Clock Change Dates

When each time zone next moves its clocks — and which ones never do.

Time zone UTC offset Next change What happens Countdown
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How it works

Every row is worked out live from the time zone database inside your browser, not from a table stored on this site. The page steps forward day by day from now, watching for the UTC offset of each zone to change, then narrows the exact minute by bisection.

That matters because daylight saving rules are political and change at short notice. A stored list goes stale; this one is right as soon as your browser updates its data.

Fewer places change their clocks than most people assume. Most of Asia, Africa and South America stay on one offset all year, which is why the list is worth filtering.

Examples

When do the clocks change here? Pick a zone and the next two transitions are listed with the exact instant and the offset either side.

The mismatch fortnight. The UK and the United States change on different weekends, so for about two weeks each spring and autumn London and New York are four or six hours apart instead of five.

Checking a zone that does not change. Most of Asia keeps one offset all year, which makes those zones convenient anchors for recurring meetings.

Practical notes

Dates are set by legislation, not by astronomy, which is why countries on the same offset change on different weekends and why the gap between two cities can vary by an hour for a fortnight each spring and autumn. Those mismatch windows are where recurring international meetings quietly move.

Not everywhere participates. Most of Asia and Africa, and much of South America, keep one offset all year. Where a region has abolished the change, historical dates still matter for interpreting old records, which is why the time zone database keeps them.

Rules change, sometimes at short notice. Your browser learns about a change when it updates its time zone data, so an old browser can be confidently wrong about a future date even though it is right about today.

Frequently asked questions

When do the clocks go forward?

It depends entirely on the country. Your own zone is shown at the top of the page, and the table covers the rest.

Why do the US and Europe change on different dates?

They legislate separately. Europe changes on the last Sunday in March and October; the US on the second Sunday in March and the first in November. For a couple of weeks each year the usual difference between them shifts by an hour.

Which places do not change their clocks?

Most of the world, in fact. Untick “only zones that change” to see them — India, China, Japan, most of Africa and much of South America keep one offset all year.

Why do countries change on different dates?

Because each sets its own rules by legislation. The European Union and the United States both change in spring and autumn but on different weekends, which is why the gap between London and New York varies for a fortnight twice a year.

Is daylight saving being abolished?

Some places have abolished it and others have debated doing so. Proposals surface regularly and few pass, so treat any announcement as pending until the time zone database is updated.

Which places do not observe it?

Most of Asia and Africa, much of South America, and a few regions within countries that otherwise do — Arizona and Queensland among them.

How far ahead are the dates reliable?

As far ahead as the current rules are published. Governments can and do change them at short notice, and your browser learns about a change only when it updates.

Who introduced it?

It was adopted widely during the First World War to save fuel. The idea predates that, but wartime need is what made it policy.

Does daylight saving actually save energy?

The evidence is mixed and much weaker than when the policy was introduced. Lighting is a far smaller share of energy use than it was, and heating and cooling effects can run the other way.

Which direction do the clocks go?

Forward in spring and back in autumn — "spring forward, fall back". Going forward shortens that night by an hour; going back lengthens it.

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