In general, techniques are described for coding picture order count values identifying long-term reference pictures. A video decoding device comprising a processor may perform the techniques. The processor may determine least significant bits (LSBs) of a picture order count (POC) value that identifies a long-term reference picture (LTRP). The LSBs do not uniquely identify the POC value with respect to the LSBs of any other POC value identifying any other picture in a decoded picture buffer (DPB). The processor may determine most significant bits (MSBs) of the POC value. The MSBs combined with the LSBs is sufficient to distinguish the POC value from any other POC value that identifies any other picture in the DPB. The processor may retrieve the LTRP from the decoded picture buffer based on the LSBs and MSBs of the POC value, and decode a current picture of the video data using the retrieved LTRP.