To convert DMS to decimal degrees, divide the minutes by 60, divide the seconds by 3600 and add both to the degrees: decimal = degrees + minutes/60 + seconds/3600. South and west values are negative. This converter does it for you, accepts many ways of writing a coordinate, and can convert a whole pasted list in one go. It runs in your browser, so nothing is sent anywhere.
- Free, no signup
- Batch: paste a whole list
- Understands N S E W
- Runs in your browser
Convert many coordinates at once
One coordinate pair per line, latitude first. Separate the two values with a comma, tab or space, or use N/S/E/W letters.
How to convert DMS to decimal degrees
- Enter the coordinate. Type or paste the latitude and longitude in DMS, for example
40°41'21.5"Nand74°02'40.2"W. Spaces, colons and the words degrees, minutes and seconds are all accepted. - Choose the precision. Pick how many decimal places you want. Six places is about 0.1 metre on the ground and is enough for almost every purpose.
- Click Convert. The decimal degrees appear with a copy button, and a link to open the point in Google Maps.
- Or convert a list. Paste many coordinate pairs, one per line, and download the results as a CSV.
The DMS to decimal degrees formula
A degree is split into 60 minutes, and a minute into 60 seconds. To get decimal degrees:
decimal degrees = degrees + (minutes / 60) + (seconds / 3600)
If the coordinate is south of the equator (S) or west of the prime meridian (W), make the result negative.
Worked example
Convert 40°41'21.5"N: 41 / 60 = 0.683333 and 21.5 / 3600 = 0.005972. Adding both to 40 gives 40.689306. For 74°02'40.2"W: 2 / 60 = 0.033333 and 40.2 / 3600 = 0.011167, so 74.044500, and because it is west the answer is -74.044500.
Formats this converter understands
| You type | Read as |
|---|---|
40°41'21.5"N | 40.689306 |
40 41 21.5 N | 40.689306 |
N 40 41 21.5 | 40.689306 |
-74°02'40.2" or 74°02'40.2"W | -74.044500 |
40:41:21.5 | 40.689306 |
40°41.358' (degrees and decimal minutes) | 40.689300 |
40.689306 (already decimal) | 40.689306 |
Minutes and seconds must be below 60, latitude must be within 90 degrees and longitude within 180. If a value does not fit, the tool says which one and why, rather than guessing.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting the sign. Western and southern coordinates are negative in decimal degrees. A point in the Americas with a positive longitude lands in Asia.
- Dividing minutes by 100. There are 60 minutes in a degree, not 100.
- Mixing up latitude and longitude. Latitude runs north-south (-90 to 90) and is written first by convention. Use the N/S/E/W letters if the order might be ambiguous.
- Datum differences. Both forms describe the same position on the same datum (usually WGS84). To change datum or projection, use the CRS Converter.
Related converters
To go the other way, use decimal degrees to DMS. If your coordinates are in a spreadsheet and you want a map file, use Excel to KML or CSV to KML. For the full background see the guide DMS to decimal degrees explained.
Frequently asked questions
How do you convert DMS to decimal degrees?
Add the degrees, the minutes divided by 60, and the seconds divided by 3600. For example 40°41'21.5" becomes 40 + 41/60 + 21.5/3600 = 40.689306. Make the result negative for south latitudes and west longitudes.
How do I convert 40°41'21.5"N to decimal degrees?
40 + 41/60 + 21.5/3600 = 40.689306 degrees. It is north, so the sign stays positive.
Why are west and south coordinates negative?
Decimal degrees use a single signed number: positive for north and east, negative for south and west. This lets software store a position as plain numbers without N, S, E or W letters.
How many decimal places do I need?
Five decimal places is about 1.1 metres and six is about 0.11 metres at the equator. Six is enough for nearly all mapping work.
Can I convert a list of coordinates at once?
Yes. Paste one pair per line into the batch box, click Convert list, then copy the results or download them as a CSV. Lines that cannot be read are flagged with the reason.
What if my coordinate has degrees and decimal minutes?
That form, such as 40°41.358', is accepted too. Minutes may have a decimal part when no seconds are given.
Does it work offline or send my data anywhere?
The conversion runs in your browser and no coordinates are sent to a server. Once the page has loaded, conversions need no connection.
Is decimal degrees the same as WGS84?
No. Decimal degrees is a notation. WGS84 is a datum, the reference system GPS uses. Most coordinates written as decimal degrees are WGS84, but check your data source.
Related tools and guides
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Request a consultationLast updated 2026-10-08. Published by Sagarmekhla GIS Consultancy.