Current time in St. Petersburg, FL
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 | 27.77° N, 82.64° W |
Time difference from St. Petersburg
| 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 |
St. Petersburg's clock matches Tampa across the bay and the whole Eastern Time Zone, New York and Miami included.
About time in St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg occupies the Pinellas County peninsula between Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Like the rest of peninsular Florida it observes Eastern Time, even though it faces west over Gulf water.
Its "Sunshine City" nickname once carried a measurable guarantee: the local Evening Independent newspaper gave its edition away free on any day the sun failed to shine, a standing offer the paper honored from 1910 until it closed in 1986.
Facing west while keeping East Coast clocks means late Gulf sunsets by zone standards — around 8:25 PM EDT at the June solstice — while December sunsets still hold on past 5:35 PM.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is St. Petersburg in?
St. Petersburg is on Eastern Time (ET), like the entire Florida peninsula: EST (UTC−5) from November to March and EDT (UTC−4) the rest of the year.
How far ahead of Los Angeles is St. Petersburg?
St. Petersburg stays 3 hours ahead of Los Angeles in every season — both cities follow the same daylight saving schedule.
Does St. Petersburg use daylight saving time?
Yes. Clocks in St. Petersburg go forward an hour at 2:00 AM on the second Sunday of March and back an hour at 2:00 AM on the first Sunday of November. In 2026 the dates are March 8 and November 1 — see the DST page.