Current local time in Washington DC, United States
The live clock above shows the time in Washington DC. Washington DC is in the America/New York time zone, UTC−4 right now (EDT).
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Region | District of Columbia |
| Population | about 2.4 million |
| Coordinates | 38.90° N, 77.01° W |
| Time zone | America/New York |
| Abbreviation | EST / EDT |
| UTC offset | UTC−5 (winter) / UTC−4 (summer) |
| Daylight saving time | Yes |
Daylight saving time
Washington DC uses daylight saving time: clocks switch between UTC−5 (EST) and UTC−4 (EDT). The next change is on Sunday, November 1, 2026, when clocks go back one hour.
Sunrise, sunset and daylight
Today: sunrise …, sunset …, .
| 2026 | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 7:11 AM | 7:19 PM | 12 h 7 min |
| June solstice | 5:42 AM | 8:36 PM | 14 h 53 min |
| September equinox | 6:55 AM | 7:06 PM | 12 h 10 min |
| December solstice | 7:23 AM | 4:49 PM | 9 h 26 min |
Clock time vs. sun time
The sun is highest over Washington DC at about 12:17 PM in mid-January, and about 1:13 PM in mid-July. On standard time, local clocks run about 8 minutes ahead of the sun, because Washington DC sits at 77.0° W, while its time zone is centred on 75.0° W.
Washington DC time compared with other cities
| City | Time now | Compared with Washington DC |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 3 hours behind | |
| London | 5 hours ahead | |
| Paris | 6 hours ahead | |
| Dubai | 9 hours ahead in Jan, 8 hours ahead in Jul | |
| Mumbai | 10.5 hours ahead in Jan, 9.5 hours ahead in Jul | |
| Shanghai | 13 hours ahead in Jan, 12 hours ahead in Jul | |
| Tokyo | 14 hours ahead in Jan, 13 hours ahead in Jul | |
| Sydney | 16 hours ahead in Jan, 14 hours ahead in Jul |
Nearby cities
| City | Distance | Time now vs Washington DC |
|---|---|---|
| Alexandria | 12 km (7 mi) | same time |
| Baltimore | 56 km (35 mi) | same time |
| York | 121 km (75 mi) | same time |
| Lancaster | 140 km (87 mi) | same time |
| Harrisburg | 153 km (95 mi) | same time |
| Richmond | 155 km (96 mi) | same time |
| Wilmington | 157 km (98 mi) | same time |
| Philadelphia | 200 km (124 mi) | same time |
Other cities in United States
- New York
- Los Angeles
- Chicago
- Houston
- Philadelphia
- Dallas
- Miami
- Boston
- Detroit
- Atlanta
- Phoenix
- San Francisco
- San Diego
- Denver
- Seattle
- Irvine
- Pittsburgh
- Minneapolis
Questions people ask
What time zone is Washington DC in?
Washington DC is in the America/New York time zone, UTC−5, or UTC−4 during daylight saving time.
Does Washington DC have daylight saving time?
Washington DC uses daylight saving time: clocks switch between UTC−5 (EST) and UTC−4 (EDT). The next change is on Sunday, November 1, 2026, when clocks go back one hour.
Why isn't noon in Washington DC when the sun is highest?
Because time zones are wide. Washington DC's clocks follow a zone centred on 75.0° W, so on standard time they run about 8 minutes ahead of the sun. Daylight saving time adds another hour.
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Time zone data: IANA tz database 2026e. Population: Natural Earth (approximate).