Connecticut time zone and daylight saving time

Eastern Time Next clock change: Nov 1

Hartford, UTC−4Sunrise 7:21 a.m. · Sunset 5:48 p.m. · 10 h 27 min of daylight

Connecticut at a glance

Time zone
Eastern
Daylight saving time
Observed. UTC−4 in summer, UTC−5 in winter.
Upcoming clock changes
  • Sunday, November 1, 2026: clocks fall back
  • Sunday, March 14, 2027: clocks spring forward
  • Sunday, November 7, 2027: clocks fall back
  • Sunday, March 12, 2028: clocks spring forward
Each change happens at 2:00 a.m. local time.
Permanent daylight time law
None. Connecticut is not among the 19 states the Congressional Research Service lists as having enacted one.

All of Connecticut uses Eastern Time and observes daylight saving time: UTC−4 in summer and UTC−5 in winter.

Time zones in bordering states

Connecticut and all three of its neighbours use Eastern Time, so the time is the same across every border, all year.

Select a state on the map to see its time zone details.

Time zone map of Connecticut and surrounding states. Each state is a link to its page.Counties are shaded by time zone. Hatched counties are split between two zones; dotted areas do not observe daylight saving time.MassachusettsNew JerseyPennsylvaniaNew YorkVermontRhode Island

Current time in each zone

  • Eastern
  • New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island: same time all along the border.

What permanent time would mean for Connecticut

Ending clock changes would mean keeping one time all year: either permanent daylight time or permanent standard time. Here’s how each would shift sunrise and sunset in Hartford.

Permanent daylight time

Later winter mornings

8:15 a.m.

Sunrise on the shortest day, December 21 (now 7:15 a.m.).

Winter sunset: 5:23 p.m. (now 4:23 p.m.).

Permanent standard time

Earlier summer evenings

7:29 p.m.

Sunset on the longest day, June 21 (now 8:29 p.m.).

Summer sunrise: 4:16 a.m. (now 5:16 a.m.).

Times for Hartford, calculated for 2026. Actual sunrise and sunset can differ by a few minutes with terrain and weather.

Connecticut and permanent daylight time

Connecticut has not enacted a law to adopt permanent daylight time; it is not among the 19 states the Congressional Research Service lists as having done so.

Connecticut has looked at the Atlantic Time route, like several New England states. Two 2021 bills proposed moving the state to Atlantic Standard Time, and a 2025 bill (House Bill 5683) would have done so once Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New York passed matching laws and federal approval followed; it did not pass, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Any switch to permanent daylight time would need Congress to act first. The U.S. House passed the Sunshine Protection Act in July 2026, and it is now with the Senate.

Common questions

What time zone is Connecticut in?

All of Connecticut uses Eastern Time and observes daylight saving time.

Is Connecticut on the same time as New York City?

Yes. Both use Eastern Time and change their clocks on the same dates.

What is the Atlantic Time proposal?

Moving to the Atlantic Time zone without daylight saving time would keep Connecticut’s clocks where they are in summer all year. It would need approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation, and the proposals have depended on neighbouring states doing the same.

Sources: U.S. Department of Transportation (49 CFR Part 71); Congressional Research Service; Congress.gov; National Conference of State Legislatures.

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