Current time in Wilmington, DE
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 | 39.74° N, 75.54° W |
Time difference from Wilmington
| 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 |
Wilmington ticks together with Philadelphia, 30 miles up I-95, and the rest of the Eastern Time Zone.
About time in Wilmington
Wilmington is the seat of New Castle County and Delaware's largest city; all three of the state's counties observe Eastern Time.
At 75.54° W it sits almost exactly on the 75° W meridian from which Eastern Standard Time is reckoned, so clock noon and solar noon differ by barely two minutes in winter — about as close as American zone time comes to true sun time.
Wilmington's clock also matters far beyond the city: filing deadlines in Delaware's Court of Chancery and the state's corporate registry — home to well over a million business entities — are all expressed in Eastern Time.
Time in cities near Wilmington
| City | Distance | Local time now |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia, PA | 25 mi | Eastern Time |
| Baltimore, MD | 65 mi | Eastern Time |
| Newark, NJ | 100 mi | Eastern Time |
| Jersey City, NJ | 104 mi | Eastern Time |
| New York, NY | 105 mi | Eastern Time |
| New Haven, CT | 175 mi | Eastern Time |
| Richmond, VA | 183 mi | Eastern Time |
| Virginia Beach, VA | 201 mi | Eastern Time |
More places: all Delaware cities · Eastern Time Zone · every US city
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is Wilmington in?
Wilmington, Delaware is on Eastern Time: EST (UTC−5) from early November to mid-March and EDT (UTC−4) the rest of the year. All three Delaware counties use the same zone.
What is the time difference between Wilmington and Los Angeles?
Wilmington keeps 3 hours ahead of Los Angeles year-round, because the Eastern and Pacific zones observe daylight saving time on matching dates. See the EST to PST chart.
Does Wilmington observe daylight saving time?
Yes. Wilmington moves clocks ahead at 2:00 AM on the second Sunday of March and back at 2:00 AM on the first Sunday of November — in 2026, March 8 and November 1. Full dates on the DST page.