Time zone · Oceania
NIST
Norfolk Island Standard Time
Norfolk Island Standard Time (NIST) is tied to the small Pacific Territory of Norfolk Island, where clocks follow UTC+11:00 and flip for daylight saving each October–April.
Sunday, May 31, 2026
Current offset
UTC+11:00
Standard · +11
Daylight saving
Not active
Returns 4 Oct 2026
IANA zones
1
1 observe DST, 0 don't
DST offset
UTC+12:00
NFDT · +1h
About NIST
Standard time, with a summer shift.
Norfolk Island Standard Time (NIST) is tied to the small Pacific Territory of Norfolk Island, where clocks follow UTC+11:00 and flip for daylight saving each October–April.
DST schedule · NIST · NFDT
2026 Sunday · clocks spring forward
Clocks spring forward by one hour · in 4 months.
One year, two clocks
IANA zones · the technical identifiers
The zone that resolve to NIST.
For software, always store the IANA identifier — never the abbreviation alone. The database keeps these zones distinct because their rules can, and historically did, diverge.
Cities currently on NIST
The same hour, city by city.
1 city · all UTC+11:00
Where NIST is used
One country.
Same offset · UTC+11:00
Other zones at UTC+11:00 right now.
These named zones share NIST's offset today. When daylight saving rules differ, they drift apart for part of the year.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about NIST, daylight saving, and how to handle it in software. Can't find what you need? Email [email protected].
- Is Norfolk Island Standard Time the same as Australian Eastern Standard Time?
- No. Norfolk Island runs at UTC+11, which is one hour ahead of Australian Eastern Standard Time (UTC+10) and on a different daylight saving schedule.
- Why does Norfolk Island observe daylight saving if it’s so small?
- Being far south and east in the Pacific, Norfolk Island benefits from noticeably longer summer days. DST helps align island life with more usable evening light.
- What happens to the clock during the DST changeover?
- In spring, clocks move forward by two hours (from +11 to +12); in autumn they move back by one hour (from +12 to +11), creating an unusual +11/+12 cycle instead of the usual +10/+11.
- How does Norfolk’s DST schedule compare with nearby Pacific islands?
- Norfolk Island’s DST timing lines up more closely with places like New Zealand and Fiji than with Australia, giving it a distinct seasonal clock pattern in the region.
- Does Norfolk Island’s time difference with the rest of Australia change during DST?
- Yes. When Norfolk is on daylight saving (UTC+12) the gap with Australian Eastern Standard Time (UTC+10) grows to two hours, while eastern Australian states are still on their standard time.
- What impact does the shift to +12 have on daily life on the island?
- During DST evenings feel later and brighter, which can shift school bus times, work hours, and tourist activities—important on an island with a tight community rhythm.
- Why don’t all Pacific Islands follow a schedule like Norfolk’s?
- Most Pacific islands sit near the equator where day length barely changes all year, so DST brings little benefit and is rarely adopted.
- When does Norfolk Island usually start and end daylight saving?
- DST typically begins in early October, when clocks jump forward to UTC+12, and ends in April, when they return to the standard UTC+11 offset.
- Is Norfolk Island Standard Time linked to any mainland country’s civil time?
- No. Despite being an Australian external territory, Norfolk Island Standard Time is calculated separately from mainland Australia’s official time zones and DST rules.
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