Current Time in GMT − 4 Zone
About GMT-4
GMT-4 is four hours behind Greenwich Mean Time. It is known as Atlantic Standard Time (AST), used in Eastern Canada, and as Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) for cities like New York and Toronto during summer. Many Caribbean islands and some South American countries like Bolivia and Paraguay (in summer) use it year-round.
UTC Offset: GMT-4
What is GMT-4?
GMT-4 means Greenwich Mean Time 4 hours behind the Greenwich meridian, the historical reference line running through the Royal Observatory in London. GMT offsets are the everyday way many countries, broadcasters, and travel timetables describe their local time relative to the UK.
Note that some of the countries listed below sit on GMT-4 for only part of the year: when daylight saving time starts or ends they move one hour, so always check the live local times shown on this page or on each country's own page.
GMT-4 vs UTC-4
For everyday purposes GMT-4 and UTC-4 are the same wall-clock time. GMT is the traditional name based on mean solar time at Greenwich, while UTC is the modern atomic-time standard used by computers and aviation. If you are setting a meeting or catching a flight, either works; if you are configuring a server, use UTC-4.
Time & Daylight in GMT-4
Time Difference Between GMT-4 and Major Cities
Live local time and the difference from GMT-4 right now.
Current time shown is based on the representative IANA zone: America/Boa_Vista
GMT-4: The Atlantic Standard Time Offset
GMT-4 is a fixed UTC offset of -4 hours, meaning clocks here are always four hours behind Coordinated Universal Time. Unlike named time zones that may shift for daylight saving time, GMT-4 itself never changes. However, regions that observe DST move onto this offset during their summer months and off it during winter, so the list of places at GMT-4 is not static. This article covers the permanent and seasonal residents of GMT-4, its relationship to military timekeeping, and practical scheduling tips.
What GMT-4 Means
GMT-4 is a constant offset from UTC. When it is 12:00 UTC, it is 08:00 in a location at GMT-4. The offset is also referred to as UTC-4. In military and aviation contexts, the letter "Q" designates this offset (Quebec time zone). Note that UTC and GMT read the same on a clock, so GMT-4 and UTC-4 are identical in practice.
Regions Permanently at GMT-4
Several territories and countries use GMT-4 year-round without daylight saving time. These include most of the Caribbean islands: Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Barbados, Curaçao, Dominica, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, St. Barthélemy, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Maarten (Dutch), St. Martin (French), and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. In South America, Bolivia, Guyana, and parts of Brazil (states of Amazonas, Rondônia, Roraima, and Mato Grosso) also stay at GMT-4 all year. Venezuela uses GMT-4 but with a unique offset of UTC-4:30 historically; currently it is at UTC-4.
Regions That Move On and Off GMT-4
Several regions observe daylight saving time, placing them at GMT-4 during their summer months. In Canada, most of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and parts of Quebec (east of the Natashquan River) use Atlantic Standard Time (AST) in winter (UTC-4) and Atlantic Daylight Time (ADT) in summer (UTC-3). Similarly, Bermuda and the Caribbean Netherlands (Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, Saba) follow the same pattern. Greenland uses GMT-4 in winter along the Danmarkshavn area, but most of the island shifts to GMT-3 in summer. The Dominican Republic used to observe DST but has been on permanent GMT-4 since 2013.
IANA Time Zones and Representative Cities
The IANA time zone database includes many zones at this offset. Key zones and their representative cities include:
- America/Anguilla (Anguilla)
- America/Antigua (Antigua)
- America/Aruba (Aruba)
- America/Barbados (Barbados)
- America/Blanc-Sablon (Quebec, Canada - no DST)
- America/Boa_Vista (Boa Vista, Brazil)
- America/Campo_Grande (Campo Grande, Brazil)
- America/Caracas (Caracas, Venezuela)
- America/Cuiaba (Cuiabá, Brazil)
- America/Curacao (Willemstad, Curaçao)
- America/Dominica (Roseau, Dominica)
- America/Glace_Bay (Glace Bay, Nova Scotia)
- America/Goose_Bay (Goose Bay, Labrador)
- America/Grenada (St. George's, Grenada)
- America/Guadeloupe (Basse-Terre, Guadeloupe)
- America/Guyana (Georgetown, Guyana)
- America/Halifax (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
- America/Kralendijk (Kralendijk, Bonaire)
- America/La_Paz (La Paz, Bolivia)
- America/Lower_Princes (Lower Prince's Quarter, Sint Maarten)
- America/Manaus (Manaus, Brazil)
- America/Marigot (Marigot, St. Martin)
- America/Martinique (Fort-de-France, Martinique)
- America/Moncton (Moncton, New Brunswick)
- America/Montserrat (Brades, Montserrat)
These zones ensure that local time matches solar time within their regions.
Practical Scheduling Notes
When scheduling across GMT-4, note that many Caribbean islands do not observe DST, so their time remains constant year-round. However, Canadian Atlantic provinces shift to GMT-3 in summer, so during those months they are one hour ahead of the Caribbean. Brazil's GMT-4 regions (like Manaus and Cuiabá) also do not observe DST, but some Brazilian states shift to GMT-3 in summer. Always check the current DST status of the specific location. The military letter for GMT-4 is Quebec (Q).
Frequently Asked Questions
What does GMT-4 mean?
GMT-4 means the local time is four hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) or Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When it is 12:00 UTC, it is 08:00 in a GMT-4 region.
Which countries are permanently on GMT-4?
Does any region on GMT-4 observe daylight saving time?
Yes. Canadian Atlantic provinces (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI, parts of Quebec) and Bermuda shift to GMT-3 in summer. Greenland also uses GMT-4 in winter and GMT-3 in summer in most areas.
What is the military designation for GMT-4?
The military letter for GMT-4 is Quebec (Q). It is used in aviation and military communications.
How do I convert GMT-4 to my local time?
Determine your own UTC offset. If you are at UTC+2, add 6 hours to GMT-4 time. For example, 10:00 GMT-4 is 16:00 UTC+2. Use online converters for accuracy.
Is GMT-4 the same as Atlantic Standard Time (AST)?
Yes, GMT-4 is the same as Atlantic Standard Time (AST). However, during daylight saving time, Atlantic Daylight Time (ADT) is GMT-3.