Current Time in Chelmsford, England
The live time in Chelmsford (Essex), with the GMT or BST status, the next clock change and sunrise and sunset through the year.
About time in Chelmsford
Chelmsford became a city in 2012 and is a place of broadcasting history: Marconi opened the world's first purpose-built radio factory here in 1898, and the first regular entertainment broadcasts in the UK, by 2MT, were made from nearby Writtle in 1922. It lies east of Greenwich, so sunrise comes about two minutes earlier than in London.
Marconi's Chelmsford works produced radio equipment for ships and broadcasters around the world, and the legacy of the company is still visible in the city's engineering and technology firms.
The city is about 30 to 40 minutes by train from London Liverpool Street, and Essex County Cricket Club plays at the Cloud County Ground here.
- City status in 2012.
- Marconi's first radio factory opened here in 1898.
- About 35 minutes by train to Liverpool Street.
About 120,000 people live in Chelmsford. At 51.74 degrees north and 0.47 degrees east of Greenwich, true solar noon here falls about 2 minutes before clock noon. The clock itself always matches the rest of the UK.
Sunrise and sunset in Chelmsford through the year
Times for the 15th of each month in UK local time (GMT or BST). Calculated from the city's latitude and longitude.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 07:58 | 16:17 | 8h 19m |
| February | 07:13 | 17:12 | 9h 59m |
| March | 06:13 | 18:02 | 11h 49m |
| April | 06:02 | 19:54 | 13h 52m |
| May | 05:05 | 20:43 | 15h 38m |
| June | 04:39 | 21:18 | 16h 39m |
| July | 04:56 | 21:10 | 16h 14m |
| August | 05:42 | 20:22 | 14h 40m |
| September | 06:32 | 19:13 | 12h 42m |
| October | 07:21 | 18:05 | 10h 44m |
| November | 07:16 | 16:08 | 8h 52m |
| December | 07:58 | 15:47 | 7h 50m |
Chelmsford time compared with the world
| City | Time now | Gap to the UK |
|---|---|---|
| New York | --:-- | |
| Los Angeles | --:-- | |
| Chicago | --:-- | |
| Toronto | --:-- | |
| Dubai | --:-- | |
| India (Mumbai) | --:-- | |
| Karachi | --:-- | |
| Singapore | --:-- | |
| Sydney | --:-- | |
| Lagos | --:-- | |
| Johannesburg | --:-- | |
| Paris | --:-- |
Time in nearby cities
Clock change guides
- What Is Daylight Saving Time (DST)? A Plain-English GuideWhat daylight saving time is, how it works in the UK, Europe and the US, why it exists, its history, who uses it and the argument over scrapping it.
- Why Do the Clocks Go Back in October? The Real ReasonThe clocks go back in autumn to return the UK to GMT, so winter mornings are lighter. The history, the rule, what time it happens and what changes for you.
- When Do the Clocks Go Forward Again After Going Back?When the UK clocks go forward again after the autumn change, how long the UK stays on GMT, when evenings get lighter and how to remember to reset your clocks.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is Chelmsford in?
Chelmsford is in the UK time zone. It uses Greenwich Mean Time (GMT, UTC+0) in winter and British Summer Time (BST, UTC+1) in summer, the same as the rest of the UK.
When do the clocks change in Chelmsford?
The clocks go forward at 01:00 on the last Sunday of March and back at 02:00 on the last Sunday of October. In 2026 that is Sunday, 29 March 2026 and Sunday, 25 October 2026.
How much daylight does Chelmsford get in summer and winter?
Around 16h 41m at the June solstice and 7h 47m at the December solstice, based on its latitude of 51.7 degrees north.
Is Chelmsford on the same time as London?
Yes. All UK clocks show the same time. Because Chelmsford is 0.5 degrees east of Greenwich, solar noon here is about 2 minutes before clock noon (GMT), but the clocks do not differ.
What was 2MT?
The first regular radio entertainment broadcasts in the UK, made from Writtle near Chelmsford in 1922.
Is Chelmsford east of Greenwich?
Yes, by about half a degree, so solar noon is slightly earlier than in London.