Current Time in Halifax, Canada
Live local time in Halifax with its UTC offset, daylight saving status and the time difference from your location.
Halifax America/Halifax
About time in Halifax
Halifax uses Atlantic Standard Time (AST, UTC−4) as its standard time. During daylight saving time it switches to Atlantic Daylight Time (ADT, UTC−3). Daylight saving time starts on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November.
Halifax is on Atlantic Time, one hour ahead of Eastern Time, so it is an hour ahead of New York and Toronto all year round.
Halifax uses Atlantic Time: UTC−4 (AST) in winter and UTC−3 (ADT) from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November, the same dates as the US. It is one hour ahead of New York and Toronto all year. New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island keep the same clock, and Newfoundland, next door, is half an hour further ahead. Puerto Rico also uses UTC−4 but never changes, so it matches Halifax only in winter.
That hour ahead of the East Coast gives Halifax a longer working overlap with Europe than New York or Toronto. London is four hours ahead for most of the year, so 9 a.m. in Halifax is 1 p.m. in London and a whole morning of calls is possible before the UK day ends.
The gap drops to three hours when the two countries are out of step: from October 31 to November 6, 2027, and for two or three weeks in March, when North America has moved its clocks forward and the UK has not yet.
When do the clocks change in Halifax?
Daylight saving dates for 2026 and 2027, taken from the IANA time zone database. Times are local time in Halifax.
| Date | Clock change | New offset |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday, March 8, 2026 | 02:00 → 03:00 · forward 1 hour | ADT, UTC−3 |
| Sunday, November 1, 2026 | 02:00 → 01:00 · back 1 hour | AST, UTC−4 |
| Sunday, March 14, 2027 | 02:00 → 03:00 · forward 1 hour | ADT, UTC−3 |
| Sunday, November 7, 2027 | 02:00 → 01:00 · back 1 hour | AST, UTC−4 |
Other countries change on other dates, so the gap to Halifax can move for a week or more. See when the clocks change around the world and what happens to recurring meetings.
Time difference between Halifax and other cities
The table below is calculated live from your browser's time zone data, so it already includes today's daylight saving rules.
| City | Time there now | Compared with Halifax |
|---|
Need a specific date? Use Time Compare to convert a future time with the right daylight saving offset.
Sunrise and sunset in Halifax
Local times in Halifax, calculated for its coordinates (44.65° N, 63.57° W). They can differ by a minute or two from official tables.
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Today | |||
| March equinox (Mar 20, 2026) | 07:17 | 19:25 | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21, 2026) | 05:28 | 21:03 | 15h 34m |
| September equinox (Sep 22, 2026) | 07:01 | 19:12 | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21, 2026) | 07:48 | 16:36 | 8h 48m |
Working hours in Halifax converted to UTC
| Local time in Halifax | UTC (standard time) | UTC (daylight saving) |
|---|---|---|
| 09:00 | 13:00 | 12:00 |
| 12:00 | 16:00 | 15:00 |
| 17:00 | 21:00 | 20:00 |
Frequently asked questions about time in Halifax
When do the clocks change in Halifax in 2026?
In 2026, clocks in Halifax go forward 1 hour on Sunday, March 8 at 02:00, and go back 1 hour on Sunday, November 1 at 02:00 (local time).
What time zone is Halifax in?
Halifax is in the Atlantic Standard Time zone (America/Halifax). Its standard UTC offset is UTC−4, and it is UTC−3 during daylight saving time (Atlantic Daylight Time).
Does Halifax observe daylight saving time?
Yes. Daylight saving time starts on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November. During that period clocks in Halifax are set to UTC−3.
When is the longest day of the year in Halifax?
Around Jun 21, at the June solstice. The sun rises at 05:28 and sets at 21:03 local time, about 15h 34m of daylight. The shortest day is around Dec 21, with about 8h 48m.
What does a 09:00–17:00 working day in Halifax look like in UTC?
A 09:00–17:00 working day in Halifax is 13:00–21:00 UTC in standard time and 12:00–20:00 UTC during daylight saving time.