Americas · Caribbean · Dependency
Current time in Puerto Rico
A single time zone at UTC-04:00.
Saturday, May 30, 2026
About Puerto Rico's time
A single time zone.
Puerto Rico keeps things simple with a single time zone — Atlantic Standard Time (UTC-4) year-round. No daylight saving time means you'll never have to worry about clock changes on the island.
Major cities
Cities of Puerto Rico.
History
How Puerto Rico keeps time.
Puerto Rico adopted Atlantic Standard Time after the U.S. Navy established control of the island in 1898 following the Spanish-American War. In 1942, during World War II, the island briefly observed 'Puerto Rico War Time,' which added an hour to Atlantic Standard Time. This was intended to conserve energy and align with U.S. mainland practices during wartime. After the war ended in 1945, the island returned to Atlantic Standard Time permanently. Unlike the U.S. mainland, Puerto Rico does not observe Daylight Saving Time, maintaining UTC-4 throughout the year.
Did you know?
Things about Puerto Rico's time.
Being a U.S. territory, Puerto Rico shares the same time as the Atlantic Time Zone (UTC-4) used by U.S. Eastern Time during winter months. However, when Daylight Saving Time kicks in on the mainland from March to November, Eastern Time shifts to UTC-3 — meaning mainland U.S. Eastern Time and Puerto Rico are in sync only during Standard Time from November through March, creating a one-hour difference for roughly half the year. With UTC-4 year-round, the sun tends to rise later on the clock compared to many mainland U.S. locations on Eastern Standard Time, but it aligns well with U.S. Atlantic-facing regions like the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Bolivia, and much of Chile.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Puerto Rico's time zone, daylight saving rules, and how to handle it in software. Can't find what you need? Email [email protected].
- Does Puerto Rico observe Daylight Saving Time?
- No, Puerto Rico does not observe Daylight Saving Time. It remains on Atlantic Standard Time (UTC-4) year-round.
- What is the time difference between Puerto Rico and New York?
- From November through March, when New York is on Eastern Standard Time, both are at UTC-4, so there is no time difference. From March to November, when New York observes Daylight Saving Time (UTC-3), Puerto Rico is one hour behind New York.
- Is Puerto Rico in the same time zone as the U.S. Virgin Islands?
- Yes, both Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are in the Atlantic Standard Time zone (UTC-4) and do not observe Daylight Saving Time.
- What is the time zone abbreviation for Puerto Rico?
- Puerto Rico uses Atlantic Standard Time, abbreviated as AST.
- How many time zones does Puerto Rico have?
- Puerto Rico has only one time zone: Atlantic Standard Time (UTC-4).
- When did Puerto Rico stop observing Daylight Saving Time?
- Puerto Rico briefly observed Daylight Saving Time during World War II (1942-1945), known as 'Puerto Rico War Time.' After the war, it returned to Atlantic Standard Time permanently.
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