To convert liters to US gallons, divide by 3.785411784. For UK (imperial) gallons, divide by 4.54609. So 2 liters is 0.5283 US gallons, 2.5 liters is 0.6604 gallons and 1 liter is 0.2642 gallons. Both factors are exact by definition, so the only rounding is the number of decimals you keep.
The converter works in both directions and shows US and UK gallons side by side, plus quarts, pints, cups and fluid ounces. Use it to read a European fuel tank or water jug in gallons, check an aquarium's liter rating against a US gallon label, or scale a recipe written in liters. Choose a direction, type the value, and copy the link to share that exact result.
How to use the liters to gallons converter
- Pick the direction: liters to US gallons, liters to UK gallons, or either gallon back to liters.
- Type the amount. Decimals are fine (0.75, 2.5, 18.9).
- Read the headline answer. The list underneath gives the same volume in every other unit, so you don't have to convert twice.
- Check the bar chart if you aren't sure which gallon a label means: the US and UK answers differ by about 20%.
- Press "Copy link" to save the conversion; the value and direction are stored in the URL.
Liters to gallons formula
NIST Handbook 44, Appendix C defines the US gallon as 231 cubic inches, which equals 3.785 411 784 liters exactly. The UK Weights and Measures Act 1985 defines the imperial gallon as 4.546 09 cubic decimetres, and a cubic decimetre is a liter. NIST SP 811 lists both values.
US gallons = liters ÷ 3.785411784(or liters × 0.26417205)UK gallons = liters ÷ 4.54609(or liters × 0.21996925)liters = US gallons × 3.785411784liters = UK gallons × 4.54609
The smaller US units come from the same NIST table: 1 gallon = 4 quarts = 8 pints = 16 cups = 128 fluid ounces. The imperial gallon divides differently, into 8 pints of 20 imperial fluid ounces each, 160 in all.
2 liters to gallons
2 liters = 0.5283 US gallons (0.4399 imperial gallons). That is just over half a US gallon: a half gallon is 1.893 L, so 2 L is 0.107 L more. In smaller units, 2 L is 2.113 US quarts, 8.45 cups or 67.63 fl oz. If you search "2l to gal", this is the same answer: divide 2 by 3.785411784.
2.5 liters to gallons
2.5 liters = 0.6604 US gallons, or 0.5499 imperial gallons. It is about two-thirds of a US gallon (84.5 fl oz out of 128). Two 2.5 L containers hold 5 L, which is 1.3209 US gallons.
1 liter to gallons
1 liter = 0.2642 US gallons and 0.22 UK gallons. A liter is slightly more than a US quart: 1 L = 1.0567 qt, or 33.81 US fl oz.
1 gallon to liters
1 US gallon = 3.785411784 liters, usually rounded to 3.785 L or 3.79 L. 1 imperial gallon = 4.54609 liters, often rounded to 4.55 L. Half a US gallon is 1.8927 L; 5 US gallons is 18.927 L.
20 liters to gallons
20 liters = 5.2834 US gallons (4.3994 UK gallons). Going the other way, a container labeled 5 US gallons holds 18.93 L, so a 20 L container is -1.07 L smaller than 5 gallons. Read the label before swapping one for the other.
Worked examples
A car's fuel tank rated in liters
A spec sheet lists a 50 L tank. 50 ÷ 3.785411784 = 13.21 US gallons. If you are in the UK and still think in imperial gallons, it is 11 gal. The example size is illustrative; check your own owner's manual for the real capacity.
Aquarium labeled in US gallons
A tank marked 29 gallons (US) holds 29 × 3.785411784 = 109.8 L when filled to the brim. Gravel, decorations and the gap below the rim mean the water volume is lower, so dose treatments on the measured water, not the label.
A British recipe in gallons
An old UK home-brewing recipe calls for 5 gallons. Those are imperial: 5 × 4.54609 = 22.73 L, or 6 US gallons. Using US gallons instead would give you 18.93 L, about 17% less water.
Liters to gallons chart: 0.1 to 30 L
| Liters | US gal | UK gal | Liters | US gal | UK gal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | 0.0264 | 0.022 | 6 | 1.585 | 1.3198 |
| 0.25 | 0.066 | 0.055 | 7 | 1.8492 | 1.5398 |
| 0.5 | 0.1321 | 0.11 | 7.5 | 1.9813 | 1.6498 |
| 0.75 | 0.1981 | 0.165 | 8 | 2.1134 | 1.7598 |
| 1 | 0.2642 | 0.22 | 9 | 2.3775 | 1.9797 |
| 1.5 | 0.3963 | 0.33 | 10 | 2.6417 | 2.1997 |
| 2 | 0.5283 | 0.4399 | 12 | 3.1701 | 2.6396 |
| 2.5 | 0.6604 | 0.5499 | 15 | 3.9626 | 3.2995 |
| 3 | 0.7925 | 0.6599 | 18 | 4.7551 | 3.9594 |
| 3.5 | 0.9246 | 0.7699 | 19 | 5.0193 | 4.1794 |
| 4 | 1.0567 | 0.8799 | 20 | 5.2834 | 4.3994 |
| 4.5 | 1.1888 | 0.9899 | 25 | 6.6043 | 5.4992 |
| 5 | 1.3209 | 1.0998 | 30 | 7.9252 | 6.5991 |
Liters to gallons chart: 35 to 1,000 L
| Liters | US gal | UK gal | Liters | US gal | UK gal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35 | 9.25 | 7.7 | 120 | 31.7 | 26.4 |
| 40 | 10.57 | 8.8 | 150 | 39.63 | 33 |
| 45 | 11.89 | 9.9 | 200 | 52.83 | 43.99 |
| 50 | 13.21 | 11 | 250 | 66.04 | 54.99 |
| 55 | 14.53 | 12.1 | 300 | 79.25 | 65.99 |
| 60 | 15.85 | 13.2 | 400 | 105.67 | 87.99 |
| 65 | 17.17 | 14.3 | 500 | 132.09 | 109.98 |
| 70 | 18.49 | 15.4 | 600 | 158.5 | 131.98 |
| 75 | 19.81 | 16.5 | 750 | 198.13 | 164.98 |
| 80 | 21.13 | 17.6 | 800 | 211.34 | 175.98 |
| 90 | 23.78 | 19.8 | 900 | 237.75 | 197.97 |
| 100 | 26.42 | 22 | 1,000 | 264.17 | 219.97 |
Gallons to liters chart
| Gallons | US gal → L | UK gal → L |
|---|---|---|
| 0.25 | 0.946 | 1.137 |
| 0.5 | 1.893 | 2.273 |
| 1 | 3.785 | 4.546 |
| 2 | 7.571 | 9.092 |
| 2.5 | 9.464 | 11.365 |
| 3 | 11.356 | 13.638 |
| 4 | 15.142 | 18.184 |
| 5 | 18.927 | 22.73 |
| 6 | 22.712 | 27.277 |
| 7 | 26.498 | 31.823 |
| 8 | 30.283 | 36.369 |
| 10 | 37.854 | 45.461 |
| 12 | 45.425 | 54.553 |
| 15 | 56.781 | 68.191 |
| 20 | 75.708 | 90.922 |
| 25 | 94.635 | 113.652 |
| 29 | 109.777 | 131.837 |
| 30 | 113.562 | 136.383 |
| 40 | 151.416 | 181.844 |
| 50 | 189.271 | 227.305 |
| 55 | 208.198 | 250.035 |
| 60 | 227.125 | 272.765 |
| 75 | 283.906 | 340.957 |
| 100 | 378.541 | 454.609 |
Common container sizes
These are round-number volumes as they appear on labels. The conversion is exact; whether a particular bottle, tank or drum really holds its nominal volume depends on the product.
| Label | Liters | US gallons | UK gallons |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 L bottle | 2 | 0.528 | 0.44 |
| 3 L box of wine | 3 | 0.793 | 0.66 |
| 4 L jug | 4 | 1.057 | 0.88 |
| 5 L water jug | 5 | 1.321 | 1.1 |
| 10 L bucket | 10 | 2.642 | 2.2 |
| 20 L jerry can | 20 | 5.283 | 4.399 |
| 40 L fuel tank | 40 | 10.567 | 8.799 |
| 60 L fuel tank | 60 | 15.85 | 13.198 |
| 80 L fuel tank | 80 | 21.134 | 17.598 |
| 10 US gal aquarium | 37.85 | 10 | 8.327 |
| 20 US gal aquarium | 75.71 | 20 | 16.653 |
| 55 US gal drum | 208.2 | 55 | 45.797 |
| 75 US gal aquarium | 283.91 | 75 | 62.451 |
| 1,000 L tote (1 m³) | 1,000 | 264.172 | 219.969 |
US gallon vs imperial gallon
The two gallons are defined differently. The US gallon is a fixed number of cubic inches: 231. NIST Handbook 44 describes the British imperial gallon as the volume of 10 avoirdupois pounds of water under specified conditions, and notes that it is about 20% larger than the US gallon. UK law now defines it directly in liters: 4.546 09 L, with no reference to water.
The fluid ounce goes the other way. An imperial fluid ounce (28.413 mL) is slightly smaller than a US fluid ounce (29.574 mL), but there are 160 of them in an imperial gallon against 128 in a US gallon. So a UK pint (20 fl oz) is bigger than a US pint (16 fl oz), and the same holds for quarts and gallons.
Which one applies? A gallon on a US label, recipe or fuel pump is the US gallon. A gallon in a British book, car manual or miles-per-gallon figure is the imperial gallon. If the source is British and doesn't say which, assume imperial; if it is American, assume US.
Common mistakes
- Using 4 liters per gallon. It's close enough for a rough guess, but 4 L is 1.057 US gal. On 1,000 L the error is about -14 gallons.
- Mixing US and UK gallons. The answer changes by about 20%. A miles-per-gallon figure from a UK car review isn't comparable with an EPA rating until you convert the gallon. The fuel economy converter handles mpg (US and UK) and L/100 km.
- Multiplying when you should divide. Liters to gallons divides by 3.785; gallons to liters multiplies. If 2 L gives you 7.57, you went the wrong way.
- Rounding the factor too early. 3.79 instead of 3.785411784 is fine for a water bottle, but on a 1,000 L tank it shifts the answer by about 0.3 gallons.
- Treating volume as weight. A gallon of water and a gallon of diesel have the same volume but different weights. Use the weight per gallon calculator to convert.
Related converters
For smaller volumes, use mL to oz (milliliters to US or UK fluid ounces) or cups to mL for recipes. For water, fuel or other liquids by weight, the weight per gallon calculator turns gallons into pounds.
Frequently asked questions
How many gallons is 2 liters?
2 liters is 0.5283 US gallons, a little over half a gallon. In UK (imperial) gallons it is 0.4399.
How many gallons is 2.5 liters?
2.5 liters is 0.6604 US gallons (about two-thirds of a gallon) or 0.5499 imperial gallons.
How many liters are in a gallon?
A US gallon is exactly 3.785411784 liters. An imperial (UK) gallon is exactly 4.54609 liters.
How many gallons is 1 liter?
1 liter = 0.2642 US gallons = 0.22 UK gallons. Put another way, it takes about 3.785 liters to fill a US gallon.
How do I convert liters to gallons?
Divide liters by 3.785411784 for US gallons, or by 4.54609 for UK gallons. For 20 L: 20 ÷ 3.785411784 = 5.2834 US gal.
How many liters is 5 gallons?
5 US gallons = 18.927 L. 5 UK gallons = 22.73 L.
Is a UK gallon bigger than a US gallon?
Yes. 1 UK gallon = 1.2009 US gallons, so it is about 20% larger. 1 US gallon = 0.8327 UK gallons.
How many cups are in 2 liters?
2 liters = 8.45 US cups, or 67.63 US fluid ounces.
How many liters is 55 gallons?
55 US gallons = 208.2 liters.
How many gallons is 1,000 liters?
1,000 liters (1 cubic meter) = 264.17 US gallons or 219.97 UK gallons.
What is a Canadian gallon?
It is the same as the imperial gallon. NIST SP 811 lists the Canadian and U.K. (imperial) gallon together at 4.546 09 L, so use the UK setting in the converter.
Sources & method
- NIST Handbook 44 (2026), Appendix C: 1 gallon = 231 cubic inches = 3.785 411 784 liters; 1 gallon = 4 quarts = 8 pints = 128 fl oz; British (imperial) measure tables
- NIST SP 811, Appendix B.8: gallon (U.S.) = 3.785 412 L; gallon [Canadian and U.K. (Imperial)] = 4.546 09 L
- UK Weights and Measures Act 1985, Schedule 1: gallon = 4.546 09 cubic decimetres; pint = 0.568 261 25 dm³
- NIST: SI Units – Volume (1 liter = 1 cubic decimeter)
Results are estimates for general information. Found an error? It helps everyone — see our methodology.