Leap years: rules and next dates
A year is a leap year if it is divisible by 4 — unless it is divisible by 100, in which case it must also be divisible by 400. So 2024 and 2000 were leap years, but 1900 and 2100 are not. Leap years add February 29 (366 days).
| Year | Leap year? | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Yes | Divisible by 4 |
| 2025 | No | Not divisible by 4 |
| 2026 | No | Not divisible by 4 |
| 2027 | No | Not divisible by 4 |
| 2028 | Yes | Divisible by 4 |
| 2032 | Yes | Divisible by 4 |
| 2040 | Yes | Divisible by 4 |
| 2048 | Yes | Divisible by 4 |
| 2056 | Yes | Divisible by 4 |
| 2060 | Yes | Divisible by 4 |
| 2088 | Yes | Divisible by 4 |
| 2096 | Yes | Divisible by 4 |
| 2100 | No | Divisible by 100 but not by 400 |
| 2400 | Yes | Divisible by 400 |
Notes
- The Gregorian calendar skips 3 leap days every 400 years (1700, 1800, 1900, 2100…).
- Full list 2024–2096: 2024, 2028, 2032, 2036, 2040, 2044, 2048, 2052, 2056, 2060, 2064, 2068, 2072, 2076, 2080, 2084, 2088, 2092, 2096.
- The tropical year is ~365.2422 days; the Gregorian rule averages 365.2425 — off by one day in ~3,030 years.
Frequently asked questions
- Is 2026 a leap year?
- No — 2026 is not divisible by 4, so it has 365 days. The next leap year after 2024 is 2028.
- Why isn't 2100 a leap year?
- Century years must be divisible by 400. 2100 divides by 100 but not 400, so February 2100 has 28 days.
- What is a leap second — is it the same idea?
- No. Leap seconds adjust UTC for Earth's irregular rotation by adding a second to a minute; leap years add a day because the year is ~365.24 days long.