EV-G01Everyday reference

How age is calculated

Age is a calendar interval, not a year count divided by 365. The borrowing rules matter around birthdays and month ends.

Open the age calculator
01

Count completed years first

A person turns one year older only when the anniversary of the birth date is reached. Before that anniversary, subtract one from the simple year difference.

BIRTHANNIVERSARYAS-OF DATE
02

Then borrow real calendar months

If the as-of day is earlier in the month than the birth day, borrow the actual number of days in the preceding month. That is why month length changes the days remainder.

QuestionUse this result
Legal or everyday ageCompleted years
Precise intervalYears, months, days
Elapsed time analysisTotal days
03

Leap years affect elapsed days

Leap days change the total-day interval but do not make a birthday arrive early. Policies for a February 29 birthday can depend on jurisdiction, so the calculator reports neutral calendar math.

Useful distinction: “25 years old” and “9,131 days elapsed” answer different questions.

1 SOURCESource ledger

Check the basis.

  1. 01National Institute of Standards and Technology — Time and Frequency Division ↗

QUESTIONS THIS ANSWERS

Questions this answers

  • How old am I exactly?
  • How do age calculators handle leap years?