Fortaleza keeps UTC−3 all year. There is no daylight saving time, so the clock never changes.
Fortaleza and your time
Fortaleza at a glance
| Country | Brazil |
|---|---|
| Region | Ceará |
| Time zone | America/Fortaleza |
| UTC offset now | UTC−3 |
| Daylight saving time | Not observed since 2002 |
| Coordinates | 3.72° S, 38.54° W |
Time zone in Fortaleza
The clocks in Fortaleza follow America/Fortaleza and do not move with the seasons. The last daylight saving period here was in 2002. Since then the offset has stayed at UTC−3.
Although Brazil has 4 different offsets, Fortaleza keeps the same time as Brasília.
Clock changes in Fortaleza, 2026 and 2027
No clock changes are scheduled in Fortaleza for 2026 or 2027.
How far ahead or behind Fortaleza is
When it is 9:00 AM in Fortaleza, it is 12:00 PM in London, 11:00 PM in Sydney and 4:00 AM in Los Angeles.
| City | Time now | Difference now | In January | In July | Shared office hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brasília | --:-- | Same time | Same time | Same time | 8 h |
| New York (United States) | --:-- | 2 h behind | 2 h behind | 1 h behind | 6 h |
| Los Angeles (United States) | --:-- | 5 h behind | 5 h behind | 4 h behind | 3 h |
| London (United Kingdom) | --:-- | 3 h ahead | 3 h ahead | 4 h ahead | 5 h |
| Paris (France) | --:-- | 4 h ahead | 4 h ahead | 5 h ahead | 4 h |
| Dubai (United Arab Emirates) | --:-- | 7 h ahead | 7 h ahead | 7 h ahead | 1 h |
| Mumbai (India) | --:-- | 8 h 30 min ahead | 8 h 30 min ahead | 8 h 30 min ahead | None |
| Singapore | --:-- | 11 h ahead | 11 h ahead | 11 h ahead | None |
| Tokyo (Japan) | --:-- | 12 h ahead | 12 h ahead | 12 h ahead | None |
| Sydney (Australia) | --:-- | 14 h ahead | 14 h ahead | 13 h ahead | None |
| UTC | --:-- | 3 h ahead | 3 h ahead | 3 h ahead | 5 h |
Fortaleza never changes its clocks, but many of these cities do. Where the January and July columns disagree, the gap shifts when the other city moves to or from daylight saving time.
Shared office hours counts the time when the clock reads between 9 AM and 5 PM in both cities on the same day.
Sunrise and sunset in Fortaleza
Today
| Sunrise | --:-- |
|---|---|
| Sunset | --:-- |
| Day length | -- |
| Solar noon | --:-- |
Close to the equator, days in Fortaleza last between 11 hours 54 minutes and 12 hours 20 minutes, so evenings get dark at about the same time all year.
Daylight through the year in Fortaleza
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | March 20 | 5:38 AM | 5:45 PM | 12 h 7 min |
| June solstice | June 21 | 5:39 AM | 5:33 PM | 11 h 54 min |
| September equinox | September 22 | 5:24 AM | 5:30 PM | 12 h 6 min |
| December solstice | December 21 | 5:22 AM | 5:43 PM | 12 h 20 min |
Clock time and sun time in Fortaleza
Fortaleza lies close to the centre of its time zone, so the sun is highest at about 11:35 AM on standard time, close to clock noon.
Cities near Fortaleza
All the places listed below keep the same time as Fortaleza.
| City | Distance | Time now | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maracanaú | 20 km (12 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Itapipoca | 118 km (73 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Sobral | 201 km (125 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Mossoró | 211 km (131 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
Other cities on America/Fortaleza time
These cities use America/Fortaleza, the same time zone as Fortaleza.
Same time now, different rules
These places read the same time as Fortaleza today but follow different rules, so they can drift apart when clocks change.
More cities in Brazil
- São Paulo
- Rio de Janeiro
- Belo Horizonte
- Salvador
- Manaus
- Brasília
- Curitiba
- Recife
- Goiânia
- Belém
- Porto Alegre
- Guarulhos
All time zones and cities in Brazil
Plan around the time in Fortaleza
- Convert a time to or from Fortaleza: pick a date and time and see it in every city on your list.
- Add Fortaleza to your world clock to keep it next to your own time.
- Find a meeting time that falls inside office hours in Fortaleza and the other cities you work with.
- Open a full-screen clock for your own time zone.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is Fortaleza in?
Fortaleza uses the America/Fortaleza time zone, which is UTC−3 all year.
Does Fortaleza use daylight saving time?
Not any more. Fortaleza last changed its clocks for daylight saving time in 2002 and now stays on UTC−3 all year.
What is the time difference between Fortaleza and London?
Fortaleza is 3 hours behind London in January and 4 hours behind London in July, because London moves its clocks for daylight saving time and Fortaleza does not.
Is Fortaleza on the same time as Brasília?
Yes. Fortaleza and Brasília both use UTC−3 right now.
How long is the longest day in Fortaleza?
About 12 hours 20 minutes, around the December solstice. The shortest day, around the June solstice, has about 11 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.