Current Time in SST (Samoa Standard Time)
About SST
Used in American Samoa, as well as Midway Atoll and Jarvis Island. This time zone is 11 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time and does not observe daylight saving time. Note that independent Samoa uses UTC+13:00/UTC+14:00 on the other side of the International Date Line.
UTC Offset: -11:00
Current time shown is based on the representative IANA zone: Pacific/Midway
Samoa Standard Time (SST)
Samoa Standard Time (SST) is a time zone observed year-round in American Samoa and the United States Minor Outlying Islands that lie near the International Date Line. Its standard offset is UTC-11:00, meaning it is eleven hours behind Coordinated Universal Time. SST does not observe daylight saving time, so the offset remains constant throughout the year.
What Does SST Stand For?
SST stands for Samoa Standard Time. The name derives from the Samoan Islands, though note that the independent nation of Samoa (formerly Western Samoa) uses a different time zone (UTC+13:00) because it lies west of the International Date Line. SST applies only to American Samoa and the surrounding US territories.
Standard Offset and Daylight Saving
SST is fixed at UTC-11:00. There is no daylight saving time adjustment. This means the zone never shifts clocks forward or backward, providing a constant time reference for the region. The lack of DST simplifies scheduling for businesses and travelers.
Regions, Countries, and Cities
- American Samoa (US territory): Capital Pago Pago is the largest settlement. Other villages include Tafuna, Leone, and Fagatogo.
- United States Minor Outlying Islands: Includes Midway Atoll (though Midway is uninhabited except for staff), Johnston Atoll, and Palmyra Atoll. These islands are under US jurisdiction and follow SST.
- IANA time zone identifiers: Pacific/Midway, Pacific/Pago_Pago, Pacific/Samoa, US/Samoa.
How SST Differs from Neighboring Zones
SST is one of the westernmost time zones in the world. To the east, across the International Date Line, lies the independent nation of Samoa (UTC+13:00) and Tokelau (UTC+13:00). This creates a 24-hour difference between American Samoa and Samoa: when it is 10:00 AM Monday in Pago Pago, it is 10:00 AM Tuesday in Apia, Samoa. To the north, Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time (UTC-10:00) is one hour ahead of SST. To the south, no major landmasses exist at this longitude.
Practical Business Hours Guidance
When scheduling calls or meetings with SST locations, consider that the workday typically runs from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM SST (19:00 to 04:00 UTC). For US mainland coordination, SST is 6 hours behind Eastern Time (ET) during standard time and 5 hours behind when ET is on daylight saving. For example, 9:00 AM in New York (ET) is 3:00 AM SST. Best overlap hours for US East Coast are 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM ET (1:00 PM to 5:00 PM SST). For Australia East Coast (AEST, UTC+10:00), SST is 21 hours behind: 9:00 AM in Sydney is 12:00 PM (noon) the previous day in Pago Pago. Avoid scheduling during the American Samoan lunch hour (12:00 PM to 1:00 PM SST).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does American Samoa observe daylight saving time?
No, American Samoa does not observe daylight saving time. SST remains at UTC-11:00 year-round.
What is the time difference between Samoa Standard Time and Hawaii?
Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time (HST) is UTC-10:00, which is one hour ahead of SST. So when it is 12:00 PM in Honolulu, it is 11:00 AM in Pago Pago.
Why is Samoa (independent nation) a day ahead of American Samoa?
Samoa (independent) is west of the International Date Line and uses UTC+13:00, while American Samoa is east of the Date Line and uses UTC-11:00. This creates a 24-hour difference.
What major cities are in the SST zone?
The largest city is Pago Pago, the capital of American Samoa. Other settlements include Tafuna, Leone, and Fagatogo. The zone also covers uninhabited US territories like Midway Atoll.
How do I convert SST to my local time?
To convert from SST to UTC, add 11 hours. For example, 10:00 AM SST is 21:00 UTC. For US Eastern Time, add 6 hours during standard time (EST) or 5 hours during daylight time (EDT).