Current Time in UTC+13 Zone
About UTC+13
Discover all countries and IANA time zones in the UTC+13 offset. View the current local time for all locations with this UTC offset.
UTC Offset: UTC+13
What is UTC+13?
UTC+13 is a fixed offset from Coordinated Universal Time: clocks on this offset are always 13 hours ahead of UTC. Unlike a named time zone, a UTC offset never shifts for daylight saving time. Regions that observe DST alternate between two different UTC offsets across the year, which is why the countries listed below can change with the seasons.
UTC+13 vs GMT+13
On a wall clock, UTC+13 and GMT+13 show the same time. The difference is in what they refer to: UTC is the modern standard kept by atomic clocks and used in computing, aviation, and science, while GMT is the older convention based on mean solar time at Greenwich. Technical systems, logs, and APIs should reference UTC+13.
Time & Daylight in UTC+13
Time Difference Between UTC+13 and Major Cities
Live local time and the difference from UTC+13 right now.
Current time shown is based on the representative IANA zone: Etc/GMT-13
UTC+13: The Easternmost Fixed Offset
UTC+13 is a fixed offset that is 13 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. It is the earliest time zone in the world, meaning that when it is midnight here, it is still 11:00 UTC on the previous day. This offset is used year-round by a handful of Pacific island nations and territories, while other regions move onto it only during their daylight saving time.
Fixed Offset vs. Named Time Zone
A fixed offset like UTC+13 is simply a constant difference from UTC. In contrast, a named time zone (e.g., New Zealand Standard Time, NZST) often includes rules for daylight saving time (DST), meaning the offset changes during part of the year. For example, New Zealand uses NZST (UTC+12) in winter and NZDT (UTC+13) in summer. So while New Zealand is on UTC+13 during its DST, it is not a permanent resident of this offset. The list of countries and regions that always use UTC+13 is small and static, but the roster of places that ever use it expands seasonally.
Regions and Cities on UTC+13
The following regions are permanently on UTC+13:
- Kiribati โ The Line Islands (including Kiritimati, also known as Christmas Island) use UTC+14, but the Phoenix Islands (e.g., Kanton) use UTC+13. Representative city: Kanton.
- Tokelau โ A territory of New Zealand, Tokelau uses UTC+13 year-round. Representative city: Fakaofo.
- Tonga โ The Kingdom of Tonga uses UTC+13 all year. Representative city: Tongatapu (the main island, where the capital Nukuสปalofa is located).
- Samoa โ Independent Samoa uses UTC+13 year-round (it switched from UTC-11 in 2011). Representative city: Apia.
During DST, the following regions also observe UTC+13:
- New Zealand (including Antarctica's McMurdo Station) โ From the last Sunday in September to the first Sunday in April, New Zealand uses New Zealand Daylight Time (NZDT), which is UTC+13. Representative cities: Auckland and McMurdo.
- Antarctica โ McMurdo Station and South Pole stations follow New Zealand time, so they are on UTC+13 during the austral summer.
Practical Scheduling Notes
UTC+13 is the first time zone to enter a new day. When it is 00:00 on Tuesday in Tonga, it is still 11:00 UTC on Monday. This makes it important for global date coordination. For example, if you schedule a meeting at 10:00 UTC+13 in Tonga, that is 21:00 UTC the previous day. Always double-check the date when scheduling across the International Date Line.
Military time zone designations: The letter M (Mike) is used for UTC+12, but there is no standard military letter for UTC+13. However, the term UTC and GMT read the same on a clock โ both are 00:00 at the prime meridian. So UTC+13 is 13 hours ahead of GMT/UTC.
IANA Time Zones
The IANA time zone database includes the following zones that use UTC+13 as their standard offset (or as their DST offset):
- Pacific/Apia (Samoa)
- Pacific/Fakaofo (Tokelau)
- Pacific/Kanton (Kiribati โ Phoenix Islands)
- Pacific/Tongatapu (Tonga)
- Pacific/Auckland (New Zealand) โ standard UTC+12, DST UTC+13
- Antarctica/McMurdo (Antarctica) โ follows New Zealand time
Frequently Asked Questions
What countries are permanently on UTC+13?
Is UTC+13 the same as GMT+13?
Yes, UTC and GMT are functionally identical for timekeeping purposes. So UTC+13 is the same as GMT+13.
Which major cities are in UTC+13?
Does UTC+13 observe daylight saving time?
No, the offset itself is fixed. However, regions that use UTC+13 as their standard offset do not observe DST. Regions that use UTC+13 only during DST (like New Zealand) move off it when DST ends.
What is the military letter for UTC+13?
There is no standard military letter for UTC+13. The military uses letters A through Z (excluding J) for offsets up to UTC+12 (Mike) and UTC-12 (Yankee). UTC+13 is not assigned a letter.
Why is UTC+13 the earliest time zone?
UTC+14 (used by Kiribati's Line Islands) is actually the earliest, but UTC+13 is the second earliest. Because of the International Date Line, these zones are the first to enter a new day.