Common American National Standard Pipe Taper Threads

NPT - National Pipe Thread Taper

NPTF - Dryseal American National Standard Taper Pipe Thread (ANSI B1.20.3)

NPT threads may be referred to as MPT ('Male Pipe Thread'), MNPT, or NPT(M) for male
(external) threads, and FPT ('Female Pipe Thread'), FNPT, or NPT(F) for female (internal)
threads. Note that FPT and MPT are not authorized designations per the ANSI standard.
For NPT threads a sealant compound or Teflon tape must be used for a leak-free seal. For NPTF
no sealant is needed for a sealing.
Characteristics of NPT (also known as ANSI/ASME B1.20.1 Pipe Threads, General Purpose):

tapered thread 1o 47'

truncation of roots and crests are flat
60o thread angle
pitch is measured in threads per inch

Note! Pipe sizes do not refer to any physical dimensions. The outside diameter of a pipe or fitting
must be measured and compared to a table for size identification. A 3/4" NPT pipe thread has an
outside diameter - OD - of 1.050 inches.
Each thread size has a defined number of threads per inch - TPI, or pitch. The 3/4" NPT pipe
thread has 14 threads per inch. Both the TPI and OD of the thread are required for positive
identification of thread size because more than one size have the same TPI.

NPT - American Standard Pipe Thread Taper 1)

Approximate
Approximate Approximate Total thread
Threads
Pipe Size
Length of Number of
Makeup,
per Inch
(inches)
Thread
Threads to Hand and
TPI - pitch
(inches)
be Cut
Wrench
(inches)

Nominal
Outside
Pipe
Diameter
OD
(inches)

Tap Drill
(inches)

1/16"

27

0.313

1/8"

27

3/8

10

1/4

0.405

1/4"

18

5/8

11

3/8

0.540

7/16

3/8"

18

5/8

11

3/8

0.675

37/64

1/2"

14

3/4

10

7/16

0.840

23/32

3/4"

14

3/4

10

1/2

1.050

59/64

1"

11-1/2

7/8

10

9/16

1.315

1-5/32

1-1/4"

11-1/2

11

9/16

1.660

1-1/2

1-1/2"

11-1/2

11

9/16

1.900

1-47/64

2"

11-1/2

11

5/8

2.375

2-7/32

2-1/2"

1 1/2

12

7/8

2.875

2-5/8

3"

1 1/2

12

3.500

3-1/4

3-1/2"

1 5/8

13

1 1/16

4.000

3-3/4

4"

1 5/8

13

1 1/16

4.500

4-1/4

1)

4 1/2"

5.000

4-3/4

5"

1 3/4

14

1 3/16

5.563

5-9/32

6"

1 3/4

14

1 3/16

6.625

6-11/32

8"

1 7/8

15

1 5/16

8.625

10"

16

1 1/2

10.750

12"

2 1/8

17

1 5/8

12.750

14"

14.000

16"

16.000

The taper is 1/16 inch in an inch, which is the same as 3/4 inch in a foot (angle 1 o 47')

NPT threads are not interchangeable with NPS - National Pipe Straight - threads.
NPT threads may look similar to ISO 7/1 threads. However, ISO and NPT threads should not be
mixed. ISO threads have 55o taper angle versus 60o for NPT. The NPT root and crest
configurations are also different from ISO. For ISO threads pitch is usually measured in
millimeters (may be expressed in Inch). The pitch are different.