream: a tripped breaker, a loose connection, or another device earlier on the circuit. Reversed connections point to a recent installation or replacement. A failed internal test points to the device itself.

Why you cannot tell which one from the outside

The reset button looks the same in all three cases: it will not click in and stay, or it clicks and pops straight back. Most GFCI outlets give no other clue. That is why guessing is expensive. Replacing the device is the obvious move, but if the real fault is a dead supply or a wiring mistake, the new GFCI will refuse to reset too, and you will have paid for a part that was not the problem.

There is a second complication. A GFCI can be wired to protect other outlets further along the same circuit. Leviton's instructions tell the installer to plug a lamp into surrounding receptacles to see which one(s), in addition to the GFCI, lose power when you press the GFCI TEST button.^[1] If a GFCI in a garage, bathroom or basement is stuck, outlets in other rooms can go dead with it. The reverse also happens: a dead outlet with no buttons is often the symptom of a tripped GFCI somewhere else. What a GFCI outlet does explains how that chain works, and when to call an electrician about a dead outlet covers the general case.

What you can observe safely

You do not need to open anything to give a useful report. Note which outlets and lights are dead, whether the reset button moves at all, and whether the breaker panel shows a tripped breaker. Note what happened just before: rain, a new appliance, a recent electrical job. If a tool or appliance was plugged in when it tripped, leave it unplugged.

Keep the outlet covered and dry, and do not run extension cords from other circuits to replace its power. Anything that needs that outlet, such as a sump pump or a freezer, needs a plan for the day or two it may be out.

Do not treat a dead GFCI as a reason to bypass it. The CPSC warns that a GFCI can fail without showing any sign of failure, so regular testing may save your life.^[2] A GFCI that no longer works as designed is a safety device that has stopped being one.

When to call a licensed pro

If a GFCI will not reset, call an electrician. Finding the cause means testing the device and the circuit, and fixing it can mean working on wiring that may be live, which is a licensed trade in Virginia. The Code of Virginia defines a tradesman as any individual who engages in, or offers to engage in, work for the general public for compensation in the trades of electrical, plumbing and heating, ventilation and air conditioning,^[3] and says no individual shall engage in, or offer to engage in, work as a tradesman unless licensed under that article, apart from individuals working under the supervision of a licensed tradesman in that specialty.^[4] Check the licence before the visit with how to check if a contractor is licensed in Virginia.

Call promptly, and treat it as urgent, if the outlet is outdoors or in a bathroom, kitchen or basement and now has no protection, if it feels warm, smells of burning or is scorched, if it tripped after being wet, or if it trips again the moment you reset it.

What the visit usually involves

An electrician typically checks whether power is reaching the device, tests it, looks at the connections and at what else on the circuit depends on it, and then replaces the GFCI or repairs the supply or wiring. For what a replacement costs, see how much it costs to replace a GFCI outlet in Virginia. Ask for the price in writing before work starts.

It also helps to know whether the outlet is where Virginia's code requires GFCI protection, so ask the electrician to confirm what is required at that location; see where Virginia code requires GFCI outlets. After the repair, test it monthly, as the CPSC recommends: the CPSC says to test every GFCI once a month according to the manufacturer's instructions.^[2]

Next steps

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If your GFCI will not reset, describe the problem once and licensed local electricians quote the repair.