Do I need a neutral wire for each electrical circuit?

NO, you can't use the same neutral for ALL circuits. It's not safe or practical and is also a code violation. The nuetral on 120 volt is a current carrying conductor and has the same amperre restrictions as your phase wires.

But you can share neutrals on TWO circuits that are each on a separate bus in the panel. Your panel has two 110/120v buses and the circuit breaker spaces alternate on each side (that's why a two pole breaker has 220/240 volts because it taps off both.) The two phases are 180 degrees from each other so the "pulse" of alternating current in the neutral cancels each other out when two circuits share the neutral. Don't worry if you don't understand the physics of it -- you don't need to. But per code you can run a 3 wire cable (with black, red and white plus bare ground in the US) with one circuit on the black and one on the red but both using the same single neutral. It has to be a 3-wire cable -- you can't share neutrals on separate cables in a residence.

Be very careful though -- make sure they are connected at the panel to separate buses (single pole breakers directly above and below each other). Most codes require you to use a 2-pole breaker for this so both circuits sharing the neutral shut off together.

Also, check with your local inspecting authority. That shared neutral is allowed by the National Code provided it is done correctly, but local codes take precedence and may be more strict. It might not be allowed

Neutral Wire

All wiring today will have a neutral wire. You will have black (load), white, and ground (copper). In the electric panel you will place the wire and attach the white wire to the neutral (all other white wires will be attached there) side, the black to the load side (all black wires are attached there. And you will have a ground where you connect the ground.

Once all 3 are connected you have a live circuit.

Definition:

The Neutral wire is what carries electrical current in a circuit AWAY FROM a device, typically a white wire.

How to use a electric panel video

http://electrical.about.com/od/panelsdistribution/...

C_kayak and Kris_B have both given correct answers.

Not all parts of the country adopted the Arc-fault requirements of the 2008 NEC (Mine, WA.State, is one of them). If this is the case, then c_kayak is correct. If done correctly, you can have shared neutrals, provided that you have handle-tied or 2-pole breakers (this is now required by 2008 NEC). You will still likely have to put Arc-fault protection in for bedroom circuits (as required by 2005 NEC).

If your area did adopt the 2008 Arc-fault requirements, then you will not have shared neutrals (as noted by Kris_B).

I have never seen it at DIY stores, but there is 4 conductor (plus ground) NM-B being made these days. It has 2 hots (black and red) and 2 neutrals (white and white with red stripe). This saves on the number of runs from the panel. But, you had better know what you are doing with box fill requirements to do it correctly.

You don't need the NEC code on this. Every circuit has to have a neutral wire for several reasons. First and for most without that you will burn your house down. Second Someone will be electrocuted. Third many if not all of your appliances won't work Forth Your wiring won't pass code. Fifth your house will burn down, Sixth Some one will be electrocuted.

If this is a dwelling unit each circuit has to have its own neutral. This is due to AFCI "Arc Fault Circuit Interruper" AFCIs wont work sharing neutrals. Almost all conditions in dwelling units MUST be on a AFCI, only a handful of exceptions apply: Motors, pumps, alarm systems, furnaces etc...

i dont mean to criticize you, but if you have to ask a question like this, you should not be wiring a house, there are so many codes you have to follow to keep the home safe, please stop and find someone to help you or hire an electrical contractor, saving some bucks isnt worth your life

You could have what is known as a dead end switch, which is where the switch is fed from the ceiling box. Typically power will be sent down on the whit wire, and return to the light as a switch leg on the black wire. Use the phrase "Down on white, Back on black"

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Lol lol Down on white , back on Black......lol lol lol that is Stupid. Power should be Black and the Switch leg should be Red !