Litres to gallons
Convert litres to US gallons. Divide by 3.785411784, with a table for fuel tanks and the imperial gallon compared side by side.
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The formula
US gallons = litres ÷ 3.785411784A US gallon is defined as exactly 231 cubic inches, which works out to exactly 3.785411784 litres. Dividing by it does not terminate, so the multiplier — 0.2641720524 — is a rounding.
To go the other way, multiply by 3.785411784. See gallons to litres.
Which gallon
This page converts to the US gallon. The imperial gallon used in the UK and Canada is 20% larger, so both are shown side by side throughout:
| Litres | US gallons | Imperial gallons |
|---|---|---|
| 1 L | 0.264 gal | 0.220 gal |
| 3.785 L | 1 gal | 0.833 gal |
| 4.546 L | 1.201 gal | 1 gal |
| 10 L | 2.642 gal | 2.200 gal |
| 20 L | 5.283 gal | 4.399 gal |
| 50 L | 13.209 gal | 10.998 gal |
| 100 L | 26.417 gal | 21.997 gal |
If a figure comes from a British source and you convert it as a US gallon, the answer is 20% out.
Fuel tanks
| Vehicle | Litres | US gallons |
|---|---|---|
| Small hatchback | 40 L | 10.6 gal |
| Family saloon | 55 L | 14.5 gal |
| SUV | 70 L | 18.5 gal |
| Pickup truck | 98 L | 25.9 gal |
| Motorcycle | 15 L | 4.0 gal |
Containers
| Litres | US gallons | |
|---|---|---|
| Water bottle | 0.5 L | 0.13 gal |
| Milk jug (US) | 3.785 L | 1 gal |
| Jerry can | 20 L | 5.28 gal |
| Oil drum | 208.2 L | 55 gal |
| Barrel of oil | 158.99 L | 42 gal |
The barrel used for crude oil is 42 US gallons, not 55 — a distinct unit from the 55-gallon steel drum that people picture when they hear the word.
Estimating in your head
Divide by 4 and add a bit. 50 L ÷ 4 is 12.5 against a true 13.2 US gallons, so that runs 5% low. For imperial gallons, dividing by 4.5 is almost exact.