Capacitor Code Calculator

Decode the three-digit value code printed on ceramic and film capacitors (104 = 100 nF), the tolerance letter and the EIA two-character voltage code (1H = 50 V, 2A = 100 V) — with a table for going the other way, from a value to its code.

Last updated 22 Sep 2026

Capacitor marking

Code → pF, nF, µF, tolerance, volts

First digitThe marking 104 is read as digits 1, 0 and multiplier 4.

Second digit

Third digit: the multiplier (number of zeros, in pF)

Tolerance letterThe letter after the digits, e.g. the J in 104J.

Voltage codeThe two characters before or above the value on many film and electrolytic parts, e.g. 2A in 2A104J.

The marking as printed: the voltage code (if any) above the three-digit value code and its tolerance letter. Drawn as a ceramic disc; film capacitors carry the same codes on a box.

100nFExample

A film capacitor marked 2A104J

Reading the code

C (pF) = (first digit × 10 + second digit) × 10^{third digit}; third digit 8 → × 0.01, 9 → × 0.1

104: 10 × 10⁴ pF = 100,000 pF = 100 nF = 0.1 µF
J, K, M: tolerance letters: ±5%, ±10%, ±20% (IEC 60062 letter code)
2A, 1H: EIA voltage codes: the digit is the decade (1 = tens of volts, 2 = hundreds) and the letter picks the value within it

Worked example

A film capacitor marked 2A104J
104: digits 1 and 0, then 4 zeros: 100,000 pF
100,000 pF = 100 nF = 0.1 µF
J = ±5%: between 95 nF and 105 nF
2A = rated for 100 V DC

Codes for common values

Value to code: two significant digits and the number of zeros, in pF; 9 as the third digit means × 0.1 (KEMET’s rule for 1.0 to 9.9 pF).
Value	pF	nF	µF	Code
1 pF	1.0 pF	0.001 nF	1e-06 µF	109
2.2 pF	2.2 pF	0.0022 nF	2.2e-06 µF	229
4.7 pF	4.7 pF	0.0047 nF	4.7e-06 µF	479
10 pF	10 pF	0.01 nF	1e-05 µF	100
22 pF	22 pF	0.022 nF	2.2e-05 µF	220
47 pF	47 pF	0.047 nF	4.7e-05 µF	470
100 pF	100 pF	0.1 nF	0.0001 µF	101
220 pF	220 pF	0.22 nF	0.00022 µF	221
470 pF	470 pF	0.47 nF	0.00047 µF	471
1 nF	1,000 pF	1 nF	0.001 µF	102
2.2 nF	2,200 pF	2.2 nF	0.0022 µF	222
4.7 nF	4,700 pF	4.7 nF	0.0047 µF	472
10 nF	10,000 pF	10 nF	0.01 µF	103
22 nF	22,000 pF	22 nF	0.022 µF	223
47 nF	47,000 pF	47 nF	0.047 µF	473
100 nF	100,000 pF	100 nF	0.1 µF	104
220 nF	220,000 pF	220 nF	0.22 µF	224
470 nF	470,000 pF	470 nF	0.47 µF	474
1 µF	1,000,000 pF	1,000 nF	1 µF	105
2.2 µF	2,200,000 pF	2,200 nF	2.2 µF	225
4.7 µF	4,700,000 pF	4,700 nF	4.7 µF	475
10 µF	10,000,000 pF	1e+04 nF	10 µF	106

EIA rated-voltage codes

As listed in Nichicon’s catalogue (CAT.8100K). The same two-character codes appear in the part numbers of most Japanese capacitor makers and are printed on many film capacitors.
Code	Rated DC voltage
0E	2.5 V
0G	4 V
0L	5.5 V
0J	6.3 V
1A	10 V
1C	16 V
1D	20 V
1E	25 V
1V	35 V
1H	50 V
1J	63 V
1K	80 V
2A	100 V
2Q	110 V
2B	125 V
2C	160 V
2Z	180 V
2D	200 V
2P	220 V
2E	250 V
2F	315 V
2V	350 V
2G	400 V
2W	450 V
2H	500 V
2L	550 V
2J	630 V

Tolerance letters

KEMET ceramic ordering information; the letters follow the IEC 60062 tolerance code also used for resistors.
Letter	Tolerance	Used on
B	±0.1 pF	Values below 10 pF
C	±0.25 pF	Values below 10 pF
D	±0.5 pF	Values below 10 pF
F	±1%	Any
G	±2%	Any
J	±5%	Any
K	±10%	Any
M	±20%	Any
Z	+80% / −20%	General-purpose ceramics (Y5V, Z5U)

How to read capacitor codes

Small capacitors have no room for “0.1 µF”, so they carry a code. The most common is three digits giving the value in picofarads: the first two are significant figures and the third is the number of zeros. 104 is 10 followed by four zeros, 100,000 pF, which is 100 nF or 0.1 µF, the decoupling capacitor found next to nearly every chip. 473 is 47,000 pF (47 nF); 222 is 2.2 nF; 101 is 100 pF. A two-digit marking such as 47 is simply 47 pF.

Below 10 pF. The third digit cannot be negative, so two spare digits stand in: 9 means × 0.1 and 8 means × 0.01. KEMET’s ordering codes, for example, write 1.0 pF as 109 and 0.5 pF as 508. Printed markings more often use the letter as a decimal point instead: 2R2 or 2p2 for 2.2 pF, 4n7 for 4.7 nF.

Tolerance. A letter after the digits gives the tolerance, using the same letter code as resistors (IEC 60062): J ±5%, K ±10%, M ±20%. For values below 10 pF a percentage is meaningless, so B, C and D give an absolute ±0.1, ±0.25 and ±0.5 pF. Z means +80% / −20%, typical of cheap high-capacitance ceramics whose value also falls a long way with temperature and applied voltage, so a Z-marked 100 nF part can deliver far less in a circuit.

Voltage. Film and electrolytic capacitors, and the part numbers of most Japanese makers, use a two-character code for the rated DC voltage. The digit is the decade (0 for under 10 V, 1 for tens, 2 for hundreds) and the letter chooses the value: 1C is 16 V, 1E 25 V, 1H 50 V, 2A 100 V, 2E 250 V, 2J 630 V. A film capacitor marked 2A104J is therefore 100 nF, ±5%, 100 V. Surface-mount ceramic chips usually carry no marking at all; their value and voltage are on the reel label and in the datasheet, so measure an unmarked one with a capacitance meter.

Which way round? Codes are always read left to right, with the tolerance letter last. A marking that decodes to an odd value is often a date or batch code rather than the value. For resistor bands, use the resistor colour code calculator; to see what a capacitor does in a circuit, the RC time-constant and filter pages linked below.

Frequently asked questions

What does 104 mean on a capacitor?

10 followed by 4 zeros, in picofarads: 100,000 pF = 100 nF = 0.1 µF.

What is a 103 capacitor?

10,000 pF, which is 10 nF or 0.01 µF. 102 is 1 nF, 473 is 47 nF and 105 is 1 µF.

What do the letters J, K and M mean?

Tolerance: J is ±5%, K ±10% and M ±20%. So 104K is 100 nF ±10%, anything from 90 to 110 nF.

What does 1H mean on a capacitor?

Rated for 50 V DC. In the EIA voltage code the digit is the decade (1 = tens of volts) and the letter the value: 1C = 16 V, 1E = 25 V, 1V = 35 V, 1H = 50 V, 2A = 100 V.

How do I write 4.7 pF as a code?

With 9 as the multiplier (× 0.1): 47 × 0.1 = 4.7 pF, so 479. It is often printed as 4R7 or 4p7 instead.

Related calculators

References

IEC 60062:2016. Marking codes for resistors and capacitors: letter code for tolerances and the RKM value code. International Electrotechnical Commission.
KEMET. Ceramic chip capacitors, ordering information: capacitance code (“Use 9 for 1.0 through 9.9pF. Use 8 for 0.5 through 0.99pF”) and tolerance letters.
Nichicon. Aluminum Electrolytic Capacitors, CAT.8100K: rated voltage code table.