Time & Dates

What Is a UTC Offset?

A UTC offset is the difference in hours and minutes between a location's local time and Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). It is written as UTC+ or UTC− followed by the difference, for example UTC−4 for New York in summer or UTC+5:30 for India. Local time = UTC + offset.

Offsets Change With DST

A region that observes daylight saving time has two offsets during the year, one for standard time and one for summer time.

ISO Notation

In ISO 8601 timestamps, the offset is appended to the time, as in 2026-06-01T14:00+05:30.

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🔗 Related Terms

Time Zone Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) Daylight Saving Time (DST) ISO 8601 Date Format Unix Time

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Last updated: September 27, 2026. This definition is for general educational purposes only. It is not financial, investment, tax, legal, or medical advice, and it does not recommend any product or course of action. For decisions about your own situation, consult a qualified professional.