How to check for a leap year
- Type a Year, or leave it empty to check this year.
- Read whether it’s a leap year and which part of the rule decides it.
- See the previous and next leap years and the list of upcoming ones, with the weekday of each 29 February.
The leap year rule
| Rule | Example | Leap year? |
|---|---|---|
| Not divisible by 4 | 2026 | No |
| Divisible by 4, not by 100 | 2028 | Yes |
| Divisible by 100, not by 400 | 2100 | No |
| Divisible by 400 | 2000 | Yes |
This is the rule of the Gregorian calendar, introduced in 1582. Over 400 years it gives 97 leap years, so the average year is 365.2425 days, very close to the solar year.
Leap years from 2000 to 2096
2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, 2024, 2028, 2032, 2036, 2040, 2044, 2048, 2052, 2056, 2060, 2064, 2068, 2072, 2076, 2080, 2084, 2088, 2092 and 2096. After 2096 the next is 2104, because 2100 is skipped.
Before 1582, and in some countries for centuries after, the Julian calendar was used, which made every fourth year a leap year with no exceptions. Britain and its colonies switched in 1752; for older dates in historical records, check which calendar they use.