Originally referred to as the Baldie, this variety was renamed the Essex capped in 2010. It is not yet standardised in the UK, though it is fairly common as it will appear in the first generation if Essex are mated to most other markings. Mismarked examples are often mistaken for capped, but generally capped do not have quite so much colour paling as Essex capped, due to the influence of the Essex gene.
Genetics: HHro (one copy of the hooded H allele and one copy of the Essex allele on the h-locus).
NFRS standard: The top of the head with the exception of the nose tip and the pattern to be coloured, with the colour to extend a short way behind the ears. The rest of the rat to be white. Nose tip to be white, white triangle between the eyes pointing rearwards and with a white line running from the point of the triangle to the white on the nape of the neck. As with the related Essex variety, colour paling is normal for this variety and not a fault.