Lewis Structure Generator
Hydrogen chloride · HCl

HCl Lewis Structure

HCl contains one H–Cl single bond and three lone pairs on chlorine. Hydrogen reaches a duet, chlorine reaches an octet, and the isolated molecule has zero formal charge.

Open HCl in the generatorSee drawing steps
HCl
H—Cl:
Three lone pairs on chlorine
Total valence electrons8
Bond order1
Chlorine lone pairs3
GeometryLinear

HCl overview

Hydrogen contributes one electron and chlorine contributes seven. One shared pair forms the bond; the remaining six electrons stay on chlorine.

How to draw HCl

  1. Count 8 valence electrons.
  2. Draw one H–Cl single bond.
  3. Add three lone pairs to chlorine.
  4. Check the hydrogen duet, chlorine octet and zero formal charges.

Hydrogen chloride vs hydrochloric acid

HCl names the molecular compound. Hydrochloric acid refers to HCl dissolved in water, where solution chemistry includes hydrated ions rather than only one isolated H–Cl molecule.

Common mistakes

  • Giving hydrogen lone pairs.
  • Drawing H=Cl.
  • Omitting chlorine's three lone pairs.
  • Automatically drawing separated ions without specifying water.

Last reviewed: July 16, 2026. Educational reference only.