Roman Numeral Converter

How this Roman numeral converter works

Type a number and the converter writes it in Roman numerals. Type a Roman numeral and it gives you the number. It works out the direction from what you enter, so there is nothing to switch, and it lists the steps so you can see how each letter adds up.

Roman numerals use seven letters: I = 1, V = 5, X = 10, L = 50, C = 100, D = 500, and M = 1,000. There is no letter for zero, so the smallest number you can write is 1.

Roman numerals chart

This chart covers 1 through 20 and then the tens, hundreds, and thousands. Any number up to 3,999 is built by joining pieces from it.

• 1I
• 2II
• 3III
• 4IV
• 5V
• 6VI
• 7VII
• 8VIII
• 9IX
• 10X
• 11XI
• 12XII
• 13XIII
• 14XIV
• 15XV
• 16XVI
• 17XVII
• 18XVIII
• 19XIX
• 20XX
• 30XXX
• 40XL
• 50L
• 60LX
• 70LXX
• 80LXXX
• 90XC
• 100C
• 200CC
• 300CCC
• 400CD
• 500D
• 600DC
• 700DCC
• 800DCCC
• 900CM
• 1,000M
• 2,000MM
• 3,000MMM

How to read and write Roman numerals

• Letters run from the largest value to the smallest, and their values add: VIII = 5 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 8, and MDCL = 1,000 + 500 + 100 + 50 = 1,650.
• A smaller letter in front of a larger one is subtracted. Only six pairs work this way: IV = 4, IX = 9, XL = 40, XC = 90, CD = 400, and CM = 900.
• I, X, C, and M normally repeat up to three times in a row. V, L, and D are never repeated or subtracted.

To write a number, split it by place value and convert each piece. For 1,994: 1,000 = M, 900 = CM, 90 = XC, and 4 = IV, so 1,994 = MCMXCIV. To read a numeral, do the reverse: group the subtractive pairs, then add everything up.

The converter writes numerals in this standard form. When reading, it also accepts the older additive spellings with four repeats, such as IIII for 4 on clock faces or XXXX for 40. It rejects anything that breaks the largest-to-smallest order, such as IM or VX.

Roman numerals for large numbers

M is the largest letter, so standard numerals stop at 3,999 (MMMCMXCIX). Beyond that, a line over a letter, called a vinculum, multiplies it by 1,000. That extends the system to 3,999,999.

• 4,000IV
• 5,000V
• 10,000X
• 50,000L
• 100,000C
• 500,000D
• 1,000,000M
• 3,999,999MMMCMXCIXCMXCIX

To type an overlined letter, put an underscore in front of it: _V is 5,000 and _X_XV is 20,005.

Roman numeral date converter

Dates in Roman numerals are a common choice for tattoos, wedding bands, and engravings. Use the date tab and enter the date the way you want it laid out. The month, day, and year convert separately and keep your order and separators, so 7/4/1776 becomes VII/IV/MDCCLXXVI and 12.25.2026 becomes XII.XXV.MMXXVI. The same tab converts any list of numbers or numerals at once.

Frequently asked questions

What is 2026 in Roman numerals?

2026 is MMXXVI: 1,000 + 1,000 + 10 + 10 + 5 + 1. Likewise, 2027 is MMXXVII.

Why is 4 written IV and not IIII?

Subtractive notation is shorter, and it became the standard way to write 4. IIII is still used on many clock and watch faces, so the converter reads it as 4 but always writes 4 as IV.

Is there a Roman numeral for zero?

No. The system has no symbol for zero and no negative numbers or decimals, so the converter only takes whole numbers from 1 up.

What is the largest number in Roman numerals?

Without an overline the largest is 3,999 (MMMCMXCIX). With overlined letters this converter goes up to 3,999,999.

Does it matter if I type lowercase?

No. Lowercase numerals such as xiv convert the same as XIV.