Leap Year Checker

What is the Leap Year Checker?

A leap year has 366 days, with an extra day on 29 February, to keep the calendar in line with the Earth's orbit. The leap year checker tells you whether any year is a leap year and explains why, using the Gregorian rules.

It also lists the next leap years. If your birthday is on 29 February, see the Birthday Countdown; for a full calendar of any year, see the Year Calendar.

How to use the Leap Year Checker

1. Type a year.
2. Read whether it is a leap year and why.
3. See the list of upcoming leap years.

Formula

Leap year if divisible by 4, except years divisible by 100, unless also divisible by 400.

Example

2028 is a leap year (divisible by 4). 2100 is not (divisible by 100 but not 400). 2000 was a leap year (divisible by 400).

Why do we need leap years?

The Earth takes about 365.2422 days to go round the Sun. Adding one day every four years gives 365.25, which is slightly too much, so three century years every 400 years skip the leap day. This keeps the seasons in the same months over centuries.

Upcoming leap years

• 2028
• 2032
• 2036
• 2040
• 2044
• 2048

More free date and time tools

Planning around dates usually needs more than one answer. These related tools work the same way, instantly in your browser and free:

• Days until any date: count down to an exam, trip or deadline.
• Date calculator: add or subtract days, weeks, months or business days.
• Date difference calculator: the exact time between two dates.
• Age calculator: your exact age in years, months and days.
• Time zone converter: the same moment in Pakistan, the Gulf, the UK and the USA.
• Online timer: a countdown with an alarm sound.

Frequently asked questions