Calendar Basics: Days in Each Month (Simple Guide + 2025 Facts) Updated 2025
Quick answer: February has 28 days in a common year and 29 days in a leap year. All other months have 30 or 31 days. See the table and tips below.
This page shows a clear month-by-month table, explains leap years in plain language, and gives easy memory tricks. Links only point to pages on this site.
Days in Each Month (Gregorian Calendar)
Use this list whenever you need a fast check—especially for February.
| Month | Days (Common Year) | Days (Leap Year) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31 | 31 | — |
| February | 28 | 29 | Leap day (Feb 29) added in leap years |
| March | 31 | 31 | — |
| April | 30 | 30 | — |
| May | 31 | 31 | — |
| June | 30 | 30 | — |
| July | 31 | 31 | — |
| August | 31 | 31 | — |
| September | 30 | 30 | — |
| October | 31 | 31 | — |
| November | 30 | 30 | — |
| December | 31 | 31 | — |
Takeaway: Only February changes length; everything else is fixed at 30 or 31.
Why February Changes (Leap-Year Basics)
The Earth takes about 365.2422 days to orbit the Sun. To keep calendars aligned with the seasons, we add a leap day in leap years, making February 29 days long.
The Simple Leap-Year Rule
- Divisible by 4 → leap year
- Except divisible by 100 → not a leap year
- Except divisible by 400 → leap year
Learn more on How Many Days in a Leap Year?
Takeaway: Leap years keep dates and seasons from drifting apart.
Memory Tricks That Work
Knuckle Trick
Make a fist. Each knuckle is a 31-day month. The dips between knuckles are 30-day months (except February). Start at the index knuckle for January and move across.
Short Rhyme
“Thirty days hath September, April, June, and November. All the rest have thirty-one, except February alone.”
Takeaway: Use the knuckle trick or rhyme for a 5-second reminder.
Go Deeper
- Plan time with working days in a year.
- Balance free time with weekends in a year.
- Convert years to hours/minutes/seconds: simple conversions.
Takeaway: Month lengths help with budgeting, school plans, and project schedules.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days are in each month?
January 31, February 28 (29 in leap years), March 31, April 30, May 31, June 30, July 31, August 31, September 30, October 31, November 30, December 31.
Which months have 31 days?
January, March, May, July, August, October, and December.
Why does February have 28 or 29 days?
To correct for the extra ~0.2422 day in each solar year, a leap day is added to February in leap years. That keeps calendars aligned with seasons.
Is 2025 a leap year?
No—2025 is a common year with 365 days, so February has 28 days. See the full rule on our leap-year page.