There are currently 15 types of electrical outlet plugs in use today, each of which has been assigned a letter by the US Department of Commerce International Trade Administration (ITA), starting with A and moving through the alphabet. These letters are completely arbitrary: they don’t actually mandate anything.
- Mainly used in the USA, Canada, Mexico & Japan
- 2 pins
- Not grounded
- 15 A
- Almost always 100 – 127 V
- Socket compatible with plug type A
- Mainly used in the USA, Canada, Mexico & Japan
- 3 pins
- Grounded
- 15 A
- Almost always 100 – 127 V
- Socket compatible with plug types A & B
- Commonly used in Europe, South America & Asia
- 2 pins
- Not grounded
- 2.5 A
- Almost always 220 – 240 V
- Socket compatible with plug type C
- Mainly used in India
- 3 pins
- Grounded
- 5 A
- 220 – 240 V
- Socket compatible with plug type D (partial and unsafe compatibility with C, E & F)
- Primarily used in France, Belgium, Poland, Slovakia & Czechia
- 2 pins
- Grounded
- 16 A
- 220 – 240 V
- Socket compatible with plug types C, E & F
- Mainly used in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Malta, Malaysia & Singapore
- 3 pins
- Grounded
- 13 A
- 220 – 240 V
- Socket compatible with plug type G
- Used exclusively in Israel, the West Bank & the Gaza Strip
- 3 pins
- Grounded
- 16 A
- 220 – 240 V
- Socket compatible with plug types C & H (unsafe compatibility with E & F)
- Mainly used in Australia, New Zealand, China & Argentina
- 2 or 3 pins
- 2 pins: not grounded / 3 pins: grounded
- 10 A
- 220 – 240 V
- Socket compatible with plug type I
- Used almost exclusively in Switzerland & Liechtenstein
- 3 pins
- Grounded
- 10 A
- 220 – 240 V
- Socket compatible with plug types C & J
- Used almost exclusively in Denmark & Greenland
- 3 pins
- Grounded
- 16 A
- 220 – 240 V
- Socket compatible with plug types C & K (unsafe compatibility with E & F)
- Used almost exclusively in Italy & Chile
- 3 pins
- Grounded
- 10 A & 16 A
- 220 – 240 V
- 10 A socket compatible with plug types C & L (10 A version) / 16 A socket compatible with plug type L (16 A version)
- Mainly used in South Africa
- 3 pins
- Grounded
- 15 A
- 220 – 240 V
- Socket compatible with plug type M
- Used in Brazil and South Africa
- 3 pins
- Grounded
- 10 A & 20 A
- 100 – 240 V
- Socket compatible with plug types C & N
- Used exclusively in Thailand
- 3 pins
- Grounded
- 16 A
- 220 – 240 V
- Socket compatible with plug types C & O (unsafe compatibility with E & F)