SMD capacitor code calculator — pF decoder
Decode the marking on ceramic SMD capacitors — the 3-digit pF code, the tolerance letter and the voltage code — into a readable value.
Marking
Decoded value
Capacitance
First two digits × 10^(third) pF
Tolerance
EIA tolerance letter
Voltage rating
EIA-198 code
About the model
Ceramic SMD capacitors are marked with a three-character code in picofarads: the first two digits are the value and the third is the exponent of ten, so 104 reads as 10×10⁴ = 100 nF. When an R appears it stands for the decimal point, so 4R7 is 4.7 pF. The tolerance letter (J/K/M) and the voltage code (EIA-198, 1A = 10 V up to 3A = 1000 V) are often printed alongside.
The physical size 0603, 0805 or 1206 usually tells you the voltage rating the part was built for — bigger packages can hold higher voltages. On power designs, always check the datasheet for ripple current handling and DC bias derating before trusting the printed value alone.
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Frequently asked questions
How do you read the 3-digit SMD capacitor code?
The first two digits are the value and the third is the exponent of ten, giving the result in picofarads: 104 means 10 × 10⁴ = 100,000 pF = 100 nF. When an R appears it is the decimal point, so 4R7 reads as 4.7 pF.
What do the tolerance letters J, K and M mean on ceramic capacitors?
The optional tolerance letter follows the EIA code: J = ±5%, K = ±10% and M = ±20%. The calculator decodes these directly alongside the capacitance value, so 104J means 100 nF ±5%.
How do you decode the EIA-198 voltage code on a capacitor?
The optional voltage code follows EIA-198, and the calculator maps the two-character codes to their ratings directly — 1A = 10 V, 1C = 16 V, 1E = 25 V, 1H = 50 V, 2A = 100 V, 2C = 160 V, 2D = 200 V, 2E = 250 V, 2G = 400 V, 2H = 500 V, 2J = 630 V and 3A = 1000 V, with 0E = 2.5 V as the lowest entry.
Is a value over 100 µF a ceramic SMD capacitor?
Probably not — the tool warns that anything beyond about 100 µF is past ceramic SMD territory and is likely a tantalum or electrolytic part, whose marking follows a different scheme. Always confirm a decoded value against the part's datasheet.
Markings vary between manufacturers and EIA series — always confirm the value on the datasheet. ICBOMS provides this tool for reference only.