Lighting, Light Fixtures, Ceiling and Exhaust Fans - Are Electrical Boxes Required for Bathroom Lighting?

Hello - I just moved into a new house built by a National Builder. I went to upgrade the bathroom light fixtures this evening and was surprised to see that neither of the fixtures in the guest bath had electical boxes, the wires are just pulled through holes in the dry wall. I will check the other 3 bath light fixtures in the house tomorrow... In the meantime, can anyone tell me if the National Electrical Code requires electrical boxes for bath lights? I would think that it does, but would only be making an assumption.

Thank you!

All connections/splices must be in a junction box. That said, some local codes allow that to be the light fixture, if it is all enclosed. While it may be allowed, IMHO it is a shortcut. Having a junction box allows you to change the type of fixture.

With some bathroom lights, and in fact with many ceiling lights, the light itself contains a proper junction box. Assuming a proper junction box on the light and proper connections being made, no other box is required.

No builder working on a cost basis is going to install junction boxes behind (or above) a light fixture that includes an integral junction box.

Real world, one of the most frequent wiring defects I see at home inspections is a ceiling fixture with a loose ground connection hanging half in contact with the ceiling from a wood screw and two wire nuts - the result of a homeowner replacing of a fixture which had no box above it.