The following paragraphs detail ICEA/NEMA color code methods. Charts detailing ICEA/NEMA Methods 1 and 3, which are referenced in the product pages of this catalog, are included herein. Industry standard generic Color Code Charts 1 through 5, which also are referenced in the product pages, follow the ICEA/NEMA charts.
ICEA/NEMA Method 1 – Colored insulation with contrasting ink tracers as required. Six different insulation colors and four different colored ink tracers are used to provide positive identification through 21 conductors. The same identification sequence may be repeated for cables containing more than 21 conductors.
ICEA/NEMA Method 2 – A neutral-colored compound is used with single or double spiral ink tracers as required to provide positive identification through 21 conductors. The identification sequence is repeated for cables containing more than 21 conductors.
ICEA/NEMA Method 3 – A neutral- or single-colored insulation compound is surface ink printed with both conductor number and color designation to provide positive identification through 21 conductors. The identification sequence is repeated for colors containing more than 21 conductors.
ICEA/NEMA Method 4 – A neutral- or single-colored insulation compound is surface ink printed with conductor number to provide positive conductor identification through 21 conductors. The identification sequence is repeated for cables containing more than 21 conductors.
ICEA/NEMA Method 5 – A color coding using braids. Also sometimes specified using colored insulation and contrasting tracers as an extension of Method 1 to eliminate duplicate conductors. Up to 127 positive conductor codings are available with this method.
ICEA/NEMA Method 9 – One conductor of each pair should be coded "white" or "black" and the other conductor should be coded with any other contrasting color. Pairs should be identified in sequence by printed numbers on at least one conductor in each pair, beginning with the number 1.
ICEA METHOD 1, Table E-1
| Conductor No. | Background or Base Color | First Tracer Color | Second Tracer Color | Conductor No. | Background or Base Color | First Tracer Color | Second Tracer Color |
| 1 | Black | – | – | 20 | Red | Green | – |
| 2 | White | – | – | 21 | Orange | Green | – |
| 3 | Red | – | – | 22 | Black | White | Red |
| 4 | Green | – | – | 23 | White | Black | Red |
| 5 | Orange | – | – | 24 | Red | Black | White |
| 6 | Blue | – | – | 25 | Green | Black | White |
| 7 | White | Black | – | 26 | Orange | Black | White |
| 8 | Red | Black | – | 27 | Blue | Black | White |
| 9 | Green | Black | – | 28 | Black | Red | Green |
| 10 | Orange | Black | – | 29 | White | Red | Green |
| 11 | Blue | Black | – | 30 | Red | Black | Green |
| 12 | Black | White | – | 31 | Green | Black | Orange |
| 13 | Red | White | – | 32 | Orange | Black | Green |
| 14 | Green | White | – | 33 | Blue | White | Orange |
| 15 | Blue | White | – | 34 | Black | White | Orange |
| 16 | Black | Red | – | 35 | White | Red | Orange |
| 17 | White | Red | – | 36 | Orange | White | Blue |
| 18 | Orange | Red | – | 37 | White | Red | Blue |
| 19 | Blue | Red | – |
ICEA METHOD 1, Table E-2
| Conductor No. | Base Color | Spiral Stripe | Conductor No. | Base Color | Spiral Stripe |
| 1 | Black | – | 19 | Orange | Blue |
| 2 | Red | – | 20 | Yellow | Blue |
| 3 | Blue | – | 21 | Brown | Blue |
| 4 | Orange | – | 22 | Black | Orange |
| 5 | Yellow | – | 23 | Red | Orange |
| 6 | Brown | – | 24 | Blue | Orange |
| 7 | Red | Black | 25 | Yellow | Orange |
| 8 | Blue | Black | 26 | Brown | Orange |
| 9 | Orange | Black | 27 | Black | Yellow |
| 10 | Yellow | Black | 28 | Red | Yellow |
| 11 | Brown | Black | 29 | Blue | Yellow |
| 12 | Black | Red | 30 | Orange | Yellow |
| 13 | Blue | Red | 31 | Brown | Yellow |
| 14 | Orange | Red | 32 | Black | Brown |
| 15 | Yellow | Red | 33 | Red | Brown |
| 16 | Brown | Red | 34 | Blue | Brown |
| 17 | Black | Blue | 35 | Orange | Brown |
| 18 | Red | Blue | 36 | Yellow | Brown |
NOTE: Color code repeats after 36 conductors. No green or white conductors/stripes.
ICEA METHOD 3
| Conductor No. | Printing | Conductor No. | Printing |
| 1 | 1-Black | 11 | 11-Blue-Black |
| 2 | 2-White | 12 | 12-Black-White |
| 3 | 3-Red | 13 | 13-Red-White |
| 4 | 4-Green | 14 | 14-Green-White |
| 5 | 5-Orange | 15 | 15-Blue-White |
| 6 | 6-Blue | 16 | 16-Black-Red |
| 7 | 7-White-Black | 17 | 17-White-Red |
| 8 | 8-Red-Black | 18 | 18-Orange-Red |
| 9 | 9-Green-Black | 19 | 19-Blue-Red |
| 10 | 10-Orange-Black | 20 | 20-Red-Green |
| 21 | 21-Orange-Green |
NOTE: Color code repeats after 21 conductors.
Chart 1
| Conductor No. | Color |
| 1 | Black |
| 2 | Red |
| 3 | White |
| 4 | Light Green |
| 5 | Light Brown |
| 6 | Light Blue |
| 7 | Orange |
| 8 | Yellow |
| 9 | Violet |
| 10 | Gray |
| 11 | Pink |
| 12 | Tan |
Chart 2
| Conductor No. | Color | Conductor No. | Color |
| 1 | Black with Red | 14 | Green with White |
| 2 | Black with White | 15 | Green with Blue |
| 3 | Black with Light Green | 16 | Green with Yellow |
| 4 | Black with Blue | 17 | Green with Brown |
| 5 | Black with Yellow | 18 | Green with Orange |
| 6 | Black with Brown | 19 | White with Blue |
| 7 | Black with Orange | 20 | White with Yellow |
| 8 | Red with White | 21 | White with Brown |
| 9 | Red with Light Green | 22 | White with Orange |
| 10 | Red with Blue | 23 | Blue with Yellow |
| 11 | Red with Yellow | 24 | Blue with Brown |
| 12 | Red with Brown | 25 | Blue with Orange |
| 13 | Red with Orange |
Chart 3
| Conductor No. | Color |
| 2 | Black, Red |
| 4 | Black, Red, Light Blue, Light Brown |
| 6 | Black, Red, Light Blue, Light Brown, Orange, Yellow |
| 8 | Black, Red, Light Blue, Light Brown, Orange, Yellow, Purple, Gray |
Color Code Chart 4
Modified Western Electric
| Pair No. | Color Combination | Pair No. | Color Combination |
| 1 | White/Blue Stripe Blue | 14 | Black/Brown Stripe Brown/Black Stripe |
| 2 | White/Orange Stripe Orange | 15 | Black/Gray Stripe Gray/Black Stripe |
| 3 | White/Green Stripe Green | 16 | Yellow/Blue Stripe Blue/Yellow Stripe |
| 4 | White/Brown Stripe Brown | 17 | Yellow/Orange Stripe Orange/Yellow Stripe |
| 5 | White/Gray Stripe Gray/White Stripe | 18 | Yellow/Green Stripe Green/Yellow Stripe |
| 6 | Red/Blue Stripe Blue/Red Stripe | 19 | Yellow/Brown Stripe Brown/Yellow Stripe |
| 7 | Red/Orange Stripe Orange/Red Stripe | 20 | Yellow/Gray Stripe Gray/Yellow Stripe |
| 8 | Red/Green Stripe Green/Red Stripe | 21 | Purple/Blue Stripe Blue/Purple Stripe |
| 9 | Red/Brown Stripe Brown/Red Stripe | 22 | Purple/Orange Stripe Orange/Purple Stripe |
| 10 | Red/Gray Stripe Gray/Red Stripe | 23 | Purple/Green Stripe Green/Purple Stripe |
| 11 | Black/Blue Stripe Blue/Black Stripe | 24 | Purple/Brown Stripe Brown/Purple Stripe |
| 12 | Black/Orange Stripe Orange/Black Stripe | 25 | Purple/Gray Stripe Gray/Purple Stripe |
| 13 | Black/Green Stripe Green/Black Stripe |
Color Code Chart 5
Pair Identification Colors
For pairs numbering 1 through 25, the pair identification colors are outlined below. In cable constructions containing more than 25 pairs, the colors are repeated as necessary. Color coded binders are used to identify 25-pair groups of color.
| Pair No. | Tip Color | Ring Color | Pair No. | Tip Color | Ring Color |
| 1 | White | Blue | 14 | Black | Brown |
| 2 | White | Orange | 15 | Black | Slate |
| 3 | White | Green | 16 | Yellow | Blue |
| 4 | White | Brown | 17 | Yellow | Orange |
| 5 | White | Slate | 18 | Yellow | Green |
| 6 | Red | Blue | 19 | Yellow | Brown |
| 7 | Red | Orange | 20 | Yellow | Slate |
| 8 | Red | Green | 21 | Violet | Blue |
| 9 | Red | Brown | 22 | Violet | Orange |
| 10 | Red | Slate | 23 | Violet | Green |
| 11 | Black | Blue | 24 | Violet | Slate |
| 12 | Black | Orange | 25 | Violet | Slate |
| 13 | Black | Green |