Hawaii-Aleutian Time Zone (HST)
Hawaii uses Hawaii Standard Time (HST), UTC−10, all year round. It does not observe daylight saving time, so Honolulu's clocks never change — but its difference from the mainland does, by one hour, twice a year. The zone's legal name is Hawaii-Aleutian Time because it also includes the far western Aleutian Islands of Alaska.
| Abbreviation | HST — Hawaii Standard Time (sometimes written HAST, Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time) |
|---|---|
| UTC offset | UTC−10 all year in Hawaii |
| Daylight time | Not observed in Hawaii. The western Aleutians use HDT (UTC−9) in summer. |
| IANA identifiers | Pacific/Honolulu (Hawaii), America/Adak (western Aleutians) |
| Military letter | W (Whiskey) |
Why Hawaii does not use daylight saving time
Hawaii is the southernmost US state, and close to the tropics the length of the day changes much less between summer and winter than it does on the mainland. Shifting clocks would gain little evening daylight, so Hawaii used the opt-out allowed under the Uniform Time Act of 1966 and has stayed on standard time ever since. Arizona is the only other state that does not observe DST.
A historical footnote: until 1947, Hawaii's standard time was UTC−10:30. It moved to the current whole-hour offset of UTC−10 that year.
Hawaii and the Pacific territories
Looking west instead, American Samoa (UTC−11) is 1 hour behind Hawaii, and Guam (UTC+10) is 20 hours ahead — effectively the next calendar day. See the territories page.
Hawaii time compared with other US zones
The table shows what time it is elsewhere when it is 12:00 PM in the Hawaii zone (Honolulu). Differences change during daylight saving time because Arizona and Hawaii keep their clocks fixed. For any other time, use the time zone converter.
| Zone | Winter (Nov–Mar) | Difference | Summer (Mar–Nov) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern (New York) | 5:00 PM | 5 h ahead | 6:00 PM | 6 h ahead |
| Central (Chicago) | 4:00 PM | 4 h ahead | 5:00 PM | 5 h ahead |
| Mountain (Denver) | 3:00 PM | 3 h ahead | 4:00 PM | 4 h ahead |
| Arizona (Phoenix) | 3:00 PM | 3 h ahead | 3:00 PM | 3 h ahead |
| Pacific (Los Angeles) | 2:00 PM | 2 h ahead | 3:00 PM | 3 h ahead |
| Alaska (Anchorage) | 1:00 PM | 1 h ahead | 2:00 PM | 2 h ahead |
| UTC | 10:00 PM | 10 h ahead | 10:00 PM | 10 h ahead |
Right now in the other zones
Frequently asked questions
Does Hawaii have daylight saving time?
No. Hawaii stays on Hawaii Standard Time (UTC−10) all year. Only the western Aleutian Islands in the same zone switch to daylight time.
How many hours behind California is Hawaii?
Hawaii is 2 hours behind California from November to March and 3 hours behind from March to November.
What is the time difference between Hawaii and New York?
Hawaii is 5 hours behind New York in winter and 6 hours behind during daylight saving time.
Is Hawaii time the same as Alaska time?
No. Hawaii is 1 hour behind Anchorage in winter and 2 hours behind in summer. Only Alaska's western Aleutian Islands share Hawaii's zone.
Related guides
- Alaska Time Zone and Pacific Time Zone.
- Time zone converter & chart — convert any time between US zones for any date.
- Daylight saving time — the second-Sunday-in-March / first-Sunday-in-November rule and its exceptions.
- US territories — Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa and more.
- Time zone abbreviations — ET vs EST vs EDT, and the rest.