Current time in Philadelphia, PA
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 | 39.95° N, 75.17° W |
Time difference from Philadelphia
| 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 |
Philadelphia keeps identical time with the rest of the Eastern Time Zone, including New York, Baltimore, and Pittsburgh.
About time in Philadelphia
Philadelphia's city and county have been one consolidated unit since 1854, and the 75th meridian west — the exact reference longitude from which Eastern Standard Time is calculated — passes through the metropolitan area. Clock noon and solar noon in Philadelphia therefore agree to within about a minute during standard time, a closer match than in almost any other large American city.
That same geography made the railroad changeover of November 18, 1883 gentle here: while towns elsewhere saw their clocks jump by up to half an hour when the railroads imposed standard zones, Philadelphia's local sun time already agreed with the new Eastern standard almost exactly.
At just under 40° N, the city gets about 9 hours 20 minutes of daylight at the winter solstice and a little under 15 hours in late June, when the sun sets around 8:30 PM.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is Philadelphia in?
Philadelphia is in the Eastern Time Zone (ET), keeping EST (UTC−5) in winter and EDT (UTC−4) from the second Sunday of March through the first Sunday of November.
How far ahead is Philadelphia of Los Angeles?
Philadelphia is 3 hours ahead of Los Angeles year-round; the difference holds steady because both coasts observe daylight saving time on the same dates. See the EST to PST chart.
Does Philadelphia change clocks for daylight saving time?
Yes. Philadelphia moves clocks ahead one hour at 2:00 AM on the second Sunday of March and back one hour at 2:00 AM on the first Sunday of November — in 2026, March 8 and November 1. Full dates on the DST page.