Europe · Northern Europe · Sovereign state
Current time in Latvia
A single time zone at UTC+03:00. Currently observing daylight saving time.
Sunday, May 31, 2026
About Latvia's time
A single time zone.
Latvia uses a single time zone, Eastern European Time (UTC+02:00) in winter and Eastern European Summer Time (UTC+03:00) in summer, with daylight saving time observed nationwide.
Next clock change
2026 Sunday · clocks fall back
Clocks fall back by one hour · in 5 months.
Daylight saving schedule
Major cities
Cities of Latvia.
History
How Latvia keeps time.
Latvia's modern timekeeping history is closely tied to its complex political past. During the Russian Empire, the territory of present-day Latvia used local mean time based on the Julian calendar until the early 20th century. After independence in 1918, Latvia adopted Eastern European Time (UTC+02:00) as its standard time.
During World War II and the Soviet occupation beginning in 1940, Moscow Time (UTC+03:00) was imposed. After the war, Latvia reverted to Eastern European Time. When the Soviet Union reintroduced daylight saving time in 1981, Latvia followed suit, adopting Eastern European Summer Time (UTC+03:00) during summer months.
Following the restoration of independence in 1991, Latvia maintained Eastern European Time and continued observing daylight saving time in line with EU practices, which it formally joined in 2004. Since then, Latvia has consistently used UTC+02:00 in winter and UTC+03:00 in summer.
Did you know?
Things about Latvia's time.
Latvia shares its time zone with neighboring Estonia, Lithuania, Finland, and several other Eastern European countries, facilitating regional coordination. The country fully participates in the EU's daylight saving time schedule, switching clocks forward in March and back in October.
Despite being geographically positioned further west than some countries using UTC+03:00 year-round, Latvia maintains the standard Eastern European Time zone, which aligns well with its economic and political ties to the rest of the EU.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Latvia's time zone, daylight saving rules, and how to handle it in software. Can't find what you need? Email [email protected].
- What time zone is Latvia in?
- Latvia uses Eastern European Time (UTC+02:00) in winter and Eastern European Summer Time (UTC+03:00) in summer.
- Does Latvia observe daylight saving time?
- Yes, Latvia observes daylight saving time. Clocks move forward one hour in March and back one hour in October, in line with EU regulations.
- What is the time difference between Latvia and London?
- Latvia is 2 hours ahead of London during winter (when both are on standard time) and 3 hours ahead during summer (when both are on daylight saving time).
- Is Latvia in the same time zone as Finland?
- Yes, both Latvia and Finland use Eastern European Time (UTC+02:00) in winter and Eastern European Summer Time (UTC+03:00) in summer.
- When does Latvia switch to summer time?
- Latvia switches to summer time on the last Sunday in March, when clocks move forward by one hour at 3:00 AM local time.
- What is the IANA time zone identifier for Latvia?
- The IANA time zone identifier for Latvia is 'Europe/Riga'.
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