Leap Year Checker
Enter any year and instantly find out whether it is a leap year. The tool also shows the next five and previous five leap years for context, and explains the leap year rule so you understand why.
The Gregorian calendar rule is: a year is a leap year if it is divisible by 4, except for century years (divisible by 100), which must also be divisible by 400 to be leap years. So 2000 was a leap year, but 1900 was not, and 2100 will not be.
Useful for date calculations, birthday planning for Feb 29 babies, and settling debates about whether a particular year has 365 or 366 days.
By The Paper Room Editorial Team — Date Tools
Frequently asked questions
What is the leap year rule?▼
A year is a leap year if: (1) it is divisible by 4, AND (2) it is not divisible by 100 — unless it is also divisible by 400. So 2024 is a leap year (divisible by 4, not by 100). 1900 was not (divisible by 100 but not 400). 2000 was (divisible by 400).
Why do we have leap years?▼
Earth's orbit around the Sun takes approximately 365.2422 days, not exactly 365. Without leap years, the calendar would drift about one day every four years, and after a few centuries the seasons would no longer align with their expected months.
When is the next leap year?▼
The tool shows the next five leap years from whatever year you enter. As a quick reference, leap years near the present include 2024, 2028, 2032, 2036, and 2040.