Natal keeps UTC−3 all year. There is no daylight saving time, so the clock never changes.
Natal and your time
Natal at a glance
| Country | Brazil |
|---|---|
| Region | Rio Grande do Norte |
| Time zone | America/Fortaleza |
| UTC offset now | UTC−3 |
| Daylight saving time | Not observed since 2002 |
| Coordinates | 5.79° S, 35.21° W |
Natal time zone and clock changes
Local time in Natal is UTC−3 year round, under the America/Fortaleza rules. Daylight saving time was used in the past, most recently in 2002, and no future change is scheduled.
Although Brazil has 4 different offsets, Natal keeps the same time as Brasília.
Clock changes in Natal, 2026 and 2027
No clock changes are scheduled in Natal for 2026 or 2027.
Natal time compared with major cities
A 9:00 AM start in Natal 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 |
Because Natal keeps one offset all year, any change in the gap comes from the other city’s daylight saving time. Compare the January and July columns.
Shared office hours is the part of a 9 AM to 5 PM local working day that both cities have in common. Weekends are not taken into account.
Sunrise, sunset and day length in Natal
Today
| Sunrise | --:-- |
|---|---|
| Sunset | --:-- |
| Day length | -- |
| Solar noon | --:-- |
Being in the tropics, Natal sees little change in day length: the longest day (12 hours 28 minutes) is only 41 minutes longer than the shortest (11 hours 47 minutes). Sunrise stays between 4:54 AM and 5:32 AM all year.
Daylight through the year in Natal
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | March 20 | 5:25 AM | 5:31 PM | 12 h 7 min |
| June solstice | June 21 | 5:29 AM | 5:16 PM | 11 h 47 min |
| September equinox | September 22 | 5:10 AM | 5:17 PM | 12 h 6 min |
| December solstice | December 21 | 5:05 AM | 5:33 PM | 12 h 28 min |
Clock time and sun time in Natal
Clock time and sun time line up fairly well in Natal: solar noon falls at about 11:20 AM on standard time.
Places close to Natal
All the places listed below keep the same time as Natal.
| City | Distance | Time now | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| São Gonçalo do Amarante | 13 km (8 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Parnamirim | 15 km (9 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Santa Rita | 149 km (93 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| João Pessoa | 152 km (94 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Campina Grande | 176 km (109 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Igarassu | 229 km (142 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Mossoró | 246 km (153 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Recife | 254 km (158 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
Other cities on America/Fortaleza time
These cities use America/Fortaleza, the same time zone as Natal.
Same time now, different rules
These places read the same time as Natal 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
- Fortaleza
- Manaus
- Brasília
- Curitiba
- Recife
- Goiânia
- Belém
- Porto Alegre
All time zones and cities in Brazil
Plan around the time in Natal
- Convert a time to or from Natal: pick a date and time and see it in every city on your list.
- Add Natal to your world clock to keep it next to your own time.
- Find a meeting time that falls inside office hours in Natal and the other cities you work with.
- Open a full-screen clock for your own time zone.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is Natal in?
Natal uses the America/Fortaleza time zone, which is UTC−3 all year.
Does Natal use daylight saving time?
Not any more. Natal last changed its clocks for daylight saving time in 2002 and now stays on UTC−3 all year.
What is the time difference between Natal and London?
Natal is 3 hours behind London in January and 4 hours behind London in July, because London moves its clocks for daylight saving time and Natal does not.
Is Natal on the same time as Brasília?
Yes. Natal and Brasília both use UTC−3 right now.
How long is the longest day in Natal?
About 12 hours 28 minutes, around the December solstice. The shortest day, around the June solstice, has about 11 hours 47 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.