How many time zones are there?

There are 38 distinct UTC offsets in use, ranging from UTC-12 to UTC+14. Some zones use 30-minute offsets (India at UTC+5:30, Iran at UTC+3:30) and even 45-minute offsets (Nepal at UTC+5:45, Chatham Islands at UTC+12:45).

Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is the primary time standard used worldwide. It replaced Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) as the reference point. All time zones are defined as offsets from UTC. UTC itself does not observe daylight saving time.

How does daylight saving time affect conversions?

During DST, affected time zones shift their UTC offset by 1 hour. US Eastern time is UTC-5 (EST) in winter and UTC-4 (EDT) in summer. Not all countries observe DST, and those that do switch on different dates, creating temporary offset changes.

Why do some time zones have 30-minute offsets?

Countries chose offsets that best align noon with the sun's zenith for their geographic location. India spans a wide longitude but uses a single UTC+5:30 offset as a compromise. Afghanistan uses UTC+4:30, and Myanmar uses UTC+6:30.

Time Zone Converter

Convert time between any two time zones worldwide

Time Zone Converter

Convert time between time zones

Time Zone Converter

Enter time and UTC offsets

Time (HH:MM)

From UTC Offset

To UTC Offset

Formula

New Time = Original Time - From Offset + To Offset

What Is a Time Zone?

The world is divided into 24 major time zones, each offset from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Time zone conversion is essential for scheduling international meetings, tracking global events, booking flights, and coordinating remote teams. Many zones also observe Daylight Saving Time (DST), shifting clocks by 1 hour seasonally — so the offset between two cities can change depending on the time of year.

This converter lets you enter a time in one zone and instantly see the equivalent in any other zone worldwide. It uses the IANA timezone database for accurate DST handling, so you always get the correct local time regardless of the date. Whether you're planning a call between New York and Tokyo or catching a live stream from London, this tool gives you the answer in seconds.

How to Use the Time Zone Converter

Select the source time zone from the dropdown (or use "My local time" to start from your current zone).
Enter the date and time you want to convert.
Select the destination time zone you want to convert to.
Click Convert to instantly see the equivalent local time in the target zone.

Conversion Formula & UTC Offsets

Conversion formula:
  Target time = Source time + (Target UTC offset) − (Source UTC offset)

UTC offsets (standard time):
  UTC−12: Baker Island (west extreme)
  UTC−8:  PST (US Pacific)
  UTC−5:  EST (US Eastern)
  UTC+0:  GMT / UTC (London)
  UTC+1:  CET (Central Europe)
  UTC+5:30: IST (India)
  UTC+8:  CST (China)
  UTC+9:  JST (Japan)
  UTC+14: Line Islands (east extreme)

DST: adds +1 hour in summer (varies by country/date)

Not all countries observe DST. Some zones have non-integer offsets — for example, India is UTC+5:30 and Nepal is UTC+5:45. Always confirm the exact offset for the specific date you're converting, since DST transitions can shift the offset by one hour.

Conversion Examples

New York to London and Paris

9:00 AM New York (EST, UTC−5) = 2:00 PM London (GMT, UTC+0) = 3:00 PM Paris (CET, UTC+1). When New York and Europe are both on standard time, the difference is 5 hours to London and 6 hours to Paris.

Tokyo to London and New York

Noon Tokyo (JST, UTC+9) = 3:00 AM London (GMT, UTC+0) = 10:00 PM previous day in New York (EST, UTC−5). Japan does not observe DST, so this offset is constant year-round.

Scheduling a global team meeting

2:00 PM San Francisco (PST, UTC−8) = 5:00 PM New York (EST, UTC−5) = 10:00 PM London (GMT, UTC+0) = 6:00 AM next day Tokyo (JST, UTC+9). Finding a time that works across all continents is the classic challenge of global remote teams.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does UTC mean?▾

UTC stands for Coordinated Universal Time. It is the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks. It does not observe Daylight Saving Time and serves as the reference point for all other time zones. UTC+0 is roughly equivalent to GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), though they are technically defined differently.

Why do some countries not observe Daylight Saving Time?▾

Countries near the equator experience very little seasonal variation in daylight, so DST provides no practical benefit. Other countries have abolished it for economic or health reasons. Currently, most of Africa, Asia, and countries near the equator do not observe DST. The United States, Canada, most of Europe, and parts of South America still use it.

What is the International Date Line?▾

The International Date Line (IDL) is an imaginary line at roughly 180° longitude in the Pacific Ocean. Crossing it eastward subtracts one calendar day; crossing it westward adds one day. This is why traveling west from Los Angeles to Tokyo means you may arrive two days later by the calendar even though the flight is about 11 hours.

How do I schedule a meeting that works for people in multiple time zones?▾

Start by identifying the business-hours window for each participant (typically 9 AM–5 PM local). Convert those windows to UTC, find the overlap, then convert back to each person's local time. As a rule of thumb, early morning US Eastern time (8–10 AM EST) tends to overlap with end-of-day in Western Europe. There is rarely a perfect slot when Asia, Europe, and the Americas all need to attend simultaneously.

Why is India's time zone UTC+5:30 instead of a round number?▾

India uses a single time zone, IST (Indian Standard Time), set at UTC+5:30 as a political compromise to keep the entire country on one clock. Nepal goes even further with UTC+5:45. These non-integer offsets date back to colonial-era decisions and have been retained for national unity. There are about a dozen time zones worldwide with 30- or 45-minute offsets.