Convert DMS to Decimal Degrees

What Is DMS Format?

DMS stands for Degrees, Minutes, Seconds. It is the traditional way of expressing geographic coordinates, dating back to nautical navigation. You will encounter this format on topographic maps, surveying equipment, and older GPS receivers.

A DMS coordinate looks like this: 48°51'30"N, 2°17'40"E

• Degrees (°) — the whole-number portion of the angle (0–90 for latitude, 0–180 for longitude)
• Minutes (') — each degree is divided into 60 minutes
• Seconds (") — each minute is divided into 60 seconds
• Hemisphere — N/S for latitude, E/W for longitude

The Conversion Formula

To convert DMS to decimal degrees, apply this formula to each axis (latitude and longitude separately):

If the hemisphere is South (S) or West (W), multiply the result by -1 to get the correct negative decimal value.

Worked Examples

DMS Input	Calculation	Decimal Result
48°51'30"N	48 + 51/60 + 30/3600	48.858333
2°17'40"E	2 + 17/60 + 40/3600	2.294444
33°51'21"S	-(33 + 51/60 + 21/3600)	-33.855833
151°12'32"E	151 + 12/60 + 32/3600	151.208889

Why Convert DMS to Decimal?

Decimal degrees are the standard format used by modern GPS apps, web APIs, and databases. If you need to:

• Open a location in Google Maps, Waze, or Apple Maps
• Use coordinates in a URL or share link
• Import data into GIS software such as QGIS or ArcGIS
• Call a mapping API (Google, Mapbox, OpenStreetMap)

...you will almost always need the decimal format. GPSwitch converts DMS to decimal instantly, along with 25+ other formats.

Other Formats GPSwitch Supports

Beyond DMS to decimal, GPSwitch also converts:

• DDM (Degrees Decimal Minutes) — common on marine GPS units
• UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator) — used in military and surveying
• MGRS (Military Grid Reference System)
• Plus Codes (Open Location Code) — Google's address format
• GeoURI — used in Android and web apps
• NMEA sentences — raw output from GPS modules
• Map links from Google Maps, Waze, Apple Maps, HERE, Bing, and more