Kinshasa runs on UTC+1 (WAT) every day of the year, with no daylight saving time.
Kinshasa and your time
Kinshasa at a glance
| Country | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
|---|---|
| Region | Kinshasa |
| Capital of | the Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Time zone | Africa/Kinshasa |
| Abbreviation now | WAT |
| UTC offset now | UTC+1 |
| Daylight saving time | Not observed |
| Coordinates | 4.33° S, 15.31° E |
Kinshasa time zone and clock changes
The clocks in Kinshasa follow Africa/Kinshasa and keep UTC+1 through every season. No daylight saving time has been recorded here since 1970.
As the capital, Kinshasa sets the reference time for many national schedules, but the Democratic Republic of the Congo spans 2 offsets. The other zones are listed under the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Clock changes in Kinshasa, 2026 and 2027
No clock changes are scheduled in Kinshasa for 2026 or 2027.
How far ahead or behind Kinshasa is
A 9:00 AM start in Kinshasa is 3:00 AM in New York, 7:00 PM in Sydney and 12:00 AM in Los Angeles.
| City | Time now | Difference now | In January | In July | Shared office hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York (United States) | --:-- | 6 h behind | 6 h behind | 5 h behind | 2 h |
| Los Angeles (United States) | --:-- | 9 h behind | 9 h behind | 8 h behind | None |
| London (United Kingdom) | --:-- | 1 h behind | 1 h behind | Same time | 7 h |
| Paris (France) | --:-- | Same time | Same time | 1 h ahead | 8 h |
| Dubai (United Arab Emirates) | --:-- | 3 h ahead | 3 h ahead | 3 h ahead | 5 h |
| Mumbai (India) | --:-- | 4 h 30 min ahead | 4 h 30 min ahead | 4 h 30 min ahead | 3 h 30 min |
| Singapore | --:-- | 7 h ahead | 7 h ahead | 7 h ahead | 1 h |
| Tokyo (Japan) | --:-- | 8 h ahead | 8 h ahead | 8 h ahead | None |
| Sydney (Australia) | --:-- | 10 h ahead | 10 h ahead | 9 h ahead | None |
| UTC | --:-- | 1 h behind | 1 h behind | 1 h behind | 7 h |
Kinshasa 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 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 and sunset in Kinshasa
Today
| Sunrise | --:-- |
|---|---|
| Sunset | --:-- |
| Day length | -- |
| Solar noon | --:-- |
Day length barely moves in Kinshasa, from 11 hours 52 minutes to 12 hours 23 minutes. Sunrise and sunset shift by less than an hour across the year.
Daylight through the year in Kinshasa
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | March 20 | 6:03 AM | 6:09 PM | 12 h 7 min |
| June solstice | June 21 | 6:04 AM | 5:57 PM | 11 h 52 min |
| September equinox | September 23 | 5:48 AM | 5:54 PM | 12 h 7 min |
| December solstice | December 21 | 5:46 AM | 6:08 PM | 12 h 23 min |
Clock time and sun time in Kinshasa
Kinshasa lies close to the centre of its time zone, so the sun is highest at about 12:00 PM on standard time, close to clock noon.
Cities near Kinshasa
All the places listed below keep the same time as Kinshasa.
| City | Distance | Time now | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inkisi | 94 km (58 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Mbanza-Ngungu | 115 km (72 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Nkayi (Republic of the Congo) | 225 km (140 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Mbanza Kongo (Angola) | 246 km (153 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Bandundu | 255 km (159 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Matadi | 265 km (165 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Dolisie (Republic of the Congo) | 294 km (183 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
Same time now, different rules
These places read the same time as Kinshasa today but follow different rules, so they can drift apart when clocks change.
More cities in Democratic Republic of the Congo
All time zones and cities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Plan around the time in Kinshasa
- Convert a time to or from Kinshasa: pick a date and time and see it in every city on your list.
- Add Kinshasa to your world clock to keep it next to your own time.
- Find a meeting time that falls inside office hours in Kinshasa and the other cities you work with.
- Open a full-screen clock for your own time zone.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is Kinshasa in?
Kinshasa uses the Africa/Kinshasa time zone, which is UTC+1 (WAT) all year.
Does Kinshasa use daylight saving time?
No. Kinshasa stays on UTC+1 all year, so the time difference to places without daylight saving time never changes.
What is the time difference between Kinshasa and New York?
Kinshasa is 6 hours ahead of New York in January and 5 hours ahead of New York in July, because New York moves its clocks for daylight saving time and Kinshasa does not.
How long is the longest day in Kinshasa?
About 12 hours 23 minutes, around the December solstice. The shortest day, around the June solstice, has about 11 hours 52 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.