Quart to Litre Converter
Converting imperial quarts to litres is straightforward with our converter below. Whether you’re following an old recipe, measuring fluids for your car, or working in the garden, this page gives you instant conversions and all the context you need.
Quick Conversions
Quart to Litre Conversion Table
Here’s a quick reference showing common quart values and their litre equivalents. This is particularly handy when you’re in the kitchen or garage and need a fast answer.
| Quarts (UK) | Litres | Millilitres |
|---|---|---|
| 0.25 qt | 0.28 L | 284 mL |
| 0.5 qt | 0.57 L | 568 mL |
| 1 qt | 1.14 L | 1,137 mL |
| 2 qt | 2.27 L | 2,273 mL |
| 3 qt | 3.41 L | 3,410 mL |
| 4 qt | 4.55 L | 4,546 mL |
| 5 qt | 5.68 L | 5,683 mL |
| 10 qt | 11.37 L | 11,365 mL |
| 20 qt | 22.73 L | 22,730 mL |
| 50 qt | 56.83 L | 56,826 mL |
| 100 qt | 113.65 L | 113,652 mL |
How to Convert Quarts to Litres
The imperial quart, used throughout the UK and Commonwealth countries, is defined as one quarter of an imperial gallon. Converting to litres requires multiplying by a specific conversion factor.
Conversion Formula:
Litres = Quarts × 1.1365225
Reverse Formula:
Quarts = Litres × 0.87987699
Step-by-Step Conversion
Example 1: Converting 3 quarts to litres
3 qt × 1.1365225 = 3.4095675 L
Rounded: 3.41 litres
Example 2: Converting 7.5 litres to quarts
7.5 L × 0.87987699 = 6.599077425 qt
Rounded: 6.60 quarts
The exact conversion factor (1.1365225) comes from the definition of the imperial gallon, which equals exactly 4.54609 litres. Since a quart is a quarter of a gallon, we divide by four to get our conversion factor.
UK vs US Quarts
If you’ve come across American recipes or manuals, you might notice different values. That’s because the US quart differs from the UK imperial quart.
UK Imperial Quart
Volume: 1.1365225 litres
Millilitres: 1,136.5 mL
Fluid Ounces: 40 fl oz (UK)
Used in: United Kingdom, Canada, Australia (historically)
US Liquid Quart
Volume: 0.946353 litres
Millilitres: 946.4 mL
Fluid Ounces: 32 fl oz (US)
Used in: United States
Important: The UK quart is about 20% larger than the US quart. When following American recipes in the UK, this difference can affect your results, especially in baking where precision matters.
Everyday Uses in Britain
Whilst most measurements in the UK have shifted to metric, quarts still appear in certain contexts. Here’s where you might encounter them.
Traditional Recipes
Older British cookbooks, particularly those from the mid-20th century or earlier, frequently use quarts for stocks, soups, and preserves. Grandma’s jam recipe calling for 2 quarts of fruit? That’s 2.27 litres.
Automotive Fluids
Some classic car manuals and older service guides specify engine oil or coolant in quarts. Modern vehicles use litres, but if you’re restoring a vintage motor, you’ll need these conversions.
Gardening and Agriculture
Smaller quantities of fertiliser, compost, or pesticide might still be measured in quarts, especially in traditional gardening contexts or when dealing with imported products.
Brewing and Beverages
Whilst pints remain the standard pub measure, historical brewing references and some home brewing guides use quarts. Two pints make a quart, which equals just over a litre.
Volume Units Conversions
Understanding how quarts relate to other volume measurements helps when you’re working across different systems.
| From | To | Multiply By |
|---|---|---|
| Quarts (UK) | Litres | 1.1365225 |
| Quarts (UK) | Millilitres | 1136.5225 |
| Quarts (UK) | Pints (UK) | 2 |
| Quarts (UK) | Gallons (UK) | 0.25 |
| Quarts (UK) | Fluid Ounces (UK) | 40 |
| Litres | Quarts (UK) | 0.87987699 |
| Gallons (UK) | Litres | 4.54609 |
| Pints (UK) | Litres | 0.56826125 |
Visual Comparison
To help you picture these volumes, here are some common containers and their approximate capacities.
1 UK Quart (1.14 L)
Slightly larger than a standard litre bottle of fizzy drink. About two pint glasses filled to the brim.
4 UK Quarts (4.55 L)
One imperial gallon. Think of a large milk container or a medium-sized watering can.
10 UK Quarts (11.37 L)
A standard household cleaning bucket. Common size for mixing and general use around the house.
FAQs
One UK imperial quart equals exactly 1.1365225 litres. For most purposes, you can round this to 1.14 litres. This is the standard quart used throughout Britain and differs from the smaller American quart.
Yes, a UK imperial quart is slightly larger than a litre. Specifically, it’s about 13.7% bigger. One quart equals 1.14 litres, whilst one litre equals roughly 0.88 quarts.
The difference stems from the divergence of imperial and US customary systems in the early 19th century. Britain standardised the imperial gallon based on 10 pounds of water at specific conditions, whilst America retained older wine and beer gallons. Since quarts are derived from gallons, they differ accordingly.
Not commonly. The UK officially adopted the metric system in 1995, so litres are standard for most measurements. However, you’ll still find quarts in older recipes, classic car manuals, antique containers, and occasionally in traditional contexts like home brewing or gardening.
If an American recipe lists quarts, remember their quart is smaller. One US quart equals 0.946 litres or about 0.83 UK quarts. For best results, convert to litres first: multiply US quarts by 0.946 to get litres, then proceed with your recipe using metric measurements.
Two pints make one quart in both UK and US systems. However, the actual volume differs: two UK pints (1.136 litres) equal one UK quart, whilst two US pints (0.946 litres) equal one US quart. The 2:1 ratio stays constant across both systems.
For rough estimates, yes—they’re close enough that swapping them won’t cause major problems in most situations. However, for precision work like baking, chemistry, or engine servicing, use exact conversions. A 13.7% difference can significantly affect results in recipes or mechanical specifications.
A 5-litre container holds approximately 4.40 UK quarts. To get this, divide 5 by 1.1365225. This is handy when you’re portioning out bulk liquids or comparing container sizes.