What this calculator does
A cc converter turns a volume given in cubic centimetres into whichever unit you actually need it in: millilitres for a dose or recipe, litres for a larger volume, or cubic inches for an engine specification written in the older imperial convention. The relationships involved are all fixed by definition, not measured, so the conversion is exact rather than approximate.
The one thing worth knowing up front is that a cubic centimetre and a millilitre are the same volume. Both are defined as exactly one thousandth of a litre, so cc and mL are interchangeable figures written two different ways, common on medical dosing charts (mL) and engine or syringe specifications (cc) respectively.
The formula
Enter the amount and pick the unit it is currently in. The calculator converts to millilitres first, since cc and mL are identical, then scales that figure by 1,000 for litres or divides by 16.387064 for cubic inches, the exact number of millilitres in one cubic inch.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| cc | Cubic centimetre, a volume equal to a cube 1 cm on each side, and identical to 1 millilitre. |
| mL | Millilitre, one thousandth of a litre; numerically identical to a cubic centimetre. |
| in³ | Cubic inch, a volume equal to a cube 1 inch on each side, equal to exactly 16.387064 mL. |
The inputs explained
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Amount | The volume you want to convert, in whichever unit is selected below. |
| Unit | The unit the amount above is currently measured in. |
When to use it
Reading an engine displacement figure
Engine sizes are often quoted in cc for motorbikes and smaller engines but in cubic inches on older or US-market specification sheets; converting between the two makes two listings comparable.
Checking a liquid dose or fill volume
Medical syringes and dosing charts frequently use cc, while packaging and recipes use mL or litres; since cc and mL are the same volume, this step is really just relabelling, but litres and cubic inches need the full conversion.
Converting a small volume to a larger unit
A string of small cc measurements, added up, is easier to work with once expressed in litres, particularly when comparing against a tank or container capacity quoted that way.
Worked examples
Every figure in the tables below is produced by this page’s own calculator at build time, so the numbers and the tool always agree. Select any row to load that scenario.
Common cc amounts converted to millilitres, litres and cubic inches
A range of cc amounts, shown in the other three units.
| Amount (cc) | In millilitres (mL) | In litres (L) | In cubic inches (in³) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 10.00 mL | 0.0100 L | 0.610 in³ |
| 50 | 50.00 mL | 0.0500 L | 3.051 in³ |
| 100 | 100.00 mL | 0.1000 L | 6.102 in³ |
| 250 | 250.00 mL | 0.2500 L | 15.256 in³ |
| 500 | 500.00 mL | 0.5000 L | 30.512 in³ |
| 1,000 | 1,000.00 mL | 1.000 L | 61.024 in³ |
Common cubic-inch amounts converted to cc, mL and litres
A range of cubic-inch amounts, such as engine displacement figures, shown in cc, mL and litres.
| Amount (in³) | In cubic centimetres (cc) | In millilitres (mL) | In litres (L) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16.39 cc | 16.39 mL | 0.0164 L |
| 10 | 163.87 cc | 163.87 mL | 0.1639 L |
| 61 | 999.61 cc | 999.61 mL | 0.9996 L |
| 122 | 1,999.22 cc | 1,999.22 mL | 1.999 L |
| 200 | 3,277.41 cc | 3,277.41 mL | 3.277 L |
| 305 | 4,998.05 cc | 4,998.05 mL | 4.998 L |
Questions
Is a cc the same as a mL?
Yes, exactly. Both are defined as one thousandth of a litre, so 1 cc = 1 mL with no rounding involved. The two labels are used in different contexts by convention, not because the underlying volume differs.
Why do some engines list displacement in cc and others in litres or cubic inches?
It is largely a regional and historical convention: motorbikes and smaller engines are typically quoted in cc, larger car engines in litres, and older or US-market engines often in cubic inches. All three describe the same physical quantity, the total swept volume of the cylinders.
How many cc are in a litre?
Exactly 1,000 cc, since a litre is defined as 1,000 cubic centimetres (or, equivalently, 1,000 millilitres).
How precise is the cc-to-cubic-inch conversion?
It is exact: one cubic inch equals exactly 16.387064 cubic centimetres by definition, so there is no rounding error in the underlying factor, only in how many decimal places the result is displayed to.
For an engine size worked out from its bore, stroke and cylinder count rather than converted from a known figure, see the engine displacement calculator.