Sydney is on daylight saving time, UTC+11 (AEDT). On Sunday, April 4, 2027, clocks go back 1 hour to UTC+10.
Sydney and your time
Sydney at a glance
| Country | Australia |
|---|---|
| Region | New South Wales |
| Time zone | Australia/Sydney |
| Abbreviation now | AEDT |
| UTC offset now | UTC+11 |
| Daylight saving time | In effect until Apr 4, 2027 |
| Next clock change | Sunday, April 4, 2027 |
| Coordinates | 33.87° S, 151.21° E |
Which time zone Sydney uses
Under the Australia/Sydney rules, Sydney spends part of each year on UTC+11 (AEDT) and the rest on UTC+10 (AEST). Daylight saving time started on Sunday, October 4, 2026 and comes back next on Sunday, October 3, 2027.
Although Australia has 6 different offsets, Sydney keeps the same time as Canberra.
Clock changes in Sydney, 2026 and 2027
| Date | Change | New offset |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday, April 5, 2026 | Clocks go back 1 hour: 3:00 AM becomes 2:00 AM | UTC+10 |
| Sunday, October 4, 2026 | Clocks go forward 1 hour: 2:00 AM becomes 3:00 AM | UTC+11 |
| Sunday, April 4, 2027 | Clocks go back 1 hour: 3:00 AM becomes 2:00 AM | UTC+10 |
| Sunday, October 3, 2027 | Clocks go forward 1 hour: 2:00 AM becomes 3:00 AM | UTC+11 |
How far ahead or behind Sydney is
A 9:00 AM start in Sydney is 5:00 PM (previous day) in New York, 7:00 AM in Tokyo and 2:00 PM (previous day) in Los Angeles.
| City | Time now | Difference now | In January | In July | Shared office hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York (United States) | --:-- | 16 h behind | 16 h behind | 14 h behind | None |
| Los Angeles (United States) | --:-- | 19 h behind | 19 h behind | 17 h behind | None |
| London (United Kingdom) | --:-- | 11 h behind | 11 h behind | 9 h behind | None |
| Paris (France) | --:-- | 10 h behind | 10 h behind | 8 h behind | None |
| Dubai (United Arab Emirates) | --:-- | 7 h behind | 7 h behind | 6 h behind | 1 h |
| Mumbai (India) | --:-- | 5 h 30 min behind | 5 h 30 min behind | 4 h 30 min behind | 2 h 30 min |
| Singapore | --:-- | 3 h behind | 3 h behind | 2 h behind | 5 h |
| Tokyo (Japan) | --:-- | 2 h behind | 2 h behind | 1 h behind | 6 h |
| UTC | --:-- | 11 h behind | 11 h behind | 10 h behind | None |
The difference is not fixed for every city: where the January and July columns disagree, one side moves its clocks and the other does not, or both move on different dates.
Shared office hours counts the time when the clock reads between 9 AM and 5 PM in both cities on the same day.
Daylight in Sydney
Today
| Sunrise | --:-- |
|---|---|
| Sunset | --:-- |
| Day length | -- |
| Solar noon | --:-- |
Seasons run the other way in Sydney: the December solstice brings 14 hours 25 minutes of daylight and the June solstice only 9 hours 54 minutes.
Daylight through the year in Sydney
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | March 21 | 6:59 AM | 7:06 PM | 12 h 7 min |
| June solstice | June 21 | 7:00 AM | 4:54 PM | 9 h 54 min |
| September equinox | September 23 | 5:44 AM | 5:52 PM | 12 h 8 min |
| December solstice | December 22 | 5:41 AM | 8:06 PM | 14 h 25 min |
Daylight saving time moves sunrise and sunset 1 hour later by the clock in summer, which is why the latest sunsets fall in the daylight saving months.
When the sun is highest in Sydney
Sydney lies close to the centre of its time zone, so the sun is highest at about 11:55 AM on standard time and 12:55 PM during daylight saving time, close to clock noon.
Places close to Sydney
Every city below shares Sydney’s clock.
| City | Distance | Time now | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Coast | 51 km (32 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Wollongong | 68 km (42 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Newcastle | 117 km (73 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Canberra | 247 km (153 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
Same time now, different rules
These places read the same time as Sydney today but follow different rules, so they can drift apart when clocks change.
More cities in Australia
All time zones and cities in Australia
Tools for time in Sydney
- Convert a time to or from Sydney: pick a date and time and see it in every city on your list.
- Add Sydney to your world clock to keep it next to your own time.
- Find a meeting time that falls inside office hours in Sydney and the other cities you work with.
- Open a full-screen clock for your own time zone.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is Sydney in?
Sydney uses the Australia/Sydney time zone: UTC+10 (AEST) in standard time and UTC+11 (AEDT) during daylight saving time.
When do the clocks change in Sydney?
The next change is on Sunday, April 4, 2027 at 3:00 AM, when clocks go back 1 hour to UTC+10. They go forward again on Sunday, October 3, 2027.
What is the time difference between Sydney and New York?
Sydney is 16 hours ahead of New York in January and 14 hours ahead of New York in July, because the two are on daylight saving time at opposite times of the year.
Does the difference between Sydney and New York ever change at other times?
Yes, for a few weeks. From March 14 to April 4 and October 3 to November 7, the gap is 15 hours, because the two switch on different dates.
Is Sydney on the same time as Canberra?
Yes. Sydney and Canberra both use UTC+11 right now.
How long is the longest day in Sydney?
About 14 hours 25 minutes, around the December solstice. The shortest day, around the June solstice, has about 9 hours 54 minutes of daylight.
Time zone rules: IANA tz database, version 2026e. Place names and coordinates: GeoNames. Sunrise and sunset are calculated from the coordinates and can differ by a minute or two from local almanacs.