Convert Liters to Gallons
Convert liters into US gallons for fuel economy comparisons, aquarium and tank capacities, and reading metric labels in the US.
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1 L = 0.26417 gal
One liter equals 0.264172 US gallons, or 0.219969 UK (imperial) gallons. To convert liters to US gallons, divide by 3.785411784 — so 10 L = 2.6417 US gal and 50 L = 13.209 US gal. The US gallon is noticeably smaller than the imperial gallon (3.7854 L vs 4.5461 L), so always confirm which system a recipe, fuel-economy figure or container spec is using before converting.
Quick reference: liters to gallons (us)
| Liters | Gallons (US) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0.264 US gal · 0.220 UK gal |
| 2 | 0.528 US gal · 0.440 UK gal |
| 3 | 0.793 US gal · 0.660 UK gal |
| 5 | 1.321 US gal · 1.100 UK gal |
| 10 | 2.642 US gal · 2.200 UK gal |
| 15 | 3.963 US gal · 3.300 UK gal |
| 20 | 5.283 US gal · 4.399 UK gal |
| 25 | 6.604 US gal · 5.499 UK gal |
| 40 | 10.567 US gal · 8.799 UK gal |
| 50 | 13.209 US gal · 10.998 UK gal |
| 60 | 15.850 US gal · 13.198 UK gal |
| 100 | 26.417 US gal · 21.997 UK gal |
| 200 | 52.834 US gal · 43.994 UK gal |
Formula and worked examples: liters to gallons (us)
Formula: US gallons = liters ÷ 3.785411784, imperial gallons = liters ÷ 4.54609 • A 60 L car fuel tank → 60 ÷ 3.7854 = 15.85 US gal, or 13.20 UK gal. • A 200 L rain barrel → 52.83 US gal, useful when sizing a US-made pump rated in gallons per minute. • A 5 L jug of milk → 1.32 US gal, roughly the size of the standard US supermarket gallon jug.
When and why people use liters to gallons (us)
The most common reason to convert liters to gallons is fuel. European cars quote consumption as L/100 km, while US drivers think in miles per gallon. Converting a 6 L/100 km fuel figure requires knowing US gallons: 235.215 ÷ 6 = 39.2 US mpg. Home brewers, aquarium owners and gardeners also convert routinely — a 20 L brewing bucket is 5.28 US gal, right at the sweet spot for a five-gallon US homebrew kit. Farmers converting sprayer capacity between EU-labeled and US-labeled equipment run into the same issue. Standards note: the US gallon is defined as exactly 231 cubic inches, giving 3.785411784 L. The imperial gallon was redefined in the UK Weights and Measures Act 1985 as exactly 4.54609 L. Both figures are traceable to NIST and the UK NPL.
Common mistakes to watch for when converting liters to gallons (us)
The single biggest trap is silently mixing US and imperial gallons. A UK '40 mpg' car returns only about 33 US mpg because an imperial gallon is 20 percent bigger. Fuel prices are similarly mismatched — a UK forecourt price per liter looks close to a US price per gallon until you correct for the gallon size. Dry gallons are a third variant sometimes used in US agriculture (4.4049 L), but they are almost never what someone means when they say 'gallon'. Also watch out for 'jerry cans' labeled 20 L, which are 5.28 US gal, not 5 — the extra 0.28 gallons is real fuel you can be charged for.
Liters to Gallons (US) FAQ
- How many gallons is 10 liters?
- 10 liters is 2.6417 US gallons or 2.1997 imperial gallons. Which one you want depends on whether the container, recipe or fuel figure is US or UK.
- Is a US gallon the same as a UK gallon?
- No. A US gallon is 3.7854 L; an imperial (UK) gallon is 4.5461 L. The imperial gallon is about 20 percent larger, which is why UK fuel-economy figures look better than US ones for the same car.
- How many liters is one US gallon?
- Exactly 3.785411784 liters, because the US gallon is legally defined as 231 cubic inches.
- How do I convert L/100 km to US mpg?
- Divide 235.215 by the L/100 km figure. So 8 L/100 km ÷ into 235.215 = 29.4 US mpg. Use 282.481 instead of 235.215 to get imperial mpg.
- How big is a 20 L jerry can in gallons?
- A 20 L jerry can holds 5.283 US gallons — noticeably more than a US 'five-gallon' can, which is only 18.93 L.
- How many liters in half a gallon?
- Half a US gallon is 1.893 L, and half an imperial gallon is 2.273 L. US milk 'half gallons' in supermarkets are the 1.893 L version.
- Which countries still use gallons?
- The US, Liberia and Myanmar use the US gallon for fuel. The UK, most Caribbean islands and a few African countries retain imperial gallons for fuel or beer, though the UK sells fuel in liters at the pump.
- Is a 'dry gallon' the same as a regular gallon?
- No. The US dry gallon is 4.4049 L and is only used in a handful of agricultural contexts (grain, berries). For fluids, always use the US liquid gallon or the imperial gallon.
Last updated:
Sources: US NIST Handbook 44 (US gallon = 231 in³ exactly), UK Weights and Measures Act 1985 (imperial gallon = 4.54609 L exactly), BIPM SI brochure for the liter.