# Pressure canner altitude chart Source: https://freezeandseal.com/blog/pressure-canner-altitude-chart Published: 2026-10-09 Publisher: Freeze & Seal **Short answer:** In the standard USDA process tables, a weighted gauge canner runs at 10 psi from 0 to 1,000 feet and 15 psi above 1,000 feet. A dial gauge canner runs at 11 psi up to 2,000 feet, 12 psi at 2,001 to 4,000, 13 psi at 4,001 to 6,000, 14 psi at 6,001 to 8,000 and 15 psi at 8,001 to 10,000 feet. Processing time comes from the tested recipe and does not change with altitude. Water boils at a lower temperature as altitude rises, so a pressure canner needs more pressure at higher elevations to reach the temperature that tested recipes rely on. This page lays out the pressure settings published in the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning and the National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP) process tables for low acid foods. It explains the difference between weighted and dial gauges, how to find your altitude, and the rules that go with every setting. Use it together with a tested recipe, never in place of one. You can also look up your setting with the [pressure by altitude tool](https://freezeandseal.com/tools/usda-altitude-pressure). ## USDA pressure by altitude These are the pressure bands that appear in the standard USDA and NCHFP tables for low acid foods processed in a pressure canner. A few products have their own tables with different values, so always confirm the setting in the specific tested recipe you are following. | Altitude (feet) | Weighted gauge | Dial gauge | | --- | --- | --- | | 0 to 1,000 | 10 psi | 11 psi | | 1,001 to 2,000 | 15 psi | 11 psi | | 2,001 to 4,000 | 15 psi | 12 psi | | 4,001 to 6,000 | 15 psi | 13 psi | | 6,001 to 8,000 | 15 psi | 14 psi | | 8,001 to 10,000 | 15 psi | 15 psi | | Above 10,000 | Contact your county Extension office | Contact your county Extension office | Pressure canner settings by altitude (USDA standard tables) Note: Processing times are never adjusted for altitude in these tables. Only the pressure changes. Take the time for your jar size and food from the tested USDA or NCHFP recipe. ## Weighted gauge vs dial gauge A weighted gauge canner uses a weight on the vent pipe that releases steam once the set pressure is reached. Most weights offer 5, 10 and 15 psi positions or pieces. Because a weight only lets you choose those fixed values, a weighted gauge canner jumps from 10 psi to 15 psi above 1,000 feet. The weight rocks or jiggles to show it is at pressure; follow your maker's instructions for how often it should rock. A dial gauge shows the actual pressure on a needle, so you can hold exactly 11, 12, 13, 14 or 15 psi. That precision only helps if the gauge is accurate. NCHFP recommends having dial gauges tested for accuracy before each canning season, and replacing a gauge that reads more than a small amount off. See [pressure canner gauge testing](https://freezeandseal.com/blog/pressure-canner-gauge-testing) and [weighted gauge vs dial gauge](https://freezeandseal.com/blog/weighted-gauge-vs-dial-gauge-pressure-canner). ## How to find your altitude Use the elevation of the place where you can, not the nearest city. Your county Cooperative Extension office can tell you the local elevation, and topographic maps and many online map tools show elevation for an address. If you are close to a band boundary, use the higher band. If you cannot confirm your altitude, contact your Extension office rather than guessing. ## Rules that go with every setting The pressure in the chart only works as part of a full tested process. These steps come from USDA and NCHFP guidance and the canner maker's instructions. 1. Choose a tested recipe from the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning, NCHFP or a current Extension publication. Do not invent processing times. 2. Use the jar size, packing method and headspace the recipe lists. 3. Add the amount of water your canner maker specifies. 4. Vent the canner with a steady stream of steam for 10 minutes before adding the weight or closing the petcock. 5. Bring the canner to the pressure for your altitude and gauge, then start timing. 6. Keep pressure at or slightly above the target for the whole time. If it drops below, bring it back up and restart the timing from zero. 7. When time is up, turn off the heat and let the canner depressurize naturally. Do not force cool it. 8. Follow your maker's instructions and the recipe for opening the canner and removing jars. Note: NCHFP does not recommend electric multicookers such as Instant Pot style appliances for pressure canning. See can you pressure can in an Instant Pot for details. ## What pressure canning is for Pressure canning is required for low acid foods such as vegetables, meats, poultry, seafood, beans and soups. Boiling water canning cannot reach the temperatures needed to destroy Clostridium botulinum spores in these foods. High acid foods like most fruits, jams and properly acidified tomatoes and pickles can be processed in a boiling water canner by tested recipes. See [what foods need pressure canning](https://freezeandseal.com/blog/what-foods-need-pressure-canning) and [pressure canner vs water bath canner](https://freezeandseal.com/blog/pressure-canner-vs-water-bath-canner). New to the process? Read [how to use a pressure canner](https://freezeandseal.com/blog/how-to-use-a-pressure-canner) and [how much water goes in a pressure canner](https://freezeandseal.com/blog/how-much-water-in-a-pressure-canner) before your first batch, and see [can you pressure can in an Instant Pot](https://freezeandseal.com/blog/can-you-pressure-can-in-an-instant-pot). [See the best pressure canners](https://freezeandseal.com/best/best-pressure-canner) ## Frequently asked questions **What pressure do I use at 3,000 feet?** In the standard USDA tables, 15 psi with a weighted gauge or 12 psi with a dial gauge. Confirm in your tested recipe. **Do I add time for high altitude when pressure canning?** No. In the USDA and NCHFP pressure canning tables, altitude changes the pressure, not the processing time. **Can I use 15 psi at any altitude to be safe?** Use the pressure the tested recipe lists for your altitude and gauge. Never go below it. Extra pressure is not part of the tested process and can overcook food or add to liquid loss from jars. **Why do weighted gauges jump to 15 psi?** Weights come in fixed 5, 10 and 15 psi settings, so canners above 1,000 feet use the next available setting. ## Gear guides for this topic - https://freezeandseal.com/best/best-pressure-canner - https://freezeandseal.com/best/best-large-pressure-canner - https://freezeandseal.com/best/best-pressure-canner-for-glass-top-stove ## Sources - [National Center for Home Food Preservation](https://nchfp.uga.edu/)