Litres to Gallons Conversion - US vs UK Gallons Explained
Converting litres to gallons? There are two types of gallon — US and UK — and they're not the same. This guide explains both, gives you the formulas, and includes a handy chart.
The Confusing Truth About Gallons
When you search for how to convert litres to gallons, you run into an immediate problem: there are two different gallons in common use — the US gallon and the UK (Imperial) gallon — and they are not the same size. Using the wrong one can lead to significant errors, especially for fuel calculations, cooking, and industrial measurements.
US Gallon vs UK Gallon
| US Gallon | UK (Imperial) Gallon | |
|---|---|---|
| In litres | 3.78541 L | 4.54609 L |
| In fluid ounces | 128 fl oz | 160 fl oz |
| Used in | USA, some Latin American countries | UK, Canada (historically), some Caribbean nations |
Litres to US Gallons Formula
US gallons = litres ÷ 3.78541
Example: 10 litres ÷ 3.78541 = 2.642 US gallons
Litres to UK Gallons Formula
UK gallons = litres ÷ 4.54609
Example: 10 litres ÷ 4.54609 = 2.200 UK gallons
Quick Reference Chart
| Litres | US Gallons | UK Gallons |
|---|---|---|
| 1 L | 0.264 gal | 0.220 gal |
| 5 L | 1.321 gal | 1.100 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 |
Practical Example: Fuel Economy
This difference matters a lot for fuel calculations. A car that gets 30 miles per US gallon gets approximately 36 miles per UK gallon — because the UK gallon is larger. This is why fuel economy figures from American and British sources look different for the same vehicle.
Cooking Conversions
In cooking, you'll most commonly deal with smaller volume units like cups, pints, and quarts. Note that US and UK pints and quarts also differ:
- 1 US pint = 473 ml; 1 UK pint = 568 ml
- 1 US quart = 946 ml; 1 UK quart = 1,136 ml
Convert Volume Units Instantly
Use our free volume converter to convert between litres, US gallons, UK gallons, millilitres, pints, quarts, cups and more.