Time in Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Australia 🇦🇺
The current local time in Australian Capital Territory, Australia is anchored on Canberra. The state uses the Australia/Sydney time zone (UTC +11:00).
Australian Capital Territory local time
Friday, 23 October 2026 AEDT
State information
Australian Capital Territory
State of Australia
Population: 426,704
Code: ACT
Time zone
IANA: Australia/Sydney
UTC offset: +11:00
Daylight saving: Yes — back 5 April, forward 4 October
Country: Australia
How time works in Australian Capital Territory
The ACT keeps the same clock as New South Wales: AEST in winter and AEDT (UTC +11:00) during daylight saving time.
Time difference across Australia
How the clock in Australian Capital Territory compares with other Australia regions on this site. Where the January and July figures differ, only one side observes daylight saving time.
| Region | Time zone | January | July |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western Australia | Australia/Perth | −3 h | −2 h |
| Queensland | Australia/Brisbane | −1 h | Same time |
| South Australia | Australia/Adelaide | −0:30 h | −0:30 h |
| New South Wales | Australia/Sydney | Same time | Same time |
| Victoria | Australia/Melbourne | Same time | Same time |
Public holidays in Australian Capital Territory in 2026
15 public holidays apply in Australian Capital Territory, 5 of them regional (marked below) and not observed across all of Australia.
| Date | Holiday | |
|---|---|---|
| Thu 1 Jan | New Year's Day | |
| Mon 26 Jan | Australia Day | |
| Mon 9 Mar | Canberra Day | Regional |
| Fri 3 Apr | Good Friday | |
| Sat 4 Apr | Easter Saturday | |
| Sun 5 Apr | Easter Sunday | |
| Mon 6 Apr | Easter Monday | |
| Sat 25 Apr | Anzac Day | |
| Mon 27 Apr | Anzac Day (substitute day) | Regional |
| Mon 1 Jun | Reconciliation Day | Regional |
| Mon 8 Jun | King's Birthday | Regional |
| Mon 5 Oct | Labour Day | Regional |
| Fri 25 Dec | Christmas Day | |
| Sat 26 Dec | Boxing Day | |
| Mon 28 Dec | Boxing Day (substitute day) |
Australian Capital Territory vs. major cities
How far Australian Capital Territory is from the world's main business centres right now, what time it is there when the working day starts in Australian Capital Territory, and which hours of a 09:00–17:00 day the two places share. Daylight saving changes are applied automatically.
| City | Difference | At 09:00 in Australian Capital Territory | Shared office hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York · United States | −15 h | 18:00 (prev. day) | None |
| Los Angeles · United States | −18 h | 15:00 (prev. day) | 09:00–11:00 |
| São Paulo · Brazil | −14 h | 19:00 (prev. day) | None |
| London · United Kingdom | −10 h | 23:00 (prev. day) | None |
| Paris · France | −9 h | 00:00 | None |
| Johannesburg · South Africa | −9 h | 00:00 | None |
| Dubai · United Arab Emirates | −7 h | 02:00 | 16:00–17:00 |
| Delhi · India | −5:30 h | 03:30 | 14:30–17:00 |
| Singapore · Singapore | −3 h | 06:00 | 12:00–17:00 |
| Beijing · China | −3 h | 06:00 | 12:00–17:00 |
Shared office hours are shown in Australian Capital Territory time. Compare any set of cities hour by hour in the time zone converter, or pick a slot that suits everyone with the event planner.
Clock changes in Australian Capital Territory
Since 1970, Australian Capital Territory has gone through 3 distinct time-keeping periods, observing daylight saving time in 55 of 57 years. The current pattern, in place since 1972, is UTC +10:00 with UTC +11:00 in daylight saving time. Clocks currently go forward on the first Sunday in October and back on the first Sunday in April, a rule in place since 2008.
| Date | Change | Local clock | New offset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday, 5 April 2026 | Back 1 hour | 03:00 → 02:00 | UTC +10:00 |
| Sunday, 4 October 2026 | Forward 1 hour | 02:00 → 03:00 | UTC +11:00 |
| Sunday, 4 April 2027 | Back 1 hour | 03:00 → 02:00 | UTC +10:00 |
| Sunday, 3 October 2027 | Forward 1 hour | 02:00 → 03:00 | UTC +11:00 |
When clocks go forward, sunrise and sunset both happen an hour later by the clock — darker mornings, lighter evenings — and the night of the change is an hour shorter. When they go back, the reverse applies.
Time zone history since 1970 (3 periods)
| Years | Offset | Daylight saving |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | UTC +10:00 all year | No daylight saving time |
| 1971 | UTC +11:00 all year | No daylight saving time |
| 1972–2026 | UTC +10:00, DST UTC +11:00 | Forward on the first Sunday in October, back on the first Sunday in April (since 2008) |
Source: IANA tz database, as shipped with the Unicode ICU library.
Other cities in the same time zone
Australian Capital Territory time questions
- What time zone is Australian Capital Territory in?
- Most of Australian Capital Territory uses the Australia/Sydney time zone: UTC +10:00, +11:00 during DST. Some areas differ — see the notes on this page.
- Does Australian Capital Territory observe daylight saving time?
- Yes. In 2026 clocks go back on Sunday, 5 April 2026 at 03:00 and go forward on Sunday, 4 October 2026 at 02:00.
- How many public holidays does Australian Capital Territory have in 2026?
- 15 public holidays apply in Australian Capital Territory in 2026, including 5 that are not on the national list: Canberra Day (Monday 9 March), Anzac Day (substitute day) (Monday 27 April), Reconciliation Day (Monday 1 June), King's Birthday (Monday 8 June), Labour Day (Monday 5 October).
Explore Australian Capital Territory
More on Australian Capital Territory: the country overview, the exact IANA zone, and tools for Canberra.