Tons to Lbs Converter — US, Metric and Long Tons

Which ton do you have?

“Ton” means three different weights, and converters do not always say which one they use:

Name	Symbol	Pounds	Kilograms	Where it is used
US ton (short ton)	ton	2,000 lb	907.18 kg	U.S. bills, scale tickets, gravel, hay, trucks
Metric ton (tonne)	t	2,204.62 lb	1,000 kg	international trade, science, most countries
UK long ton	LT	2,240 lb	1,016.05 kg	ship displacement, some commodities

If the number comes from a U.S. supplier, it is almost always the US ton. If the paperwork is in kilograms or metric units, or comes from abroad, it is a metric ton. Choose the ton above the field; the result also shows what the same number would be in the other two.

How to convert tons to pounds

US tons: pounds = tons × 2,000
Metric tons: pounds = tons × 1,000 ÷ 0.45359237 ≈ tons × 2,204.62
Long tons: pounds = tons × 2,240

2.5 US tons × 2,000 = 5,000 lb. 2.5 metric tons is 5,511.56 lb, and 2.5 long tons is 5,600 lb. The US and long tons are exact; the metric ton comes from the definition of the pound (0.45359237 kg). For pounds in kilograms, use the pounds to kilograms converter.

Tons to pounds table

Tons	US tons	Metric tons	Long tons
0.25	500 lb	551.16 lb	560 lb
0.5	1,000 lb	1,102.31 lb	1,120 lb
0.75	1,500 lb	1,653.47 lb	1,680 lb
1	2,000 lb	2,204.62 lb	2,240 lb
1.5	3,000 lb	3,306.93 lb	3,360 lb
2	4,000 lb	4,409.25 lb	4,480 lb
2.5	5,000 lb	5,511.56 lb	5,600 lb
3	6,000 lb	6,613.87 lb	6,720 lb
5	10,000 lb	11,023.11 lb	11,200 lb
10	20,000 lb	22,046.23 lb	22,400 lb
20	40,000 lb	44,092.45 lb	44,800 lb
40	80,000 lb	88,184.9 lb	89,600 lb

To convert a list of loads, open Convert a list of values, paste the tons one per line and download the pounds as CSV.

Tons in trucks, gravel and freight

Landscape materials. Gravel, crushed stone, sand and topsoil are sold by the US ton. A 2.5-ton load is 5,000 lb — more than many pickup trucks can carry, so check the payload in your owner’s manual. The gravel calculator estimates how many tons you need for an area and depth, and the cubic yards calculator gives the volume.
Trucks on the interstate. Federal law limits gross vehicle weight on the Interstate System to 80,000 lb, or 40 US tons (23 U.S.C. 127).
Exports and imports. Freight documents use metric tons. 20 metric tons is 44,092 lb, not 40,000.

Frequently asked questions

How many pounds are in a ton?

In the United States, 2,000 pounds — the short ton. A metric ton (tonne) is 2,204.62 pounds and a British long ton is 2,240 pounds. When a U.S. bill, scale ticket or spec sheet just says 'ton', it means 2,000 lb.

Is a ton 2,000 or 2,204 pounds?

Both numbers are right for different tons. 2,000 lb is the U.S. ton; 2,204.62 lb is the metric ton of 1,000 kg. Some converters label the metric ton simply 'ton', which overstates a U.S. ton by 10%.

What is the difference between a ton and a tonne?

A tonne, or metric ton, is 1,000 kilograms (2,204.62 lb). A U.S. ton is 2,000 lb (907.18 kg). The tonne is about 10% heavier. International shipping and most countries outside the U.S. use the tonne.

How many pounds is a long ton?

2,240 pounds (1,016.05 kg). The long ton is the old British ton, still used for ship displacement and some commodities. It is 12% heavier than a U.S. ton.

How many pounds is 2.5 tons?

5,000 lb for 2.5 U.S. tons, 5,511.56 lb for 2.5 metric tons and 5,600 lb for 2.5 long tons.

How many tons can a truck carry on the interstate?

Federal law caps a vehicle's gross weight on the Interstate System at 80,000 pounds — 40 U.S. tons — including the truck itself (23 U.S.C. 127). Axle limits and state permits change what a given truck may carry.