Pounds to Kilograms (lbs to kg)
Convert shipping weight from pounds to kilograms. One pound is 0.4536 kilograms.
1 lb = 0.45 kg
kilograms (kg)
Quick reference
How to convert pounds to kilograms
To convert pounds to kilograms, multiply by the conversion factor:
In freight, this conversion comes up whenever your paperwork, carrier, or marketplace quotes volume or weight in different units than you measured. Getting it right keeps your dimensions and volume consistent across every quote.
Exact since 1959 — and why ÷2.2 isn't quite right
The international pound has been defined as exactly 0.45359237 kg since the 1959 agreement between the US, UK and Commonwealth countries — so this conversion is exact by definition, not approximate. The popular mental shortcut of dividing by 2.2 implies 0.4545 kg per pound, about 0.2% high; harmless for a quick estimate, but on a 40,000 lb load it overstates the weight by roughly 37 kg.
Use the exact factor anywhere the number is checked against a limit or a document: customs entries, air waybills, and anything near a weight cutoff.
Where pounds meet kilograms in a real shipment
US domestic freight lives in pounds — LTL quotes, scale tickets, the 80,000 lb federal gross vehicle limit (36,287 kg). The moment cargo goes international, the paperwork flips to kilograms: air waybills, ocean bills of lading and customs declarations all want kg. A 2,500 lb pallet becomes 1,133.98 kg on the export docs.
Getting this wrong in the flattering direction is expensive: understate kilograms on an air waybill and the shipment gets re-weighed and re-rated at the airline's numbers, often with a correction fee on top.
Frequently asked questions
How do you convert pounds to kilograms?
Multiply the number of pounds by 0.45 to get kilograms. For example, 10 lb = 4.54 kg.
How many kilograms are in one pound?
One lb equals 0.45 kg.
Is lbs to kg the same conversion?
Yes — lbs to kg, pounds to kg, lb to kg all refer to converting pounds to kilograms. The calculator above handles it instantly.
What is 1 lb in kg exactly?
1 lb = 0.45359237 kg, exact by the 1959 international definition of the avoirdupois pound. For rough mental math, multiplying pounds by 0.45 gets you within about 1%.
What's the difference between a metric ton, short ton and long ton?
A metric ton (tonne) is 1,000 kg = 2,204.62 lb; a US short ton is 2,000 lb = 907.18 kg; a UK long ton is 2,240 lb = 1,016.05 kg. Freight documents outside the US almost always mean the metric ton.