Capacitor codes

The three digits printed on a ceramic capacitor are the value in picofarads: the first two are the number and the third is how many zeros follow. So 104 is 10 followed by four zeros — 100,000 pF, which is 100 nF, which is 0.1 µF. The same capacitor, three ways of writing it, and that is where most of the confusion with these parts comes from.

The two exceptions

A third digit of 8 or 9 divides rather than multiplies — × 0.01 and × 0.1. They exist so values under ten picofarads fit the same three characters. A code ending in 9 is a few picofarads, not gigafarads.

Tolerance letters

Letter	Tolerance
`B`	±0.1 pF
`C`	±0.25 pF
`D`	±0.5 pF
`F`	±1%
`G`	±2%
`J`	±5%
`K`	±10%
`M`	±20%
`Z`	+80% / −20%

Z is not a typo. +80%/−20% is a genuine tolerance on cheap high-permittivity ceramics, and a part carrying it can be nearly twice its marked value. Those belong in decoupling positions and nowhere near a filter.

Third digit 9 — × 0.1

Code	Picofarads	Nanofarads	Microfarads
109	1 pF	0.001 nF	1.00e-6 µF
129	1.2 pF	0.0012 nF	1.20e-6 µF
159	1.5 pF	0.0015 nF	1.50e-6 µF
189	1.8 pF	0.0018 nF	1.80e-6 µF
229	2.2 pF	0.0022 nF	2.20e-6 µF
279	2.7 pF	0.0027 nF	2.70e-6 µF
339	3.3 pF	0.0033 nF	3.30e-6 µF
399	3.9 pF	0.0039 nF	3.90e-6 µF
479	4.7 pF	0.0047 nF	4.70e-6 µF
569	5.6 pF	0.0056 nF	5.60e-6 µF
689	6.8 pF	0.0068 nF	6.80e-6 µF
829	8.2 pF	0.0082 nF	8.20e-6 µF

Third digit 0 — × 10⁰

Code	Picofarads	Nanofarads	Microfarads
100	10 pF	0.01 nF	1.00e-5 µF
120	12 pF	0.012 nF	1.20e-5 µF
150	15 pF	0.015 nF	1.50e-5 µF
180	18 pF	0.018 nF	1.80e-5 µF
220	22 pF	0.022 nF	2.20e-5 µF
270	27 pF	0.027 nF	2.70e-5 µF
330	33 pF	0.033 nF	3.30e-5 µF
390	39 pF	0.039 nF	3.90e-5 µF
470	47 pF	0.047 nF	4.70e-5 µF
560	56 pF	0.056 nF	5.60e-5 µF
680	68 pF	0.068 nF	6.80e-5 µF
820	82 pF	0.082 nF	8.20e-5 µF

Third digit 1 — × 10¹

Code	Picofarads	Nanofarads	Microfarads
101	100 pF	0.1 nF	0.0001 µF
121	120 pF	0.12 nF	0.00012 µF
151	150 pF	0.15 nF	0.00015 µF
181	180 pF	0.18 nF	0.00018 µF
221	220 pF	0.22 nF	0.00022 µF
271	270 pF	0.27 nF	0.00027 µF
331	330 pF	0.33 nF	0.00033 µF
391	390 pF	0.39 nF	0.00039 µF
471	470 pF	0.47 nF	0.00047 µF
561	560 pF	0.56 nF	0.00056 µF
681	680 pF	0.68 nF	0.00068 µF
821	820 pF	0.82 nF	0.00082 µF

Third digit 2 — × 10²

Code	Picofarads	Nanofarads	Microfarads
102	1,000 pF	1 nF	0.001 µF
122	1,200 pF	1.2 nF	0.0012 µF
152	1,500 pF	1.5 nF	0.0015 µF
182	1,800 pF	1.8 nF	0.0018 µF
222	2,200 pF	2.2 nF	0.0022 µF
272	2,700 pF	2.7 nF	0.0027 µF
332	3,300 pF	3.3 nF	0.0033 µF
392	3,900 pF	3.9 nF	0.0039 µF
472	4,700 pF	4.7 nF	0.0047 µF
562	5,600 pF	5.6 nF	0.0056 µF
682	6,800 pF	6.8 nF	0.0068 µF
822	8,200 pF	8.2 nF	0.0082 µF

Third digit 3 — × 10³

Code	Picofarads	Nanofarads	Microfarads
103	10,000 pF	10 nF	0.01 µF
123	12,000 pF	12 nF	0.012 µF
153	15,000 pF	15 nF	0.015 µF
183	18,000 pF	18 nF	0.018 µF
223	22,000 pF	22 nF	0.022 µF
273	27,000 pF	27 nF	0.027 µF
333	33,000 pF	33 nF	0.033 µF
393	39,000 pF	39 nF	0.039 µF
473	47,000 pF	47 nF	0.047 µF
563	56,000 pF	56 nF	0.056 µF
683	68,000 pF	68 nF	0.068 µF
823	82,000 pF	82 nF	0.082 µF

Third digit 4 — × 10⁴

Code	Picofarads	Nanofarads	Microfarads
104	100,000 pF	100 nF	0.1 µF
124	120,000 pF	120 nF	0.12 µF
154	150,000 pF	150 nF	0.15 µF
184	180,000 pF	180 nF	0.18 µF
224	220,000 pF	220 nF	0.22 µF
274	270,000 pF	270 nF	0.27 µF
334	330,000 pF	330 nF	0.33 µF
394	390,000 pF	390 nF	0.39 µF
474	470,000 pF	470 nF	0.47 µF
564	560,000 pF	560 nF	0.56 µF
684	680,000 pF	680 nF	0.68 µF
824	820,000 pF	820 nF	0.82 µF

Third digit 5 — × 10⁵

Code	Picofarads	Nanofarads	Microfarads
105	1,000,000 pF	1,000 nF	1 µF
125	1,200,000 pF	1,200 nF	1.2 µF
155	1,500,000 pF	1,500 nF	1.5 µF
185	1,800,000 pF	1,800 nF	1.8 µF
225	2,200,000 pF	2,200 nF	2.2 µF
275	2,700,000 pF	2,700 nF	2.7 µF
335	3,300,000 pF	3,300 nF	3.3 µF
395	3,900,000 pF	3,900 nF	3.9 µF
475	4,700,000 pF	4,700 nF	4.7 µF
565	5,600,000 pF	5,600 nF	5.6 µF
685	6,800,000 pF	6,800 nF	6.8 µF
825	8,200,000 pF	8,200 nF	8.2 µF

Third digit 6 — × 10⁶

Code	Picofarads	Nanofarads	Microfarads
106	10,000,000 pF	10,000 nF	10 µF
126	12,000,000 pF	12,000 nF	12 µF
156	15,000,000 pF	15,000 nF	15 µF
186	18,000,000 pF	18,000 nF	18 µF
226	22,000,000 pF	22,000 nF	22 µF
276	27,000,000 pF	27,000 nF	27 µF
336	33,000,000 pF	33,000 nF	33 µF
396	39,000,000 pF	39,000 nF	39 µF
476	47,000,000 pF	47,000 nF	47 µF
566	56,000,000 pF	56,000 nF	56 µF
686	68,000,000 pF	68,000 nF	68 µF
826	82,000,000 pF	82,000 nF	82 µF

Resistor colour codes · Wire gauge · Battery sizes

Capacitor codes

The two exceptions

Tolerance letters

Third digit 9 — × 0.1

Third digit 0 — × 100

Third digit 1 — × 101

Third digit 2 — × 102

Third digit 3 — × 103

Third digit 4 — × 104

Third digit 5 — × 105

Third digit 6 — × 106