A via is defined by what it connects; PTH and NPTH describe how a hole is made. A hole is the physical opening. A plated-through hole (PTH) has a conductive copper barrel on its inside wall, while a non-plated-through hole (NPTH) is normally a mechanical opening with no barrel. Most ordinary through vias are plated, but a plated component hole is not usually called a via.
This distinction affects nets, copper clearances, drill files, fabrication cost, soldering and whether a manufacturer builds the board you intended.
The terms at a glance
| Term | What it describes | Typical electrical role | Common uses | Typical CAD object |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hole | Any drilled, laser-drilled or routed opening | May be electrical or mechanical | Vias, component leads, screws, slots and clearances | Hole feature or pad |
| Plated hole | Copper deposited on the inside wall | Can conduct between connected copper features | Vias, through-hole pads, plated slots | Plated pad or via |
| PTH | Plated-through hole spanning the board | Conductive when attached to an intended net | Component pins, ordinary through vias | Through-hole pad or through via |
| NPTH | Through-hole with no copper barrel | Normally none | Mounting, tooling, alignment and clearance holes | NPTH mechanical pad |
| Via | An interlayer electrical connection | Yes, between specified copper layers | Signal, power, ground and thermal connections | Via with drill, diameter and layer span |
KiCad documents the same practical split: a through-hole pad is plated and electrically connected, while an “NPTH, mechanical” pad is non-plated and has no electrical connection. See KiCad PCB Editor documentation and the current KiCad documentation.
What plating actually does
After drilling, a fabricator deposits copper on the hole wall. That lining is the barrel. Copper pads, or lands, surround the opening on selected layers; the copper width between the finished hole edge and pad edge is the annular ring. A solder-mask opening is only an exposed surface area—it does not indicate whether the barrel is plated.
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Plating alone does not assign a net. A plated hole with isolated pads can be electrically unconnected, while an NPTH through a copper plane must have enough clearance to avoid touching that plane. A plated mounting hole can intentionally connect chassis or shield ground, but that must be designed rather than assumed.
As a vendor-specific example, JLCPCB lists an average hole-plating thickness of 18 µm on its capability page; this is not a universal industry value. See JLCPCB PCB capabilities.
Vias: electrical connections between layers
Through vias
A through via runs from one outer surface to the opposite outer surface and can connect any copper layers along that drilled path. It is generally the simplest and most widely supported via structure, but it occupies clearance and routing space on every layer it passes through. Altium defines this structure in its via-type documentation.
Blind and buried vias
A blind via starts on an outer layer and ends on an inner layer. A buried via connects internal layers and is not visible from either surface. Both require controlled stack-up and fabrication processes; confirm support with the board house before routing them.
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Microvias
Microvias are small laser-drilled build-up structures, commonly connecting adjacent layers in HDI designs. Limits for diameter, depth, stacking and filling are manufacturer-specific. Altium cites the IPC-2226A definition involving a maximum 1:1 aspect ratio and depth no greater than 0.25 mm for that definition; it should not be treated as a universal limit for every process.
Via-in-pad and via covering
An open via in a component pad can wick solder away from the joint. Depending on the package and assembly process, the via may need epoxy filling or copper-paste filling followed by capping. Tented, plugged, filled and capped describe treatment of the via opening after plating; they do not make the via non-plated. See JLCPCB’s via finishes overview and via-covering guidance.
PTH component holes
A resistor, connector, diode, IC pin, press-fit contact or terminal normally uses a plated through-hole pad. The copper pad provides a soldering land, while the barrel carries the assigned net to other copper layers. In everyday language, a DIP pin hole is called a through-hole pad, not a via, even though both features may have a plated barrel.
Plated slots are the same concept in a non-circular shape. They are used for connector blades, power terminals and unusual leads. The slot’s plating and pad geometry must be specified separately from a non-plated routed slot.
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NPTH mechanical holes
Use NPTH for screws, standoffs, alignment and tooling holes, connector clearances, and other openings that should not carry a signal. Keep copper planes and traces away with the required clearance. Do not assign a signal net simply because copper is nearby.
A mounting hole may deliberately be plated for chassis ground, shield bonding, a conductive heatsink or another specified mechanical connection. If screws or standoffs are conductive, an unintended plated ring can create a short or ground loop.
Pad diameter, hole diameter and annular ring
The finished hole diameter is the final opening after plating. The pad diameter is the full copper diameter. For a circular pad, nominal annular ring is:
annular ring = (pad diameter − finished hole diameter) ÷ 2
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For a 0.60 mm finished hole in a 1.20 mm pad, the nominal ring is 0.30 mm. Drill, plating and registration tolerances reduce the effective margin. JLCPCB’s referenced capability page lists through-hole tolerance of +0.13/−0.08 mm and hole-position tolerance of ±0.05 mm for that service; always use the values for your chosen process.
Plated and non-plated slots
A plated slot has a conductive barrel and is suitable for electrical terminals. A non-plated slot is a routed mechanical opening. JLCPCB lists, for its stated service, minimum plated-slot widths of 0.50 mm for two-layer boards and 0.35 mm for multilayer boards, versus a listed 1.0 mm minimum non-plated slot width. These are service-specific capabilities, not universal rules.
Choosing the right feature
- Does the opening need to connect copper layers? Use a via or another plated structure.
- Will a component lead, pin or terminal pass through it? Use a plated through-hole pad unless the component documentation specifies another construction.
- Is it only for mounting, alignment, tooling or clearance? Use NPTH, unless a deliberate chassis or grounding connection is required.
- Would a through via block routing or violate density? Consider blind, buried or microvia construction only when your fabricator supports the required stack-up.
Setting the feature in KiCad
NPTH mechanical hole
- Open or edit the footprint containing the opening.
- Select an existing pad or create a new pad and open Pad Properties.
- Set Pad type to NPTH, mechanical.
- Set the hole shape and finished dimensions; confirm that no net is assigned.
- Run DRC, then inspect the fabrication drawing and drill outputs.
Plated component hole or via
- Use a Through-hole pad for a plated component lead and assign its schematic net.
- For an interlayer connection, place a via and choose its type (through, blind/buried or micro where supported).
- Check drill diameter, outer diameter and layer span against the manufacturer’s rules.
- Review the generated plated and non-plated drill files.
Menu wording changes between KiCad releases, but the pad-type distinction and via properties remain documented in KiCad 7–10 documentation.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the fabricator must receive
Manufacturing data normally separates plated holes, non-plated holes, plated slots, non-plated slots and, when applicable, laser microvias or backdrills. The exact file format varies by EDA tool and service, so do not rely on a 3D viewer alone.
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- Confirm whether quoted dimensions are tool sizes or finished hole sizes; plating can reduce the final opening.
- Check minimum drill, via, slot and hole-to-hole limits for the selected board material, layer count and process.
- Ensure NPTHs have copper clearance and are classified in the non-plated drill output.
- Ensure component holes appear in the plated drill output and have the intended net and annular ring.
- Verify that blind, buried, microvia or via-in-pad construction is explicitly supported.
For example, JLCPCB’s referenced standard capability page lists a 0.50 mm minimum NPTH, a 0.15 mm minimum via hole under one listed process, 0.20 mm via hole-to-hole spacing, and no blind or buried vias in that standard service. Treat those figures as dated vendor examples, not general PCB rules.
Common mistakes and fixes
A mounting hole is unexpectedly connected to ground
Inspect whether it was created as a plated through-hole pad or whether conductive hardware bridges a nearby copper ring. Change it to NPTH and add the required keepout, or intentionally assign chassis ground and document that choice.
A component pin does not connect
The hole may have been exported as NPTH. Change the footprint pad to plated through-hole, restore the correct net and regenerate the drill and copper outputs.
The 3D viewer looks wrong
Rendering is not proof of plating. Trust pad properties, drill tables, fabrication drawings and the manufacturer’s interpretation.
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A manufacturer rejects the via structure
Replace unsupported blind, buried or microvias with through vias, or obtain a quote from a process that supports the required stack-up. Advanced capability can add cost and inspection complexity.
Solder disappears into a via-in-pad
Ask whether the assembly requires filled-and-capped vias or a different pad arrangement. Tenting alone may not prevent wicking in a fine-pitch assembly.
Final pre-order checklist
- Identify whether each opening is electrical, component-related or mechanical.
- Set plated, NPTH or via type explicitly in the CAD library.
- Verify net assignment and copper-layer connections.
- Check finished hole size, pad size and annular ring after tolerances.
- Provide clearance around every NPTH and plated mounting hole.
- Classify circular holes and slots in the correct drill outputs.
- Confirm the manufacturer supports the selected via type, hole and slot dimensions.
- Review the fabrication drawing, drill tables and exported files before ordering.
The Bottom Line
Think in two dimensions: via describes the electrical job, while PTH and NPTH describe the hole’s construction. Set both deliberately in CAD, then verify the drill files and fabricator capabilities.
Quick Recap
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