How long does it take Frodo and the hobbits to return to The Shire?

It takes Frodo and the hobbits 13 months to return to the Shire. Frodo states this in the closing narration of Peter Jackson’s The Return of the King, explaining that thirteen months have passed since Gandalf sent them on their journey.

The adventure begins when Frodo leaves the Shire with Sam, Merry, and Pippin after learning that Bilbo’s ring is actually the One Ring. Their route takes them through Bree, Rivendell, Moria, Rohan, Gondor, and Mordor before the Ring is destroyed in Mount Doom. The hobbits then travel back through Middle-earth after Aragorn’s coronation.

The answer refers to the film’s timeline from the hobbits’ departure to their return, not merely the time spent crossing the Shire or the period between individual films. The journey also includes long pauses, battles, recoveries, and the final confrontation with Sauron’s forces.

A related detail is that returning home does not end the danger: in the extended film version and Tolkien’s book, the hobbits find the Shire under the control of Saruman’s agents, leading to the Scouring of the Shire before peace is restored.