Roman Numeral Converter
Convert numbers to Roman numerals and Roman numerals to numbers, with a validity check, the place value breakdown and every step shown.
Large numbers and dates (optional)
VII.IV.MDCCLXXVI7 = VII, 4 = IV, 1776 = MDCCLXXVI
MMXXVI = 1000 + 1000 + 10 + 10 + 5 + 1
Standard subtractive form, the style used for years, chapters and titles.
Place value breakdown
Each nonzero digit is written as its own Roman group and zero places are skipped. From 4,000 up, the thousands and higher places carry a bar.
- Thousands2MM
- Hundreds0โ
- Tens2XX
- Ones6VI
Your calculation
The same steps the converter runs, with your value.
- Use the value table from the largest entry down: 1000 M, 900 CM, 500 D, 400 CD, 100 C, 90 XC, 50 L, 40 XL, 10 X, 9 IX, 5 V, 4 IV, 1 I.
- 2026 โ 2 ร 1000 = 26: write MM.
- 26 โ 2 ร 10 = 6: write XX.
- 6 โ 5 = 1: write V.
- 1 โ 1 = 0: write I.
- Join the groups: MM + XX + V + I = MMXXVI.
Standard form check
The converted numeral checked against each standard rule.
| Rule | Breaks it | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Uses only I, V, X, L, C, D and M | ABC, 0 | Pass |
| V, L and D appear once at most | VV, LL | Pass |
| No symbol four times in a row | IIII, MMMM | Pass |
| Subtracts only in IV, IX, XL, XC, CD, CM | IC, VX, XM | Pass |
| Never subtracts a repeated symbol | IIX, XXC | Pass |
| Matches the standard form of its value | XCX | Pass |
Numbers before and after 2026
- 2020MMXX
- 2021MMXXI
- 2022MMXXII
- 2023MMXXIII
- 2024MMXXIV
- 2025MMXXV
- 2027MMXXVII
- 2028MMXXVIII
- 2029MMXXIX
- 2030MMXXX
- 2031MMXXXI
- 2032MMXXXII
Results follow the modern standard subtractive form. Historical inscriptions, clock faces and older books may use other forms, such as IIII for 4.
How the Roman Numeral Converter Works
This Roman numeral converter works in both directions from a single box. Type a whole number such as 2026 and it returns the Roman numeral MMXXVI. Type a Roman numeral such as MCMLXXXIV, in capitals or lowercase, and it returns the number 1984. The direction is detected from what you type, and the Direction buttons let you force one way.
Every result comes with a place value breakdown, the working step by step, a check against the rules of standard Roman numerals and the numbers just before and after your value. When the input breaks a rule, such as IIII or IC, the converter still shows the value a reader would give it, labels the result non standard and gives the correct form.
Standard Roman numerals cover 1 to 3,999. The optional settings extend the range to 3,999,999 with the vinculum, a bar that multiplies a numeral by 1,000, and convert full dates for engravings, invitations and tattoos.
Roman Numeral Symbols
Seven letters make every Roman numeral. A symbol placed after one of equal or greater value adds to it, so LXI = 50 + 10 + 1 = 61.
| Symbol | Value | Repeats |
|---|---|---|
| I | 1 | Up to 3 times |
| V | 5 | Never |
| X | 10 | Up to 3 times |
| L | 50 | Never |
| C | 100 | Up to 3 times |
| D | 500 | Never |
| M | 1,000 | Up to 3 times |
The Six Subtractive Pairs
A smaller symbol written before a larger one is subtracted. Only I, X and C are ever subtracted, and each only from the next two larger symbols.
| Pair | Value | Working |
|---|---|---|
| IV | 4 | 5 โ 1 |
| IX | 9 | 10 โ 1 |
| XL | 40 | 50 โ 10 |
| XC | 90 | 100 โ 10 |
| CD | 400 | 500 โ 100 |
| CM | 900 | 1000 โ 100 |
Roman Numerals Chart 1 to 100
The chart lists every Roman numeral from 1 to 100. The ones follow the pattern I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, and the tens repeat it with X, L and C: X, XX, XXX, XL, L, LX, LXX, LXXX, XC. Any number up to 99 is a tens group followed by a ones group, so 67 is LX + VII = LXVII.
- Split the number by place. 1999 = 1000 + 900 + 90 + 9.
- Convert each part with the table. 1000 = M, 900 = CM, 90 = XC and 9 = IX.
- Write the groups from largest to smallest. M + CM + XC + IX = MCMXCIX.
How to Write Numbers in Roman Numerals
To convert a number to Roman numerals by hand, split it into place values and write each nonzero digit with the symbols for that place. Zero places are skipped, because Roman numerals have no zero.
The converter does the same work with a greedy method. It takes the largest value from the 13 entry table that still fits, writes its symbols, subtracts, and repeats until nothing is left. The table is 1000 M, 900 CM, 500 D, 400 CD, 100 C, 90 XC, 50 L, 40 XL, 10 X, 9 IX, 5 V, 4 IV and 1 I.
The most common error is subtracting across places. 49 is not IL and 99 is not IC, because I may only stand before V or X. Writing each place on its own avoids the problem: 99 = XC + IX = XCIX.
How to Read Roman Numerals and Convert Them to Numbers
To convert Roman numerals to numbers, read from left to right. Add the value of each symbol, except when a symbol stands before a larger one; then subtract it. Britannica writes LIX as 50 + (โ1 + 10) = 59 to show both rules in one numeral.
After adding up, the converter writes the total back in standard form and compares it with what you typed. If the two match, the input is valid. If they differ, the result is labeled non standard and the correct form is shown, so XCX, which adds up to 100, is reported with its standard form C.
The converter reads a run of identical symbols before a larger one as a single subtraction, the way the form was read historically. IIX therefore reads as 10 โ 1 โ 1 = 8 and is shown with its standard form VIII.
Rules for Standard Roman Numerals
- Seven symbols only: I, V, X, L, C, D and M.
- Three in a row at most: I, X, C and M may repeat up to three times. Four is written with subtraction, so 4 is IV, 40 is XL and 400 is CD.
- V, L and D never repeat and are never subtracted, because VV, LL and DD already have their own symbols: X, C and M.
- Six subtractive pairs: IV, IX, XL, XC, CD and CM. I comes only before V and X, X only before L and C, and C only before D and M.
- One subtracted symbol: 8 is VIII, not IIX, and 18 is XVIII, not XIIX.
- Largest place first: symbols run from thousands down to ones, with each place written once.
| Form seen | Read as | Standard form | Rule broken |
|---|---|---|---|
| IIII | 4 | IV | Four in a row |
| VIIII | 9 | IX | Four in a row |
| IIX | 8 | VIII | Repeated subtraction |
| XIIX | 18 | XVIII | Repeated subtraction |
| IC | 99 | XCIX | Pair not allowed |
| IL | 49 | XLIX | Pair not allowed |
| XM | 990 | CMXC | Pair not allowed |
| VX | 5 | V | V is never subtracted |
| VV | 10 | X | V is never repeated |
| MMMM | 4,000 | IV | Four in a row |
The Largest Roman Numeral and Numbers Above 3,999
The largest number in standard Roman numerals is 3,999, written MMMCMXCIX. 4,000 would need MMMM, which breaks the three in a row rule, so standard form stops at 3,999, although Britannica notes that 4,000 is sometimes written MMMM. The longest numeral below 4,000 is MMMDCCCLXXXVIII for 3,888, with 15 symbols.
For larger values, a bar over a numeral, called a vinculum, multiplies it by 1,000. With the large number option turned on, the converter splits a number into thousands and the rest: 12,345 becomes XII for 12 ร 1,000 followed by CCCXLV for 345, giving XIICCCXLV.
| Number | Vinculum form |
|---|---|
| 4,000 | IV |
| 5,000 | V |
| 10,000 | X |
| 100,000 | C |
| 1,000,000 | M |
| 3,999,999 | MMMCMXCIXCMXCIX |
Ancient Romans also marked large values with frames or parentheses, such as (I) for 1,000, and M only became the usual symbol for 1,000 in the Middle Ages, according to MathWorld. Plain text cannot draw a bar, so Copy result adds the combining overline character U+0305 after each barred letter. Unicode also has Roman numeral characters starting at U+2160 in its Number Forms block, but the Unicode Character Database lists them as compatibility characters that decompose to ordinary letters, so this converter outputs plain I, V, X, L, C, D and M.
Why Roman Numerals Have No Zero or Negative Numbers
Roman numerals record amounts by adding and subtracting symbol values rather than by digit position, so they need no placeholder. A paper on Roman arithmetic by John N. Martin of the University of Cincinnati describes the system as lacking a symbol for 0 and notes that Romans and medieval writers named common fractions, such as a half or a quarter, with words rather than numerals.
For that reason the converter rejects 0, negative values and decimals such as 1.5 with a short explanation instead of an invented result. In the place value breakdown a zero digit appears as a dash and adds nothing: 2026 has no hundreds, so nothing sits between MM and XX.
Years and Dates in Roman Numerals
Years are the most common reason to use a Roman numeral converter. 2026 in Roman numerals is MMXXVI, 2025 is MMXXV and 2027 is MMXXVII. Film credits often show the release year in Roman numerals, one of the few modern uses MathWorld lists alongside clock faces.
| Year or value | Roman numeral | Year or value | Roman numeral |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 | D | 1999 | MCMXCIX |
| 1000 | M | 2000 | MM |
| 1066 | MLXVI | 2001 | MMI |
| 1492 | MCDXCII | 2024 | MMXXIV |
| 1776 | MDCCLXXVI | 2026 | MMXXVI |
| 1900 | MCM | 2030 | MMXXX |
| 1984 | MCMLXXXIV | 2100 | MMC |
For a full date, convert the month, day and year separately and keep a separator between them. July 4, 1776 in the US order MM.DD.YYYY is VII.IV.MDCCLXXVI, and the same date in DD.MM.YYYY order is IV.VII.MDCCLXXVI. The date helper in the options panel does this and lets you choose the order and the separator.
Where Roman Numerals Are Used Today
- Super Bowl names. The NFL first used Roman numerals for Super Bowl V in January 1971. Super Bowl 50 in 2016 used Arabic numerals as a one year exception, and the league returned to Roman numerals with Super Bowl LI. Britannica reports that the 2026 to 2027 season ends with Super Bowl LXI (50 + 10 + 1 = 61) on February 14, 2027.
- The Olympic Games. The 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles are the Games of the XXXIV Olympiad (34), and the 2030 Winter Olympics are the XXVI Olympic Winter Games (26).
- Monarchs and popes. Regnal numbers such as Charles III and Leo XIV (14) are Roman numerals.
- Books. Chapters are often numbered in Roman numerals, and prefaces use lowercase forms such as iv and xii so their page numbers do not clash with the main text. The Lowercase tile in the results gives this form.
- Clocks and film credits. Watch and clock dials, and the release year at the end of many films.
How to Use the Converter
- Type a value. Digits convert to Roman numerals; letters convert to a number.
- Force a direction with the Direction buttons when you want one mode only.
- Open the options to allow numbers above 3,999 or to convert a date.
- Try an example chip such as 1999 or IIII.
- Copy or print. Copy result copies the numeral or number; Print gives a clean page.
Common Mistakes
- Subtracting across places: IL for 49 or IC for 99. Write XLIX and XCIX.
- Four in a row: XXXX for 40 is XL.
- Mixing up D and M: M is 1,000 and D is 500.
- Typing O for zero: there is no Roman zero.
- Pasting symbols like โ ซ: use plain letters, XII.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 2026 in Roman numerals?
2026 in Roman numerals is MMXXVI. Split the year into place values: 2000 + 20 + 6. Two thousand is MM, twenty is XX and six is VI, so the groups join as MM + XX + VI = MMXXVI. Reading it back, 1000 + 1000 + 10 + 10 + 5 + 1 = 2026. The year has no hundreds, so nothing is written for that place, because Roman numerals have no zero. The years around it follow the same pattern: 2025 is MMXXV and 2027 is MMXXVII.
Is 4 in Roman numerals IV or IIII?
The standard form of 4 is IV, which means 5 minus 1. Standard Roman numerals never repeat a symbol four times in a row, so IIII breaks the rule. You still see IIII on many clock and watch faces. Explanations from watchmaking sources include visual balance with VIII on the opposite side of the dial and easier reading when the numerals point toward the center. The ancient Romans used both forms, and Britannica notes that additive forms such as IIII were preferred in inscriptions. This converter reads IIII as 4 and marks it as non standard.
What is the largest Roman numeral?
The largest number written in standard Roman numerals is 3,999, or MMMCMXCIX. The next value, 4,000, would need four M symbols in a row, which the standard rules do not allow, although Britannica notes that MMMM sometimes appears. Larger numbers use the vinculum, a bar over a numeral that multiplies it by 1,000, so V with a bar is 5,000 and M with a bar is 1,000,000. With the vinculum this converter writes values up to 3,999,999. The longest standard numeral below 4,000 is MMMDCCCLXXXVIII for 3,888, with 15 symbols.
How do you convert Roman numerals to numbers?
Read the numeral from left to right and add the value of each symbol: I = 1, V = 5, X = 10, L = 50, C = 100, D = 500 and M = 1,000. When a smaller symbol stands directly before a larger one, subtract it instead of adding. For MCMLXXXIV that gives 1000 โ 100 + 1000 + 50 + 10 + 10 + 10 โ 1 + 5 = 1984. To confirm that the numeral is valid, write the total back in Roman numerals. If you get the same letters, the numeral is in standard form.
Why is there no zero in Roman numerals?
Roman numerals record amounts by adding and subtracting symbol values, so they never needed a placeholder digit the way place value systems do. In 2026 the empty hundreds place is simply left out, and MM is followed directly by XX. A University of Cincinnati paper on Roman arithmetic describes the system as having no symbol for 0, and notes that common fractions were named with words. For the same reason there are no negative Roman numerals. This converter explains these cases instead of returning a result for 0, negative numbers or decimals.
How do I write a date in Roman numerals for a tattoo?
Convert the month, day and year separately and join them with a dot or another separator. July 4, 1776 written as MM.DD.YYYY becomes VII.IV.MDCCLXXVI, while the DD.MM.YYYY order gives IV.VII.MDCCLXXVI. Choose the order your reader will expect, because the day and month can be swapped in Roman numerals just as in digits. Check each part against the rules: 4 is IV, 9 is IX and no symbol appears four times in a row. The date helper in the options of this converter does the conversion and shows each part.
Sources & References
- Gregersen, E. and Britannica Editors. Roman numerals, Encyclopaedia Britannica, updated September 15, 2026 (symbol values, addition and subtraction rules, vinculum, MMMM for 4,000, IIII on clocks, Super Bowl and Olympic numbering, book prefaces). britannica.com
- Weisstein, E. W. Roman Numerals, Wolfram MathWorld (subtractive notation, IIII on clock faces, frames and the vinculum for large numbers, M in the Middle Ages, release years of films). mathworld.wolfram.com
- Government of Canada, Language Portal of Canada. Numbers: Roman numerals, Writing Tips Plus (only I, X and C are subtracted; V, L and D are never repeated or subtracted; the vinculum multiplies by 1,000). canada.ca
- Martin, J. N. Arithmetical Calculation with Roman Numerals and the Abacus, Department of Philosophy, University of Cincinnati, 2006, corrected 2011 (no symbol for zero; fractions named with words). homepages.uc.edu
- Fondation Haute Horlogerie. Roman numeral IIII on dials, Watchmaking Encyclopedia (additive IIII on dials, balance with VIII, legibility on radial dials). hautehorlogerie.org
- Rosenthal, G. NFL won't use Roman numerals for Super Bowl 50, NFL.com, 2014 (Roman numerals since Super Bowl V in 1971; one year exception; return with Super Bowl LI). nfl.com
- The Unicode Consortium. Number Forms, Range 2150 to 218F, The Unicode Standard, Version 18.0 (Roman numeral characters from U+2160). unicode.org; UnicodeData.txt, Unicode Character Database (U+2160 decomposes to the letter I; U+0305 is COMBINING OVERLINE). unicode.org
Conversions follow the modern standard subtractive form. Every number on this page was computed with the same functions the converter uses, and all 3,999 standard values were tested to convert back to themselves. Methodology reviewed: 2026.