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KICAD DRC

KiCad "Hole size out of range": drill too small or too large

KiCad design rule check (PCB) message: Hole size out of range (drill_out_of_range in kicad-cli reports).

What it means

A drilled hole is smaller than the minimum through-hole size (or larger than a maximum set in a custom rule). Holes below a fab's minimum either cost extra or cannot be made. Use a larger drill, or lower the rule if your fab supports smaller holes.

Common causes

  • Small vias chosen for dense routing.
  • Footprints with pin holes smaller than the board minimum.

How to fix it

  1. Raise the via drill in Board Setup → Pre-defined Sizes and update existing vias.
  2. Edit the footprint's hole size.
  3. If your fab supports smaller holes, lower Minimum through hole to match their published value.

Where the setting lives

Board Setup → Design Rules → Constraints → Minimum through hole.

What fabs need

JLCPCB and PCBWay list 0.15 mm as the standard minimum drill; PCBWay charges extra under 0.2 mm. JLCPCB lists 0.5 mm as the minimum non-plated hole.

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Checked against KiCad 10's source and documentation. Last reviewed 2026-11-07.

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