no, he can't tap it. you will need a new 120v 20a circuit run to the location.

Your Bathroom has no electrical outlet?

"Your Bathroom has no electrical outlet?"

Well, since you've exhumed this thread, would an affirmative answer to that question affect D&K's advice?

I find this a murky code issue to interpret and I'd be interested in other opinions from anyone willing to chime in.

As a starting point, NEC 210.11 (C) requires certain dedicated branch circuits in dwelling units including: (1) two 20-amp circuits for kitchen appliances, (2) one 20-amp circuit for laundry and (3) 20-amp circuit(s) for bathroom receptacles. Before getting into the exceptions, we begin with the premise that these circuits are dedicated, in the sense that they have no other outlets.

But (wouldn't you know it?), there are exceptions and here's the one that appears, at first glance, to be on point and controlling:

210.11(C)
Exception. Where the twenty-ampere circuit supplies a single bathroom, outlets within the same bathroom shall be permitted to be supplied in accordance with 210.23(A)

OK, so it's sounding like we'd be good to go by adding a receptacle to the otherwise dedicated bathroom circuit for a washing machine, right?

So let's read on to clarify the additional reference above:

210.23(A)
Exception: The small appliance branch circuits, laundry branch circuits, and bathroom branch circuits required in a dwelling unit(s) by 210.11(C)(1), (2), and (3) shall supply only the receptacle outlets specified in that section.

In the OP's case, exactly what does "outlets specified in that section" mean? And doesn't the 210.23A exception seem to be at odds, at least in part, with the 210.11(C) exception?

Hmmmm. It seems to me that, for the purposes of code interpretation, the OP's room is both a bathroom AND laundry area.

So, just because the areas are co-located in the same room, does that magically permit merging the laundry circuit requirement and the bathroom circuit requirement into a single 20-amp circuit?

I have my serious doubts about that. My stab at an interpretation is that you might be able to add additional receptacles for "bathroom use" (e.g., another place to plug in a hair dryer?) just as you can add additional receptacles to the laundry circuit for "laundry type" equipment (e.g., a place to plug in a steam iron?), but it's highly questionable that it meets code to turn two required circuits into one.

Taken together, the intent of the mandatory circuits requirements is to ensure independent and adequate capacity for each of two normal household functions. IMHO, using a single circuit would certainly defeat the intent of the code.

If it were me, I wouldn't wire a laundry machine receptacle to the required bathroom circuit and I certainly wouldn't bet the ranch on a savvy AHJ approving it.

Anyone else have a more authoritative answer?

more authoritative? no

more real-world? certainly.

You can look up and cite all the code you want that discourages/prevents an electrician from tapping a laundry outlet off a bathroom outlet.

No amount of code will ever stop the homeowner from plugging his washing machine INTO the bathroom receptacle. Such code would be unenforceable, as the AHJ is never going to make monthly visits to every home to check what's plugged in where.

You are, of course, quite correct, Mike. But with the acute shortage of monks these days, someone has to continue arguing about how many angels fit on the head of pins. ;-)

If the existing circuit is three wires there's no way to tap off it anyway.

Run the separate circuit. The manufacturers of the HE washers require it.

Thanks for all your feed back. My Electrician will be here on Monday the 19th to put in a dedicated washer circuit. I really appreciate "Terribletom" comments. It is good to see someone thinking through ALL the ramifications of electrical work.

Thanks for all the good work you do.