---
type: "thread"
name: "9/16\"-12 UNC"
designation: "9/16-12 UNC"
series: "unc"
series_name: "Unified Coarse (UNC)"
system: "unified"
size_label: "9/16"
tpi: 12
pitch_in: 0.083333
pitch_mm: 2.1167
basic_major_dia_in: 0.5625
basic_major_dia_mm: 14.2875
basic_pitch_dia_in: 0.5084
basic_pitch_dia_mm: 12.9134
basic_minor_dia_in: 0.4723
basic_minor_dia_mm: 11.9964
tap_drill: "31/64"
tap_drill_dia_in: 0.484375
tap_drill_dia_mm: 12.3031
tap_drill_thread_pct: 72.2
tensile_stress_area_sqin: 0.181944
tensile_stress_area_sqmm: 117.383
internal_class_assumed: "2B"
standard: "ASME B1.1 (reference values based on the ASME B1.1 system; not a compliance claim)"
verified: "August 1, 2026"
url: https://shopmath.org/threads/unc/9-16-12
---

# 9/16"-12 UNC Thread — Dimensions, Tap Drill & Clearance

The tap drill for 9/16"-12 UNC is 31/64 — 0.4844 in (12.303 mm) — which leaves 72.2% thread engagement with a cut tap. Basic pitch diameter is 0.5084 in (12.913 mm) and basic minor diameter is 0.4723 in (11.996 mm). Tapped-hole figures on this page assume a class 2B thread; drill sizes for 50–85% engagement are in the tap drill table below.

- **Series**: Unified Coarse (UNC)
- **Designation**: 9/16-12 UNC
- **Threads per inch**: 12
- **Tap drill**: 31/64
- **Standard**: ASME B1.1 (reference values based on the ASME B1.1 system; not a compliance claim)

## Basic Thread Dimensions for 9/16"-12 UNC

| Property | Inch | Millimetre |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Basic major diameter | 0.5625 | 14.287 |
| Threads per inch | 12 | — |
| Pitch | 0.0833 | 2.117 |
| Basic pitch diameter | 0.5084 | 12.913 |
| Basic minor diameter | 0.4723 | 11.996 |
| External thread root diameter | 0.4633 | 11.768 |
| Sharp V thread height (H) | 0.0722 | 1.834 |

_Basic dimensions are the theoretical values before any tolerance class is applied._

## Tap Drill Sizes for 9/16"-12 UNC

Cut taps, from 50% to 85% thread engagement. The shop default is 75% — a 31/64 drill.

| Thread % | Target hole Ø (in) | Target hole Ø (mm) | Drill | Drill Ø (in) | Drill Ø (mm) | Actual thread % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 50% | 0.5084 | 12.913 | 33/64 | 0.5156 | 13.097 | 43.3 |
| 60% | 0.4975 | 12.636 | 1/2 | 0.5000 | 12.700 | 57.7 |
| 65% | 0.4921 | 12.499 | 31/64 | 0.4844 | 12.303 | 72.2 |
| 70% | 0.4867 | 12.362 | 31/64 | 0.4844 | 12.303 | 72.2 |
| 75% (default) | 0.4813 | 12.225 | 31/64 | 0.4844 | 12.303 | 72.2 |
| 80% | 0.4759 | 12.088 | 15/32 | 0.4688 | 11.906 | 86.6 |
| 85% | 0.4705 | 11.951 | 15/32 | 0.4688 | 11.906 | 86.6 |

_Target hole Ø is the theoretical hole for the stated engagement. The drill column is the nearest size in the standard number/letter/fractional/metric index, and actual thread % is what that real drill produces._

## Thread Class Limits for 9/16"-12 UNC

Manufacturing limits for classes 2B, 3B, 2A, 3A. A gauge reading outside these bands is a reject, not a judgement call.

### External thread (bolt / screw) limits

| Limit | Class 2A (in) | Class 2A (mm) | Class 3A (in) | Class 3A (mm) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Major Ø max | 0.5609 | 14.247 | 0.5625 | 14.287 |
| Major Ø min | 0.5495 | 13.957 | 0.5511 | 13.998 |
| Pitch Ø max | 0.5068 | 12.873 | 0.5084 | 12.913 |
| Pitch Ø min | 0.5016 | 12.741 | 0.5045 | 12.814 |
| Pitch Ø tolerance | 0.0052 | 0.132 | 0.0039 | 0.099 |
| Minor Ø max | 0.4527 | 11.499 | 0.4542 | 11.537 |
| Minor Ø min | 0.4475 | 11.367 | 0.4503 | 11.438 |
| Allowance | 0.0016 | 0.041 | 0.0000 | 0.000 |

### Internal thread (nut / tapped hole) limits

| Limit | Class 2B (in) | Class 2B (mm) | Class 3B (in) | Class 3B (mm) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Major Ø max | 0.5813 | 14.765 | 0.5796 | 14.722 |
| Major Ø min | 0.5625 | 14.287 | 0.5625 | 14.287 |
| Pitch Ø max | 0.5152 | 13.086 | 0.5135 | 13.043 |
| Pitch Ø min | 0.5084 | 12.913 | 0.5084 | 12.913 |
| Pitch Ø tolerance | 0.0068 | 0.173 | 0.0051 | 0.130 |
| Minor Ø max | 0.4903 | 12.454 | 0.4843 | 12.301 |
| Minor Ø min | 0.4723 | 11.996 | 0.4723 | 11.996 |
| Allowance | 0.0000 | 0.000 | 0.0000 | 0.000 |

## Tensile Stress Area of 9/16"-12 UNC

| Property | in² | mm² |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tensile stress area | 0.18194 | 117.38 |

The effective cross-section used to size a 9/16"-12 UNC fastener against a load. Multiply it by the material's allowable stress — the area itself carries no strength assumption.

## Other Thread Pitches in the Same Size as 9/16"-12 UNC

A 9/16 fastener is not always 9/16"-12 UNC. These are the other standard pitches cut on the same nominal size.

| Thread | Series | Pitch | Tap drill |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [9/16"-24 UNEF](https://shopmath.org/threads/unef/9-16-24.md) | Unified Extra Fine (UNEF) | 24 TPI | 33/64 |
| [9/16"-18 UNF](https://shopmath.org/threads/unf/9-16-18.md) | Unified Fine (UNF) | 18 TPI | 33/64 |

## Sources and Method for 9/16"-12 UNC

### Basic dimensions

- **Source**: NBS Handbook H28 (1969) Part I §§6-7 (public domain, 17 U.S.C. 105); normative modern reference ASME B1.1; series membership: Series membership: threadlib UIS_thread.csv (BSD-3-Clause); cross-checked against NBS H28 (1969) Part I Table 2.21; clearance holes: ISO 273 (metric) and ASME B18.2.8 (inch) via FreeCAD FeatureHole.cpp (LGPL-2.1+), cross-checked against bd_warehouse clearance_hole_sizes.csv (Apache-2.0)
- **Method**: computed
- **Verified against**: NBS H28 (1969) Part I, Table 2.21 (public domain); cross-checked against FreeCAD CAM thread tables (LGPL-2.1+) — 1064 checks passed at 0.0001 in

### Tap drill sizes

- **Source**: Machinery's Handbook %-thread formula (geometry-derived); nearest-standard-drill-to-75% rule verified at 36/39 published chart rows in docs/research/data-sourcing.md §3.4
- **Method**: computed
- **Verified against**: Wikipedia Unified Thread Standard, preferred cutting tap drill size columns (CC BY-SA 4.0) — 36/39 published UNC+UNF rows reproduced

### Class limits

- **Source**: NBS Handbook H28 (1969) Part I §§6-7 (public domain, 17 U.S.C. 105); normative modern reference ASME B1.1
- **Method**: computed
- **Verified against**: NBS H28 (1969) Part I, Table 2.21 (public domain); cross-checked against FreeCAD CAM thread tables (LGPL-2.1+) — 1064 checks passed at 0.0001 in

### Formulas

**Tap drill hole diameter, inch threads**

```text
hole Ø  =  D − (%thread ÷ 100) × (1.29904 ÷ n)

  D = basic major diameter (in)
  n = threads per inch
```

_1.29904 = 2 × 0.64952, twice the engaged thread height per side on the 60° Unified profile._

**Actual thread engagement of the chosen drill**

```text
%thread  =  (D − drill Ø) × n ÷ 1.29904 × 100
```

_The drill column rounds to a real drill; this is the engagement that drill actually leaves._

**Tensile stress area, Unified inch threads**

```text
At  =  0.7854 × (D − 0.9743 ÷ n)²
```

_ASME B1.1 / NBS H28 form. Reproduces the stored value exactly for this thread._

### Assumptions

- The headline tap drill assumes 75% thread engagement, the general shop default. Every engagement from 50% to 85% is in the tap drill table — change the assumption and the number moves.
- Tap drill figures are for cut taps. Drill diameters are nominal; a worn or run-out drill cuts oversize and reduces engagement further.
- Tapped-hole figures assume a class 2B internal thread, the general-purpose fit.
- Dataset scope: Le = 1D for UNC/UNF, 9P for UNEF — determined empirically against H28 Table 2.21, resolving data-sourcing.md open item 5. EXCLUDED: form (roll) tap drills, class 1A/1B limits, class 1AR allowances, constant-pitch UN series.

**Data last verified**: August 1, 2026

## Common Questions About 9/16"-12 UNC

### What is the tap drill size for 9/16"-12 UNC?

The tap drill for 9/16"-12 UNC is 31/64 — 0.4844 in (12.303 mm). That leaves 72.2% thread engagement with a cut tap.

### What is the pitch diameter of 9/16"-12 UNC?

The basic pitch diameter of 9/16"-12 UNC is 0.5084 in (12.913 mm). For a class 2B thread it runs 0.5084 in (12.913 mm) to 0.5152 in (13.086 mm).

### What is the minor diameter of 9/16"-12 UNC?

The basic minor diameter of 9/16"-12 UNC is 0.4723 in (11.996 mm). That is the theoretical root of the internal thread, not the drilled hole size — see the tap drill table for the hole to drill.

### What is the thread pitch of 9/16"-12 UNC?

9/16"-12 UNC has 12 threads per inch, a pitch of 0.0833 in (2.117 mm).

### What is the tensile stress area of 9/16"-12 UNC?

The tensile stress area of 9/16"-12 UNC is 0.18194 in² (117.38 mm²). Multiply it by the fastener material's allowable stress to get a load.

## Related pages

- Smaller in Unified Coarse (UNC): [1/2"-13 UNC](https://shopmath.org/threads/unc/1-2-13.md) — tap drill 27/64
- Larger in Unified Coarse (UNC): [5/8"-11 UNC](https://shopmath.org/threads/unc/5-8-11.md) — tap drill 17/32
- All Unified Coarse (UNC) sizes: [Unified Coarse (UNC) thread chart](https://shopmath.org/threads/unc.md)
- Every thread series: [Screw thread reference](https://shopmath.org/threads.md)
- Cross-series chart: [Tap drill chart](https://shopmath.org/charts/tap-drill.md)

---

*Source: [ShopMath](https://shopmath.org/threads/unc/9-16-12) — data verified August 1, 2026. Reference data; verify against the governing standard before manufacture.*