Abstract: A printed circuit board manufacturing process is disclosed which provides good solderability, a non-reflowable coating under the solder mask, and provides a completely uniform flat surface for surface mount components. An electroplated tin/nickel surface is disposed on a copper coated circuit board. Rather than maintaining the solderability of the tin/nickel by immediately coating the surface with gold, a solder mask first is disposed on the electroplated nickel. The solder mask serves the dual role of identifying the conductivity and soldering points and also identifying those selected areas for coating with gold. Thereafter, a very thin and closely controlled layer of gold is disposed on the activated tin/nickel using a non-autocatalytic immersion process to selectively apply gold only to areas open for conductivity or solderability.