Time Zone Notice
The region for PST is currently observing Daylight Saving Time. The current time zone is PDT.
Please see the correct page here: Current Time in PDT.
Current Time in PST (Pacific Standard Time)
About PST
The standard time for the Pacific Time Zone in North America. Used in parts of Canada, the United States, and Mexico. During summer, many areas switch to Pacific Daylight Time (PDT).
UTC Offset: -08:00
Current time shown is based on the representative IANA zone: America/Los_Angeles
Pacific Standard Time (PST)
Pacific Standard Time (PST) is the standard time observed in the Pacific Time Zone of North America during the winter months. It is 8 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC-08:00). When daylight saving time is in effect, clocks shift forward by one hour to Pacific Daylight Time (PDT, UTC-07:00). This zone covers parts of western Canada, the western United States, and the Baja California peninsula in Mexico.
What Does PST Stand For?
PST stands for Pacific Standard Time. The term "Pacific" refers to the Pacific Ocean, which borders the western edge of the region. "Standard" indicates that it is the time used when daylight saving is not active. The abbreviation is widely recognized in business, travel, and technology contexts.
UTC Offset and Daylight Saving
PST is UTC-08:00. From the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November, clocks in most of the zone advance to Pacific Daylight Time (PDT), which is UTC-07:00. This change adds one hour of evening daylight. Not all areas observe DST; for example, some parts of British Columbia near the Yukon border may stay on standard time year-round, though the majority of the zone follows the switch.
Regions and Major Cities
The IANA time zone database includes several zone names under the PST umbrella. These cover:
- Canada: British Columbia (most of the province), including Vancouver, Victoria, and Whistler. The zone also includes the Yukon (though Yukon officially uses UTC-07:00 year-round, some communities near the border follow PST).
- United States: California, Washington, Oregon (most of the state except the northern panhandle which uses Mountain Time), Nevada (west of the Idaho border), and the Idaho Panhandle (narrow strip along the Washington border). Major cities: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, San Diego, Las Vegas (Nevada uses PST in winter, but most of the state is in the Pacific zone).
- Mexico: The state of Baja California (not Baja California Sur), including Tijuana, Mexicali, and Ensenada. This region observes DST in sync with the U.S.
Key IANA zones: America/Los_Angeles (U.S.), America/Vancouver (Canada), America/Tijuana (Mexico), and America/Ensenada (historical).
Neighboring Time Zones
To the east, PST borders Mountain Standard Time (MST, UTC-07:00). In the U.S., the divide runs through Idaho (Pacific side) and Montana/Wyoming (Mountain side). In Canada, the boundary is in eastern British Columbia near the Alberta border. To the north, the Yukon uses UTC-07:00 year-round, so during PST winter, Yukon is one hour ahead; during PDT summer, they are the same. To the south, Baja California Sur uses Mountain Standard Time (UTC-07:00) in winter and Mountain Daylight Time (UTC-06:00) in summer, so it is one hour ahead of PST in winter and two hours ahead of PST in summer (when Baja California Sur observes MDT and PST is on PDT). Alaska uses Alaska Time (UTC-09:00 in winter, UTC-08:00 in summer), so Alaska is one hour behind PST in winter and the same as PDT in summer. Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time (UTC-10:00) is two hours behind PST and does not observe DST.
Business Hours Guidance
When scheduling across time zones, note that PST is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time (EST). Typical business hours (9:00 AM to 5:00 PM PST) correspond to 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM EST. For international calls: London is 8 hours ahead of PST (so 9 AM PST is 5 PM GMT), and Tokyo is 17 hours ahead (9 AM PST is 2 AM next day JST). During DST, PDT is 7 hours behind UTC, so London becomes 7 hours ahead (9 AM PDT is 4 PM BST). Always confirm whether DST is active in the relevant location.
Key Points
- PST = UTC-08:00; PDT = UTC-07:00.
- Observed in western Canada, western U.S., and Baja California, Mexico.
- Major cities: Los Angeles, Vancouver, Tijuana.
- Borders: MST to the east, Alaska Time to the north (in winter), and Hawaii-Aleutian Time to the west.
- DST starts second Sunday March, ends first Sunday November.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current time in Pacific Standard Time right now?
Since PST is only observed from November to March, the current time depends on the date. During standard time (winter), it is UTC-8. During daylight saving (summer), it is UTC-7 (PDT). To get the exact current time, check a world clock or use a time zone converter with your location.
Does all of California use Pacific Standard Time?
Yes, the entire state of California observes Pacific Time. During winter it uses PST (UTC-8), and during summer it uses PDT (UTC-7). There are no exceptions within California.
Is Pacific Standard Time the same as Pacific Daylight Time?
No, they are different. PST is UTC-8 and used in winter. PDT is UTC-7 and used in summer when clocks are set forward one hour. The switch occurs on the second Sunday of March (to PDT) and the first Sunday of November (back to PST).
What is the time difference between PST and EST?
Pacific Standard Time is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time. For example, 12:00 PM EST is 9:00 AM PST. When PDT is in effect, the difference is 3 hours as well (since EDT is also UTC-4). So Pacific is always 3 hours behind Eastern, regardless of DST.
Do any parts of Canada not observe DST in the Pacific zone?
Most of British Columbia observes DST, but some areas near the Yukon border, like the town of Creston, have opted out and remain on standard time year-round. However, the majority of the Pacific Time Zone in Canada does switch to PDT.
How does Pacific Standard Time relate to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)?
PST is exactly 8 hours behind UTC (UTC-8). For example, when it is 12:00 UTC, it is 4:00 AM PST. During PDT, the offset is UTC-7.