Liters to milliliters converter

How to convert liters to mL

Multiply liters by 1,000: mL = L × 1,000. That moves the decimal point three places right, so 1.5 L = 1,500 mL, 0.5 L = 500 mL and 0.25 L = 250 mL. Use it to measure a liter amount with a jug, cylinder or syringe marked in milliliters.

Reading the decimal places

Each digit after the decimal point stands for a fixed number of milliliters: the first for hundreds, the second for tens and the third for single milliliters. So 1.25 L is 1 L plus 250 mL, or 1,250 mL, and 0.075 L is 75 mL.

Add zeros when the digits run out: 0.1 L is 100 mL, and 2 L is 2,000 mL.

Liters to milliliters chart

A 1.5 L bottle fills six 250 mL glasses, since 1,500 ÷ 250 = 6.

Mixing by ratio

A ratio such as 50:1 needs both parts in the same unit. For 5 L of gasoline at 50:1, convert to 5,000 mL and divide by 50: the mix takes 100 mL of two-stroke oil. At 40:1, the same 5 L takes 125 mL.

Liters, cubic centimeters and box sizes

A liter is a cubic decimeter (NIST Handbook 44, Appendix C): a box 10 cm on each side holds 1,000 cm³, which is 1 L or 1,000 mL.

Multiply a container's inside dimensions in centimeters to get its capacity in mL: 20 × 15 × 10 cm holds 3,000 mL, or 3 L.

At the large end, one cubic meter holds 1,000 L, or 1,000,000 mL.

Common mistakes

• Dividing instead of multiplying. 1.5 L becomes 0.0015 mL. The milliliter figure is always the larger number.
• Misplacing a zero. 1.05 L is 1,050 mL. Reading it as 1,005 mL or 1,500 mL is off by 45 mL or 450 mL.
• Misreading a decimal comma. Where decimals are written with a comma, "1,5 l" on a label means one and a half liters, 1,500 mL.
• Treating a liter as a US quart. A US quart is 946.35 mL, about 5.4% less than a liter; the quarts to liters converter handles it.

Related conversions

For the reverse, use the mL to liters converter. To turn liters into kitchen measures or gallons, use liters to cups or liters to gallons.