I would like to know the exact distance required for GFCI on a non-commercial kitchen. I thought the minimum requiremnt was 36" between the kitchen sink and an outlet.

No. The spacing rule is that every point along the counter top must be within 24 inches of a receptacle. If you have an outlet 36 inches to the left of the sink and 36 inches to the right, you would violate that requirement.

There have been many fairly recent changes in GFCI placement in Kitchens. 24" spacing is correct across a sink line. Along a counter, they can be 48" apart and still meet the 24" rule. In addition, it used to be any distance over 6 ft. from a sink was the GFCI limit. The NEC (NFPA 70 2011 edition) requires GFCI receptacles in ANY area of kitchens of dwelling units where the receptacles are installed to serve the countertop surfaces. It does not mention a distance requirement in kitchens anymore.