Home › Liters to Gallons

Liters to Gallons Converter (US)

Q: How many gallons are in a liter?

1 liter equals 0.264172 US gallons. Divide liters by 3.78541 to convert.

Q: How many liters are in a US gallon?

1 US gallon equals 3.78541 liters. A UK imperial gallon is larger at 4.54609 liters.

Q: Is 4 liters about 1 gallon?

Close. 4 liters = 1.057 US gallons. A US gallon is 3.785 liters, so 4 liters is slightly more than a gallon.

Convert liters to US gallons instantly with a live calculator, a fuel and container chart, and the manual math.

💧 Liters to Gallons Calculator

Liters

Result (US gallons)

20 L = 5.28 US gal

Advertisement
(AdSense - auto ads active)

Liters and Gallons in the Real World

Fuel is the classic trigger. Canada, Europe, and most of the world sell gasoline by the liter; the US sells it by the gallon. A Canadian driving across the border, or a European comparing car fuel economy figures, converts constantly. The difference matters at the pump: a 60-liter tank is 15.9 US gallons, and a typical fill-up can be off by several dollars if the conversion is wrong.

Water and containers are the other big use. Fish tanks, water jugs, coolers, and cleaning chemical containers are sold in liters internationally and gallons in the US. Garden sprayers, paint, and pool volumes all flip between systems. This page converts to US gallons; note that UK imperial gallons are 20% larger, so always check which gallon the product uses.

US gallons = liters ÷ 3.78541

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using the UK gallon by accident. 1 UK gallon = 4.546 L, but 1 US gallon = 3.785 L. Most products in the Americas use the US gallon. Getting them mixed up is a 20% error.
Multiplying when you should divide. A gallon is bigger than a liter, so the gallon result must be smaller than the liter value.
Using 4 liters per gallon as exact. 4 L = 1.057 US gal. For fuel and shipping, the difference matters.
Confusing volume with weight for water. One US gallon of water weighs about 8.34 lb (3.78 kg), a separate conversion from volume.

Worked Example by Hand

Convert 40 liters to US gallons:

Write the factor: 1 US gal = 3.78541 L.
Divide: 40 ÷ 3.78541 = 10.5669 gal.
Round: 10.57 gal.
So 40 L = 10.57 US gal, about the capacity of a standard car fuel tank.

Advertisement
(AdSense - auto ads active)

Liters to Gallons Reference Chart

Liters	US Gallons	Liters	US Gallons	Liters	US Gallons
1 L	0.26 gal	10 L	2.64 gal	50 L	13.21 gal
2 L	0.53 gal	15 L	3.96 gal	60 L	15.85 gal
3 L	0.79 gal	18.9 L (5 gal)	5.00 gal	75 L	19.81 gal
4 L	1.06 gal	20 L	5.28 gal	100 L	26.42 gal
5 L	1.32 gal	25 L	6.60 gal	150 L	39.63 gal
6 L	1.59 gal	30 L	7.93 gal	200 L	52.83 gal
8 L	2.11 gal	40 L	10.57 gal	300 L	79.25 gal
9 L	2.38 gal	45 L	11.89 gal	500 L	132.09 gal

Memory anchor: 3.785 L is one US gallon, so a 4-liter jug is "a gallon and a little." 18.9 L is exactly 5 US gallons, the standard water-cooler bottle.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many gallons are in a liter?

1 liter = 0.264172 US gallons. For UK imperial gallons, 1 liter = 0.219969 gallons.

How many liters are in a US gallon?

Exactly 3.785411784 liters. The UK imperial gallon is larger, at 4.54609 liters.

Is 4 liters about 1 gallon?

4 L = 1.057 US gallons, so a 4-liter container is just over one US gallon.

How many gallons is a 60-liter fuel tank?

60 ÷ 3.78541 = 15.85 US gallons, typical for a mid-size sedan.

Related Converters

US Gallons to Liters Tablespoons to ML Cups to Grams Grams to Ounces Miles to Kilometers