Liters to Gallons
Result:
Enter a volume to convert.
Convert liters to U.S. gallons. From is set to liters and To is set to gallons. The result updates as you type. One U.S. gallon is exactly 3.785411784 liters. Other units are on the volume converter. The other direction is gallons to liters.
Liters to gallons formula
NIST Handbook 44 (2024), Appendix C defines the U.S. gallon as 231 cubic inches. With the exact inch of 2.54 cm, that gallon is 3.785411784 liters. This page does not use the imperial gallon.
Formula: gallons = liters ÷ 3.785411784.
The converter divides by that exact gallon, then rounds the displayed result to five decimal places.
Example: 1 L ÷ 3.785411784 = 0.26417 gal.
Liters to gallons reference table
Each value below is the converter result at five decimal places, using the U.S. gallon of 3.785411784 liters. Enter the same liters in the form above and the result should match.
| Liters | U.S. gallons |
|---|---|
| 0.5 | 0.13209 |
| 1 | 0.26417 |
| 2 | 0.52834 |
| 3 | 0.79252 |
| 4 | 1.05669 |
| 5 | 1.32086 |
| 10 | 2.64172 |
| 20 | 5.28344 |
| 40 | 10.56688 |
| 50 | 13.20860 |
| 60 | 15.85032 |
| 100 | 26.41721 |
Liters to gallons examples
Fuel tank: A car with a 50 L tank holds 50 ÷ 3.785411784 = 13.20860 gal.
Drinks: A 2 L bottle is 0.52834 gal, a little over half a gallon.
Water jugs: A 19 L water-cooler jug is 5.01927 gal, and a 20 L container is 5.28344 gal.
Quick mental math (approximation)
To estimate U.S. gallons, divide the liters by 4. Example: 50 L ÷ 4 is about 12.5 gal. The exact result is 13.20860 gal.
This shortcut is an approximation. It runs about 5 percent low, because a gallon is a little less than 4 liters. Use the converter or the exact formula for fuel logs, invoices, or records.
Liters to gallons FAQ
How many gallons are in a liter?
One liter is 1 ÷ 3.785411784 U.S. gallons, which the converter shows as 0.26417 gal.
How many liters are in a gallon?
One U.S. gallon is exactly 3.785411784 liters. NIST defines it as 231 cubic inches.
Does this work for imperial (UK) gallons?
No. The imperial gallon is a larger unit, so the same number of liters is fewer imperial gallons. This page uses only the U.S. gallon.