Ordering a PCB from JLCPCB is one of the cheapest ways to get real, professional boards made — but the upload page asks a lot of questions, and it's easy to second-guess every option. This guide walks through the whole process for KiCad users, from exporting files to checkout.
Short answer: Export your Gerbers and drill file from KiCad, zip them, and upload the zip on the JLCPCB quote page. Review the Gerber preview, choose your board options (layers, thickness, color, surface finish, copper weight), optionally add PCBA assembly by uploading a BOM and CPL, pick a quantity, choose shipping, and check out. For most 2-layer prototypes the defaults are fine.
What you need before you start
You need two things from KiCad for a bare board:
- A Gerber set — one file per copper, mask, silkscreen, and edge layer.
- An Excellon drill file — the hole positions and sizes.
If you're adding assembly, you also need a BOM (what parts go on the board) and a CPL / pick-and-place file (where each part sits). See our guides on exporting Gerbers from KiCad and the JLCPCB BOM and CPL format for the exact export settings.
Step 1: Export and zip your Gerbers + drill
In KiCad you can export from the PCB Editor's plot dialog, or with the kicad-cli command-line tool, which produces the Gerber and drill files without opening the GUI. Either way, put all the Gerbers and the drill file into a single folder, then zip that folder. JLCPCB reads a flat zip of these files — you don't need to rename anything for KiCad 7+ output; the fab's parser recognizes KiCad's default extensions.
Quick sanity check before zipping: you should have copper layers (at least F.Cu and B.Cu), solder mask, silkscreen, the Edge.Cuts outline, and a .drl drill file. Missing the edge cut is the single most common upload problem — without it JLCPCB can't tell the board's shape.
Step 2: Upload and review the Gerber preview
On JLCPCB's quote page, click Add gerber file and select your zip. After a few seconds it renders a preview of your board. This preview is the most important quality gate in the whole process — actually look at it:
- Is the board outline correct and closed?
- Do the copper, silkscreen, and mask layers line up?
- Are there any stray shapes, missing text, or a board that came out the wrong size?
If the preview looks wrong, fix it in KiCad and re-upload rather than ordering and hoping.
Step 3: Choose your board options
Once the preview loads, JLCPCB auto-detects layer count and dimensions and shows a long list of build options. Here's what each one means and what to pick for a typical prototype.
| Option | What to pick (and why) |
|---|---|
| Layers | Matches your design (2 is standard and cheapest; 4 for denser or high-speed boards). |
| Dimensions | Auto-filled from your Edge.Cuts — confirm it matches your intended size. |
| PCB thickness | 1.6 mm is the default and works for almost everything; go thinner only if you have a reason. |
| PCB color | Green is fastest and cheapest; other colors are fine but can add a day or two. |
| Surface finish | HASL is cheapest; choose ENIG for fine-pitch parts, flatness, or lead-free. |
| Outer copper weight | 1 oz is standard; 2 oz only if you carry significant current. |
| Via covering | Leave on the default (tented) unless your design needs open vias. |
| Quantity | 5 is the common minimum; order a few spares — the per-board cost drops fast. |
| Remove order number | Default keeps a tiny JLC number on the board; you can ask them to place or remove it. |
For most first orders, the only fields you'll actually change are quantity and maybe color. The rest of the defaults produce a solid, manufacturable board.
Step 4 (optional): Add PCBA assembly
If you want JLCPCB to solder the parts on, toggle PCB Assembly. This is where the BOM and CPL come in:
- Choose assembly side (usually top) and quantity.
- Upload your BOM — it lists each component, its value/footprint, and an LCSC part number so JLCPCB knows exactly what to place.
- Upload your CPL (pick-and-place) file — the X/Y position, rotation, and side for every part.
- Review the placement preview: JLCPCB overlays your parts on the board so you can catch wrong rotations or footprints before assembly.
Rotations and part orientation are the usual source of assembly errors. Our guides on the BOM and CPL format and pick-and-place / CPL export cover how to get these right, and designing for JLCPCB assembly explains how part choices affect cost and yield.
Quantities, pricing, and lead time
Pricing basics. Bare-board cost is driven by size, layer count, quantity, and any upgrades (special color, ENIG, heavier copper, controlled impedance). A small 2-layer board in a quantity of 5 is famously cheap; assembly adds a setup fee plus the cost of the parts and placement.
Lead time. Bare-board fabrication is typically 1 to 3 business days. Assembly, extra layers, and special finishes add time. Then there's shipping — which is often the biggest single line item and the biggest chunk of the wait.
Shipping. You'll choose a courier at checkout; faster options cost more. If you're not in a hurry, the economy options save real money. Remember to budget for any import duties or taxes in your country.
Pre-order checklist
Before you hit Save to cart, run through this:
- Gerber preview shows the correct board outline and size.
- All copper, mask, silkscreen, and drill layers are present.
- Layer count and dimensions match your design.
- Thickness, color, and finish are what you intended.
- Quantity is set (with a couple of spares).
- For assembly: BOM and CPL uploaded, placement preview reviewed, rotations checked.
- Shipping method and address are correct.
Tick all of those and your order is very likely to come back right the first time.
Keeping your JLCPCB files correct on every revision
The tedious part of this whole flow isn't JLCPCB — it's regenerating a clean, current set of Gerbers, drill, BOM, and CPL every time you change the board, and remembering to keep them in sync. One stale file and the preview is wrong, or the assembly places the wrong part.
That's exactly what GoForFab automates. Connect your KiCad project and every push regenerates the full manufacturing package with kicad-cli — Gerbers, drill, BOM, CPL, DRC/ERC reports, and 3D renders — so the exact files JLCPCB needs are always ready to download and upload. It's free forever for solo work, which makes the "did I export the latest files?" question disappear.
Order once by hand to learn the flow — then let your outputs stay current automatically.