diff --git a/doc/users/whats_new/rcparams.rst b/doc/users/whats_new/rcparams.rst
index 38ffeeeadef6..7adcf42425df 100644
--- a/doc/users/whats_new/rcparams.rst
+++ b/doc/users/whats_new/rcparams.rst
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+Added ``errorbar.capsize`` key to rcParams
+``````````````````````````````````````````
+Controls the length of end caps on error bars. If set to zero, errorbars
+are turned off by default.
+
 Added ``xtick.minor.visible`` and ``ytick.minor.visible`` key to rcParams
 `````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
 Two new keys to control the minor ticks on x/y axis respectively, default set to ``False`` (no minor ticks on the axis).
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py
index 9e11d0d4530f..e2da0611123a 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py
@@ -1860,9 +1860,10 @@ def bar(self, left, height, width=0.8, bottom=None, **kwargs):
             specifies the color of errorbar(s)
             default: None
 
-        capsize : integer, optional
+        capsize : scalar, optional
            determines the length in points of the error bar caps
-           default: 3
+           default: None, which will take the value from the
+           ``errorbar.capsize`` :data:`rcParam<matplotlib.rcParams>`.
 
         error_kw : dict, optional
             dictionary of kwargs to be passed to errorbar method. *ecolor* and
@@ -1928,7 +1929,7 @@ def bar(self, left, height, width=0.8, bottom=None, **kwargs):
         yerr = kwargs.pop('yerr', None)
         error_kw = kwargs.pop('error_kw', dict())
         ecolor = kwargs.pop('ecolor', None)
-        capsize = kwargs.pop('capsize', 3)
+        capsize = kwargs.pop('capsize', rcParams["errorbar.capsize"])
         error_kw.setdefault('ecolor', ecolor)
         error_kw.setdefault('capsize', capsize)
 
@@ -2189,8 +2190,10 @@ def barh(self, bottom, width, height=0.8, left=None, **kwargs):
         ecolor : scalar or array-like, optional, default: None
             specifies the color of errorbar(s)
 
-        capsize : integer, optional, default: 3
+        capsize : scalar, optional
            determines the length in points of the error bar caps
+           default: None, which will take the value from the
+           ``errorbar.capsize`` :data:`rcParam<matplotlib.rcParams>`.
 
         error_kw :
             dictionary of kwargs to be passed to errorbar method. `ecolor` and
@@ -2583,7 +2586,7 @@ def pie(self, x, explode=None, labels=None, colors=None,
 
     @docstring.dedent_interpd
     def errorbar(self, x, y, yerr=None, xerr=None,
-                 fmt='', ecolor=None, elinewidth=None, capsize=3,
+                 fmt='', ecolor=None, elinewidth=None, capsize=None,
                  barsabove=False, lolims=False, uplims=False,
                  xlolims=False, xuplims=False, errorevery=1, capthick=None,
                  **kwargs):
@@ -2593,7 +2596,7 @@ def errorbar(self, x, y, yerr=None, xerr=None,
         Call signature::
 
           errorbar(x, y, yerr=None, xerr=None,
-                   fmt='', ecolor=None, elinewidth=None, capsize=3,
+                   fmt='', ecolor=None, elinewidth=None, capsize=None,
                    barsabove=False, lolims=False, uplims=False,
                    xlolims=False, xuplims=False, errorevery=1,
                    capthick=None)
@@ -2630,7 +2633,9 @@ def errorbar(self, x, y, yerr=None, xerr=None,
             The linewidth of the errorbar lines. If *None*, use the linewidth.
 
           *capsize*: scalar
-            The length of the error bar caps in points
+            The length of the error bar caps in points; if *None*, it will
+            take the value from ``errorbar.capsize``
+            :data:`rcParam<matplotlib.rcParams>`.
 
           *capthick*: scalar
             An alias kwarg to *markeredgewidth* (a.k.a. - *mew*). This
@@ -2783,6 +2788,8 @@ def xywhere(xs, ys, mask):
             return xs, ys
 
         plot_kw = {'label': '_nolegend_'}
+        if capsize is None:
+            capsize = rcParams["errorbar.capsize"]
         if capsize > 0:
             plot_kw['ms'] = 2. * capsize
         if capthick is not None:
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py b/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py
index a44d8e15c730..b3902e1b8cd1 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py
@@ -2751,7 +2751,7 @@ def csd(x, y, NFFT=None, Fs=None, Fc=None, detrend=None, window=None,
 # changes will be lost
 @_autogen_docstring(Axes.errorbar)
 def errorbar(x, y, yerr=None, xerr=None, fmt='', ecolor=None, elinewidth=None,
-             capsize=3, barsabove=False, lolims=False, uplims=False,
+             capsize=None, barsabove=False, lolims=False, uplims=False,
              xlolims=False, xuplims=False, errorevery=1, capthick=None,
              hold=None, **kwargs):
     ax = gca()
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py b/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py
index 0f026f52a85f..023c91e49d85 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py
@@ -623,6 +623,9 @@ def __call__(self, s):
                                     validate_negative_linestyle_legacy],
     'contour.corner_mask':        [True, validate_corner_mask],
 
+    # errorbar props
+    'errorbar.capsize':      [3, validate_float],
+
     # axes props
     'axes.axisbelow':        [False, validate_bool],
     'axes.hold':             [True, validate_bool],
diff --git a/matplotlibrc.template b/matplotlibrc.template
index f9ee4f8807bb..1f640b91aba9 100644
--- a/matplotlibrc.template
+++ b/matplotlibrc.template
@@ -363,6 +363,9 @@ backend      : %(backend)s
 #contour.negative_linestyle : dashed # dashed | solid
 #contour.corner_mask        : True   # True | False | legacy
 
+### ERRORBAR PLOTS
+#errorbar.capsize : 3             # length of end cap on error bars in pixels
+
 ### Agg rendering
 ### Warning: experimental, 2008/10/10
 #agg.path.chunksize : 0           # 0 to disable; values in the range