Leap Year Checker

Is a given year a leap year? Apply the Gregorian rule with a step-by-step explanation.

Inputs

Any positive 4-digit year.

Result

Is 2024 a leap year?
Yes
2024 has 366 days; February has 29.
  • Divisible by 4?Yes
  • Divisible by 100?No
  • Divisible by 400?No
  • Previous leap year2020
  • Next leap year2028

Step-by-step

  1. 2024 ÷ 4 = 506 (integer — divisible by 4).
  2. 2024 is divisible by 4 but NOT by 100, so by the simpler rule it is a leap year.
  3. Final answer: leap year.

How to use this calculator

  • Enter a year.
  • Read whether it is a leap year along with the divisibility steps and the previous/next leap year.

About this calculator

A leap year has 366 days instead of 365 to keep the calendar synchronized with the solar year. The Gregorian rule, which has been in use since 1582, says: every year divisible by 4 is a leap year, except century years (divisible by 100), unless those are also divisible by 400. So 2000 was a leap year but 1900 was not, and 2100 will not be.

Frequently asked

The solar year is about 365.2425 days, not exactly 365.25. Adding a leap day every 4 years (the Julian rule) over-corrects by about 3 days every 400 years. The Gregorian fix removes 3 of every 4 century leap years, bringing the average back down to 365.2425 days.

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