What time is it in California?
Quick answer
California is on Pacific Time: Pacific Standard Time (PST, UTC−8) in winter and Pacific Daylight Time (PDT, UTC−7) from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November. The live clock below shows the time in Los Angeles and San Francisco now.
California (Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego)
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PST or PDT?
| Period | Name | Offset |
|---|---|---|
| First Sunday of November → second Sunday of March | Pacific Standard Time (PST) | UTC−8 |
| Second Sunday of March → first Sunday of November | Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) | UTC−7 |
Clocks change at 2 a.m. local time. In 2026, they went back on November 1, so California is on PST until March 2027.
People often write “PST” all year, but technically it only applies in winter. “PT” or “Pacific Time” is correct in any season.
Who else is on Pacific Time?
Washington, Oregon (most of it), Nevada (most of it) and the Canadian province of British Columbia share the same clock as California. Tijuana and the rest of Baja California in Mexico do too.
California vs other US time zones
| Time zone | Example city | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Mountain | Denver | 1 hour ahead of California |
| Central | Chicago | 2 hours ahead |
| Eastern | New York | 3 hours ahead |
| Hawaii | Honolulu | 2 hours behind (3 in summer) |
Arizona is the odd one out: it matches California in summer but Denver in winter. Here’s what time it is in Arizona and why.
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