Current local time in Nova Scotia, Canada
The live clock above shows the time in Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia is in the America/Halifax time zone, UTC−4 in winter and UTC−3 in summer.
All of Nova Scotia uses Atlantic Time: Atlantic Standard Time (UTC−4) in winter and Atlantic Daylight Time (UTC−3) in summer. That keeps it one hour ahead of New York and Toronto all year, the same as New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. The times on this page are for Halifax.
| Country | Canada |
|---|---|
| Region | Atlantic Canada |
| Coordinates | 44.65° N, 63.58° W |
| Time zone | America/Halifax |
| Abbreviation | AST |
| UTC offset | UTC−4 in winter, UTC−3 in summer |
| Daylight saving time | Yes |
Daylight saving time
Nova Scotia uses daylight saving time: UTC−4 in winter and UTC−3 in summer, changing on the second Sunday in March and the first Sunday in November.
Sunrise, sunset and daylight
Today: sunrise …, sunset …, .
| 2026 | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 7:17 AM | 7:26 PM | 12 h 9 min |
| June solstice | 5:29 AM | 9:03 PM | 15 h 34 min |
| September equinox | 7:02 AM | 7:09 PM | 12 h 7 min |
| December solstice | 7:48 AM | 4:36 PM | 8 h 49 min |
Clock time vs. sun time
The sun is highest over Nova Scotia at about 12:23 PM in mid-January. On standard time, local clocks run about 14 minutes ahead of the sun, because Nova Scotia sits at 63.6° W, while its time zone is centred on 60.0° W.
Nova Scotia time compared with other cities
| City | Time now | Compared with Nova Scotia |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 1 hour behind | |
| Los Angeles | 4 hours behind | |
| London | 4 hours ahead | |
| Paris | 5 hours ahead | |
| Dubai | 8 hours ahead in Jan, 7 hours ahead in Jul | |
| Mumbai | 9.5 hours ahead in Jan, 8.5 hours ahead in Jul | |
| Shanghai | 12 hours ahead in Jan, 11 hours ahead in Jul | |
| Tokyo | 13 hours ahead in Jan, 12 hours ahead in Jul | |
| Sydney | 15 hours ahead in Jan, 13 hours ahead in Jul |
Nearby cities
| City | Distance | Time vs Nova Scotia |
|---|---|---|
| Halifax | 2 km (1 mi) | same time |
| Salem, United States | 634 km (394 mi) | 1 hour behind |
| Quebec City | 643 km (399 mi) | 1 hour behind |
| Boston, United States | 657 km (408 mi) | 1 hour behind |
| Manchester, United States | 658 km (409 mi) | 1 hour behind |
| Sherbrooke | 659 km (410 mi) | 1 hour behind |
| Lowell, United States | 662 km (411 mi) | 1 hour behind |
| New Bedford, United States | 684 km (425 mi) | 1 hour behind |
Other cities in Canada
Questions people ask
What time zone is Nova Scotia in?
Nova Scotia is in the America/Halifax time zone, UTC−4 in winter, UTC−3 in summer.
Does Nova Scotia have daylight saving time?
Nova Scotia uses daylight saving time: UTC−4 in winter and UTC−3 in summer, changing on the second Sunday in March and the first Sunday in November.
Is Nova Scotia an hour ahead of Eastern Time?
Yes, all year. Nova Scotia uses Atlantic Time and changes its clocks on the same days as the United States and the rest of Canada, so it is always one hour ahead of New York and Toronto.