There are exactly 8 pints in a gallon in the US system, because a US gallon holds 4 quarts and each quart holds 2 pints. One US liquid pint is 473.18 mL, so a full gallon is 3.785 liters. The UK imperial gallon also holds 8 pints, but those imperial pints are larger.
Convert Gallons to Pints
Type any number of gallons into the box. The converter then shows US pints, quarts, cups, fluid ounces, liters and UK pints, all from the exact US definitions.
For example, picture a gallon jug of milk next to a row of pint glasses. As a result, you could fill eight of them, and the jug would be empty. In short, that is the whole answer for most kitchens, bars and garages in the United States.
However, the word “pint” covers three different sizes. First, the US liquid pint is the one on milk cartons and ice cream tubs. Second, the US dry pint is used for berries and other produce sold by volume. Meanwhile, the British imperial pint is the one you order in a London pub. Each one has its own gallon, so the count stays 8, while the actual amount changes.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) lists all of these units in its Guide to the SI conversion factors. According to NIST, a US gallon is 3.785412 liters, a US liquid pint is 0.4731765 liters, and a UK gallon is 4.54609 liters. Next, you will see where the 8 comes from, a chart for common sizes, and how the three kinds of pint compare.
Why There Are 8 Pints in a Gallon
The US customary system builds liquid volume by halving. In other words, each step down is half the size of the step above it. So it helps to see the ladder in one place.
1 gallon = 4 quarts
1 quart = 2 pints
4 quarts x 2 pints = 8 pints
1 pint = 2 cups = 16 fl oz
Because of that ladder, every other figure follows. A gallon has 16 cups and 128 fluid ounces. Likewise, half a gallon has 4 pints, and a quart has 2. If you want the quart step in more detail, our guide to how many quarts are in a gallon covers it.
The US gallon itself is defined as 231 cubic inches. Since an inch is exactly 25.4 mm, that works out to exactly 3.785411784 liters. Dividing by 8 then gives a liquid pint of 473.176473 mL. For everyday use, most people round that to 473 mL, or about 0.47 liters.
Pints in a Gallon Chart (1/4 to 10 Gallons)
Next, here are the sizes people ask about most, from a quart jar up to a 10-gallon tank. Liters are rounded to three decimals.
| US gallons | US pints | US quarts | Liters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4 gal | 2 pints | 1 quart | 0.946 L |
| 1/2 gal | 4 pints | 2 quarts | 1.893 L |
| 3/4 gal | 6 pints | 3 quarts | 2.839 L |
| 1 gal | 8 pints | 4 quarts | 3.785 L |
| 1 1/2 gal | 12 pints | 6 quarts | 5.678 L |
| 2 gal | 16 pints | 8 quarts | 7.571 L |
| 2 1/2 gal | 20 pints | 10 quarts | 9.464 L |
| 3 gal | 24 pints | 12 quarts | 11.356 L |
| 4 gal | 32 pints | 16 quarts | 15.142 L |
| 5 gal | 40 pints | 20 quarts | 18.927 L |
| 10 gal | 80 pints | 40 quarts | 37.854 L |
Also, print this chart if you brew, can or batch-cook often. To go the other way, divide pints by 8. For instance, 20 pints divided by 8 is 2 1/2 gallons.
US Liquid, US Dry and Imperial: Which Pint?
The count of 8 holds inside each system. Instead, the trouble starts only when you mix pints from one system with a gallon from another. So this table keeps them apart.
| Unit | Size | Where you see it | Per gallon |
|---|---|---|---|
| US liquid pint | 473.18 mL (16 US fl oz) | Milk, cream, ice cream, paint | 8 per US gallon (3.785 L) |
| US dry pint | 550.61 mL (33.6 cubic inches) | Berries, cherry tomatoes at farm stands | 8 per US dry gallon (4.405 L) |
| UK imperial pint | 568.26 mL (20 UK fl oz) | Beer and milk in the UK and Ireland | 8 per imperial gallon (4.546 L) |
| Metric “pint” (informal) | 500 mL in some countries | Some bottle and glass sizes | Not an official unit |
Now compare across systems. A US gallon holds about 6.66 imperial pints. Meanwhile, an imperial gallon holds about 9.61 US pints. For this reason, a British recipe calling for a pint of stock needs more liquid than an American one. For the metric side of a single pint, see our page on how many mL are in a pint.
The US dry gallon is rarely used as a whole. Instead, you meet its pint and quart sizes on berry baskets. Those baskets are measured heaped by volume, not by weight, so their contents vary.
Recommended Tools for Measuring Pints and Gallons
First, a large liquid measure with pint and quart lines makes a gallon easy to build in a few pours. Next, a smaller 2-cup measure handles single pints. Finally, a kitchen scale helps when a recipe gives weights instead of volumes.
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How to Measure a Gallon Using a Pint Cup
- Pick a pint measure. First, use a liquid measuring cup with a clear 2-cup or 16 fl oz line.
- Set it on a flat counter. Then place the cup on a level surface before you pour.
- Read at eye level. Next, bend down so the bottom of the curved surface sits on the 2-cup line.
- Pour into the larger container. After that, empty the pint into your jug or pot.
- Keep a tally. Also, mark each pint on paper, because it is easy to lose count after five or six.
- Stop at eight. Finally, after the eighth pint you have one US gallon, or 3.785 liters.
Alternatively, enter the gallons you need in the converter above. As a result, it shows the matching number of pints, quarts and cups at once.
Do and Don’t When Counting Pints in a Gallon
Do
- Check whether a recipe is American or British.
- Use a clear liquid measure for milk, water and stock.
- Also fill dry pint baskets loosely, as sold.
- Write down each pint as you pour it.
- Round to 473 mL per pint for everyday cooking.
Don’t
- Treat a pub pint glass as a measuring tool.
- Assume a berry pint weighs the same as a milk pint.
- Mix US and UK pints in a single recipe.
- Read the line from above, since that makes you overpour.
- Forget that a half gallon is only 4 pints.
Honest Limits of Gallon and Pint Conversions
The answer of 8 is exact, because it comes straight from the unit definitions. Still, a few real-world details blur it. Plastic milk jugs flex, so a jug filled to the brim can hold slightly more than a gallon. Measuring cups are often printed with small errors, so eight pours may come out a little over or under. Meanwhile, foam on milk or beer takes up space without adding much liquid.
Weight is another limit, too. A pint of water weighs about 1.04 lb, and a gallon about 8.3 lb at room temperature. However, oil is lighter and honey is far heavier, so pints never convert to pounds without knowing the liquid. In short, use volume for liquids and a scale for anything thick or dry.
When Accuracy Really Matters
For soup or lemonade, a splash over a gallon makes no difference. By contrast, home brewing, canning and soap making depend on ratios, so a missed pint changes the result. Likewise, mixing lawn or pool chemicals by the gallon should follow the label exactly. In those cases, measure in a marked container and double-check the math in the converter. If you also need cups, our guide to how many cups are in 32 oz shows the quart in cups.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many pints in a gallon of milk?
A US gallon of milk holds 8 pints. In addition, each pint is 16 fluid ounces, so the jug contains 128 fluid ounces in total.
How many pints in a gallon in the UK?
An imperial gallon also holds 8 pints. However, each imperial pint is 568.26 mL, so the UK gallon is about 4.546 liters.
Is a gallon 8 or 16 pints?
A gallon is 8 pints. The figure of 16 is the number of cups in a gallon, or the number of pints in 2 gallons.
How many pints are in a half gallon?
A half gallon holds 4 US pints, which equals 2 quarts, 8 cups or about 1.893 liters.
How many pints in a gallon of water?
Water follows the same rule, so a gallon is 8 pints. By weight, a gallon of water is about 8.3 lb at room temperature.
How many pints are in 5 gallons?
Five US gallons hold 40 pints. For example, that is the size of a standard homebrew batch or a large water jug.
How many US pints are in an imperial gallon?
An imperial gallon holds about 9.61 US pints, because the imperial gallon is about 20 percent larger than the US gallon.
How many dry pints in a gallon?
A US dry gallon holds 8 dry pints. Each dry pint is 550.61 mL, which is larger than a US liquid pint.
How many cups are in a pint?
A US pint holds 2 cups, or 16 fluid ounces. So a gallon has 16 cups in total.
How many pints are in a liter?
One liter is about 2.11 US liquid pints. Conversely, one US pint is about 0.47 liters.
Pints in a Gallon: The Bottom Line
In short, a US gallon holds exactly 8 US liquid pints, or 4 quarts and 3.785 liters. That count of 8 also holds for the UK imperial gallon and for the US dry gallon, even though those pints are bigger.
So check whether a recipe is American or British, use the converter above for any amount, and measure in a marked cup when the result matters.
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