What is the Persian (Solar Hijri) calendar?

The Persian calendar, officially called the Solar Hijri or Shamsi calendar, is the official calendar of Iran and Afghanistan. It is a solar calendar that begins on the vernal equinox (Nowruz, around March 20–21 Gregorian). The current Persian year is roughly 621–622 years behind the Gregorian year.

What year is it in the Persian calendar?

Subtract approximately 621 from the Gregorian year to get the Persian year, but note the Persian year starts in March. For example, the Gregorian year 2025 overlaps with Persian years 1403 and 1404. Use this tool with today's date for the exact current Persian date.

What are the months of the Persian calendar?

The 12 months are: Farvardin (31), Ordibehesht (31), Khordad (31), Tir (31), Mordad (31), Shahrivar (31), Mehr (30), Aban (30), Azar (30), Dey (30), Bahman (30), and Esfand (29, or 30 in a leap year).

How does the Persian calendar handle leap years?

Persian leap years are calculated so that the calendar stays aligned with the vernal equinox. In a 2820-year grand cycle, 683 years are leap years (the last month, Esfand, gets 30 days instead of 29). This makes it more accurate than the Gregorian calendar over long periods.

What is the difference between Shamsi, Jalali, and Solar Hijri?

These are three names for the same calendar. "Shamsi" (solar) and "Solar Hijri" emphasize its solar basis and the Hijri era. "Jalali" refers to the calendar reform commissioned by Sultan Jalal al-Din Malik-Shah in 1079 CE. All three terms describe the official Persian calendar used in Iran and Afghanistan today.

Is this tool accurate for historical dates?

This tool uses the algorithmic Solar Hijri calendar (the 2820-year cycle method). It is accurate for modern dates and reasonably accurate for historical dates. For ancient dates before the calendar standardization, results may differ slightly from observed historical records.

Persian Calendar Converter

Convert any Gregorian date to the Persian (Solar Hijri / Shamsi) calendar and back — instantly in your browser.

Conversion Input

Year

Month

Day

Quick examples:

Result

Enter a date and click Convert

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Summary

The Persian calendar, also called the Solar Hijri (Shamsi) or Jalali calendar, is the official calendar of Iran and Afghanistan. It is a solar calendar with 12 months — the first six months have 31 days, the next five have 30 days, and the last month has 29 days (30 in a leap year). The Persian year begins on the vernal equinox (Nowruz), typically March 20 or 21 in the Gregorian calendar. This tool converts between Gregorian and Persian calendar dates using the standard algorithmic method.

How it works

Choose a conversion direction: Gregorian to Persian, or Persian to Gregorian.
Enter a Gregorian date (year, month, day) or a Persian date (year, month, day).
Click Convert to see the result with the full Persian month name.
Use the "Today" button to load the current date automatically.
Try the quick examples to explore notable Persian calendar dates.

Use cases

Find today's date in the Persian calendar for official or cultural purposes.
Convert Nowruz (Persian New Year) and other Iranian holidays to Gregorian dates.
Research historical events in their Persian calendar context.
Convert birthdays or anniversaries between calendar systems.
Verify dates on official Iranian documents that use the Shamsi calendar.
Plan travel or business around Persian calendar holidays.
Educational exploration of the Solar Hijri calendar system.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-05-28 · Reviewed by Nham Vu