Unit converter
Liters to US Gallons Converter
Convert litres into US gallons here. The US gallon is defined as exactly 3.785411784 litres, so one litre is about 0.264172 US gallons. This pairing turns up when comparing fuel economy across the Atlantic, reading a US recipe that calls for gallons, sizing an aquarium or water tank sold in American units, or working out how much paint or fuel a litre quantity buys in gallon terms. Enter a litre amount and the US gallon equivalent appears at once, with a handy table for the figures people convert most.
1 liter = 0.264172 US gallons
Common liters to US gallons values
| Liters | US gallons |
|---|---|
| 1 l | 0.264172 gal |
| 2 l | 0.528344 gal |
| 5 l | 1.3209 gal |
| 10 l | 2.6417 gal |
| 20 l | 5.2834 gal |
| 50 l | 13.2086 gal |
| 100 l | 26.4172 gal |
How to convert
- Take the volume in litres.
- Divide by 3.785411784 to reach US gallons, since one US gallon is that many litres.
- Dividing by 3.785411784 is the same as multiplying by roughly 0.264172.
- To turn US gallons back into litres, multiply by 3.785411784.
- For a fast estimate, a litre is just over a quarter of a US gallon, so divide the litres by about four.
US gallons = litres / 3.785411784
The US gallon is fixed at exactly 3.785411784 litres, which derives from 231 cubic inches. Dividing a litre figure by this constant gives US gallons; multiplying US gallons by it returns litres. The litre value is exact, though the reciprocal 0.264172 is a rounded decimal.
- l
- the volume in litres you start with
- 3.785411784
- litres in one US gallon, by definition
Worked example
A 40 litre car fuel tank is 40 divided by 3.785411784, which is about 10.57 US gallons. A 2 litre bottle is roughly 0.528 US gallons, a little over half a gallon.
Key facts
- One US gallon is exactly 3.785411784 litres; one litre is about 0.264172 US gallons.
- A US gallon is defined as 231 cubic inches.
- Four litres come to roughly 1.057 US gallons.
- The US gallon is noticeably smaller than the imperial gallon used in the UK.
Tips
- For a rough read, treat four litres as a fraction over one US gallon.
- When following a US recipe, convert the whole gallon quantity once rather than scaling litre by litre.
Frequently asked questions
How many US gallons in 1 litre?+
About 0.264172 US gallons, just over a quarter.
How many litres are in a US gallon?+
Exactly 3.785411784 litres, by definition.
Is a US gallon the same as a UK gallon?+
No. The imperial (UK) gallon is larger at 4.54609 litres, so a US gallon is about 83 percent of an imperial one. Use the matching tool for UK gallons.
Why is US fuel economy hard to compare?+
American miles per gallon uses the smaller US gallon, so a US mpg figure looks lower than the same car rated in imperial mpg even before the mile-versus-kilometre difference.
Things to watch
- Never mix US and imperial gallons; the 0.76 litre gap between them throws off fuel and tank figures.
- Rounding the factor to 3.79 introduces a small error that grows on large volumes, so keep full precision until the end.
Sources
Last updated: 2026-01-01
Conversions use internationally defined factors. Provided for general use; verify critical measurements independently.