NCS S 1080-Y20R - School Yellow
NCS S 1080-Y20R (School Yellow) is an NCS color with a HEX approximation of #FFCC00, RGB 255, 204, 0, and CMYK 0/20/100/0. It has 10% blackness and 80% chromaticness with hue Y20R. Its closest Pantone Solid Coated match is 116 C (Delta E 0.34), and its closest NCS neighbor is S 0580-Y (Bright Yellow).
About NCS S 1080-Y20R
NCS S 1080-Y20R is part of the Natural Color System, a perceptual color notation system developed in Sweden and widely used across Scandinavia and Northern Europe for architectural paint specifications. The code reads as: S (Standard) · 10% blackness · 80% chromaticness · hue Y20R.
Like every NCS code, S 1080-Y20R is defined by a physical paint swatch in the NCS Color Atlas, not by a digital value. The HEX approximation #FFCC00 is the most commonly-published translation, but physical NCS swatches are the only authoritative source. The full NCS Atlas contains roughly 1,950 codes; our reference covers 50 benchmark codes.
Closest Pantone match
The closest Pantone Solid Coated color to NCS S 1080-Y20R is 116 C (#FFCD00), with a perceptual difference of Delta E 2000 = 0.34. This is a very close match suitable for most print reproduction needs.
Closest NCS neighbors
These NCS codes are perceptually closest to S 1080-Y20R, sorted by Delta E 2000. Codes within the same family differ by Delta E 2-8 typically - siblings rather than duplicates.
Where NCS S 1080-Y20R is used
NCS S 1080-Y20R is typically specified in safety signage, industrial warning elements, warm architectural features, and accent colors. Its yellow tone makes it appropriate wherever a high-visibility, safety-critical, or attention-catching palette is wanted. Before specifying NCS S 1080-Y20R for a production run, verify the color against a physical NCS color fan under the actual lighting conditions and finish (matte, semi-gloss, gloss) that will be used - the same code looks meaningfully different across finishes.
Frequently asked questions
What is NCS S 1080-Y20R in HEX?
NCS S 1080-Y20R (School Yellow) has a HEX approximation of #FFCC00. This is the widely-published mid-range value - NCS is a perceptual color notation system, not a digital one, so any HEX representation is a translation rather than a definition. Different published sources disagree by 2-5% for the same NCS code; #FFCC00 is close to every commonly-cited reference.
What does NCS S 1080-Y20R mean?
The code breaks down as: S (Standard), 10% blackness, 80% chromaticness, hue Y20R. Blackness measures how much black the color contains relative to pure white (0%) and pure black (100%). Chromaticness measures how saturated the color is relative to a neutral gray at the same blackness. Hue Y20R specifies the position on the NCS perceptual color wheel - with Y for yellow, R for red, B for blue, G for green, or N for neutral.
What Pantone color is closest to NCS S 1080-Y20R?
The closest Pantone Solid Coated match to NCS S 1080-Y20R is 116 C (#FFCD00), with a perceptual difference of Delta E 2000 = 0.34. This is a very close match and is likely suitable for print reproduction.
What NCS color is closest to NCS S 1080-Y20R?
The closest NCS neighbors to S 1080-Y20R are S 0580-Y (Bright Yellow, Delta E 9.1), S 1080-Y30R (Golden Orange, Delta E 13.8), S 1050-Y30R (Light Orange, Delta E 14.8). Codes within the same family typically differ by Delta E 2-8 - siblings rather than duplicates.
Where is NCS S 1080-Y20R commonly used?
NCS S 1080-Y20R is typically used in safety signage, industrial warning elements, warm architectural features, and accent colors. Its yellow tone makes it appropriate wherever a high-visibility, safety-critical, or attention-catching palette is wanted. Before specifying NCS S 1080-Y20R for a production run, verify against a physical NCS color fan - the same code looks meaningfully different in different finishes.