Current time in Hartford, CT
Eastern Time UTC−5 · IANA zone America/New_York
Time zone details
| Time zone | Eastern Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Standard time | EST, UTC−5 (early Nov – mid Mar) |
| Daylight time | EDT, UTC−4 (mid Mar – early Nov) |
| DST clock change | Forward 1 h, 2nd Sunday of March · Back 1 h, 1st Sunday of November |
| Sunrise today | — |
| Sunset today | — |
| Day length | — |
| Coordinates | 41.77° N, 72.67° W |
Time difference from Hartford
| City | Local time now |
|---|---|
| Chicago | −1 h |
| Denver | −2 h |
| Phoenix | −2 / −3 h |
| Los Angeles | −3 h |
| Anchorage | −4 h |
| Honolulu | −5 / −6 h |
Hartford, New Haven, New York, and the whole Eastern Time Zone read one and the same clock.
About time in Hartford
Hartford is Connecticut's capital, on the west bank of the Connecticut River in historic Hartford County. Connecticut is Eastern Time from border to border, and its clock has been in lockstep with New York's since railroad standard time took hold in the 1880s — essential for a state whose commuter rail lines feed Manhattan.
The city's signature industry runs on the zone: Hartford's insurance carriers, among the oldest in the country, keep trading and claims desks aligned to the 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM Eastern session of the New York markets.
Longitude 72.7° W puts solar noon around 11:51 AM EST, roughly 9 minutes before the clock says noon. Daylight stretches from about 9 hours 10 minutes at the winter solstice to a bit over 15 hours in late June, when Hartford's sun sets near 8:30 PM.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is Hartford in?
Hartford, the Connecticut capital, is in the Eastern Time Zone (ET). It keeps EST (UTC−5) in the cold months and EDT (UTC−4) from the second Sunday of March to the first Sunday of November.
How far ahead is Hartford of Los Angeles?
Hartford leads Los Angeles by 3 hours in every season, because the Eastern and Pacific zones enter and leave daylight saving time together. See the EST to PST chart.
Does Hartford change clocks for daylight saving time?
Yes. In Hartford clocks advance one hour at 2:00 AM on the second Sunday of March and return at 2:00 AM on the first Sunday of November (March 8 and November 1 in 2026). Full dates on the DST page.