How many time zones does the US have?

The United States has six time zones counting all territories: Eastern (UTC-5/-4), Central (UTC-6/-5), Mountain (UTC-7/-6), Pacific (UTC-8/-7), Alaska (UTC-9/-8), and Hawaii-Aleutian (UTC-10).

What time is it in New York when it's noon in Brasília?

When it's 12pm in Brasília, it's 10am in New York during US winter (November to March) and 11am during US summer (March to November). The gap is 2 or 1 hour.

Does the US have daylight saving time in 2026?

Yes. US daylight saving time in 2026 starts on March 8 and ends on November 1. Only Arizona (except the Navajo Nation) and Hawaii do not change clocks.

What is the largest time difference between Brazil and the US?

The largest is between Brasília and Hawaii: 6 hours year-round. Between Brasília and Los Angeles the difference is 5 hours in US winter and 4 hours in US summer.

Time difference between Brazil and the United States: 2026 guide

May 2026

Calculating the time difference between Brazil and the United States sounds simple until you discover the US has six different time zones — and most of the country observes daylight saving time, while Brazil abolished its own in 2019. This guide explains, zone by zone, how to figure out exactly what time it is in any American city relative to Brasília.

What are the US time zones?

The contiguous US has four main zones. Counting Alaska and Hawaii, there are six in total:

Eastern Time (ET) — UTC-5 in winter / UTC-4 in summer. New York, Miami, Washington D.C., Boston, Orlando, Atlanta.
Central Time (CT) — UTC-6 / UTC-5. Chicago, Houston, Dallas, New Orleans, Minneapolis.
Mountain Time (MT) — UTC-7 / UTC-6. Denver, Phoenix (no DST), Salt Lake City, Albuquerque.
Pacific Time (PT) — UTC-8 / UTC-7. Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Las Vegas, San Diego.
Alaska Time — UTC-9 / UTC-8.
Hawaii-Aleutian Time — UTC-10 (Hawaii does not observe DST).

Time difference between Brasília and major US cities

Brasília is fixed at UTC-3 year-round. The differences below distinguish US standard time (November to March) from US daylight time (March to November).

New York and Miami (ET): 2 hours behind Brasília in US winter; 1 hour behind in US summer.
Chicago (CT): 3 hours behind in winter; 2 hours behind in summer.
Denver (MT): 4 hours behind in winter; 3 hours behind in summer.
Los Angeles and San Francisco (PT): 5 hours behind in winter; 4 hours behind in summer.
Honolulu (Hawaii): 6 hours behind Brasília year-round.

Why US daylight saving changes everything

Because Brazil has no DST and the US does, the gap shifts by one hour throughout the year. In March, when the US springs forward, the difference with Brasília shrinks by an hour. In November, when the US falls back, it widens by an hour.

In 2026, US daylight saving time starts on the second Sunday of March (March 8) and ends on the first Sunday of November (November 1). Arizona (except the Navajo Nation) and Hawaii do not change.

Best time to schedule a call with the US

If you're in Brazil and need to set up a meeting with someone in the US:

New York / Miami: 11am-5pm Brasília usually lands at 9am-3pm ET — comfortable for both sides.
Chicago / Dallas: 12pm-6pm Brasília works well.
Los Angeles / Seattle: 2pm-7pm Brasília maps to 9am-2pm PT.

How to check the exact time right now

Instead of doing DST math in your head, use the QueHoras converter. Clocks reflect US DST changes automatically and show the live time of any American city next to Brasília.

Frequently asked questions

How many time zones does the US have?: The United States has six time zones counting all territories: Eastern (UTC-5/-4), Central (UTC-6/-5), Mountain (UTC-7/-6), Pacific (UTC-8/-7), Alaska (UTC-9/-8), and Hawaii-Aleutian (UTC-10).
What time is it in New York when it's noon in Brasília?: When it's 12pm in Brasília, it's 10am in New York during US winter (November to March) and 11am during US summer (March to November). The gap is 2 or 1 hour.
Does the US have daylight saving time in 2026?: Yes. US daylight saving time in 2026 starts on March 8 and ends on November 1. Only Arizona (except the Navajo Nation) and Hawaii do not change clocks.
What is the largest time difference between Brazil and the US?: The largest is between Brasília and Hawaii: 6 hours year-round. Between Brasília and Los Angeles the difference is 5 hours in US winter and 4 hours in US summer.