UK to US Time Difference by City: New York, Chicago, Denver and Los Angeles
The usual gaps between the UK and the US are five, six, seven and eight hours, but for several weeks a year each one shrinks by an hour.
The normal gap
New York: 5 hours behind the UK all year, apart from the weeks when the clocks are out of step.
Chicago: 6 hours behind the UK all year, apart from the weeks when the clocks are out of step.
Denver: 7 hours behind the UK all year, apart from the weeks when the clocks are out of step.
Los Angeles: 8 hours behind the UK all year, apart from the weeks when the clocks are out of step.
When the gap shrinks
The US changes its clocks on the second Sunday of March and the first Sunday of November, while the UK changes on the last Sundays of March and October. For about two to three weeks in spring and for one week in autumn, the UK is on a different clock from the US than for the rest of the year, and each gap is one hour smaller.
For example, from the UK clock change in late October to the US change a week later, New York is four hours behind London, not five. The converter pages for each city list the exact dates the gap changes.
Practical advice
Mark the changeover weeks in your calendar, and double-check the time of any call with a US colleague. Arizona and Hawaii do not change their clocks, so their gap with the UK varies by one hour through the year, in the opposite direction.
Frequently asked questions
What is the time difference between London and New York?
Five hours for most of the year, and four hours for about three weeks in spring and one week in autumn.
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.