Time Zone History

Brazil time zone history

Brazil has 16 zones of its own in the tz database. Standard times run from UTC−5 (Eirunepé) to UTC−2 (Fernando de Noronha), a spread of 3 hours. None of the 16 zones changes clocks today; the last seasonal change in any of them was in 2019. The Rio Branco zone has changed standard time most often since 1970: twice.

16 zones · 0 with seasonal clock changes under the rules in tzdata 2026f · Convert a time

The 16 zones of Brazil since 1970

the zone’s standard time today1 hour ahead1 hour behindthe zone’s standard time today1 hour ahead1 hour behind

How to read this chart

197019801990200020102020Fernando de NoronhaAraguaínaBahiaBelémFortalezaMaceióRecifeSantarémSão PauloBoa VistaCampo GrandeCuiabáManausPorto VelhoEirunepéRio Branco197019902010Fernando de NoronhaAraguaínaBahiaBelémFortalezaMaceióRecifeSantarémSão PauloBoa VistaCampo GrandeCuiabáManausPorto VelhoEirunepéRio Branco

Zones at a glance

ZoneArea coveredStandard timeClock changes todayNew standard times since 1970
Fernando de NoronhaAtlantic islands (Fernando de Noronha)UTC−2no, last in 20020
AraguaínaTocantinsUTC−3no, last in 20130
BahiaBahiaUTC−3no, last in 20120
BelémEast Pará and AmapáUTC−3no, last in 19880
FortalezaMaranhão, Piauí, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, ParaíbaUTC−3no, last in 20020
MaceióAlagoas, SergipeUTC−3no, last in 20020
RecifePernambucoUTC−3no, last in 20020
SantarémWest ParáUTC−3no, last in 19881
São PauloGoiás, Federal District, Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do SulUTC−3no, last in 20190
Boa VistaRoraimaUTC−4no, last in 20000
Campo GrandeMato Grosso do SulUTC−4no, last in 20190
CuiabáMato GrossoUTC−4no, last in 20190
ManausEast AmazonasUTC−4no, last in 19940
Porto VelhoRondôniaUTC−4no, last in 19880
EirunepéWest AmazonasUTC−5no, last in 19942
Rio BrancoAcreUTC−5no, last in 19882

What sets each zone apart

  • Fernando de Noronha: Daylight saving time was used in 10 years since 1970, last in 2002; under the current rules the clocks no longer change.
  • Araguaína: Daylight saving time was used in 17 years since 1970, last in 2013; under the current rules the clocks no longer change.
  • Bahia: Daylight saving time was used in 21 years since 1970, last in 2012; under the current rules the clocks no longer change.
  • Belém: Daylight saving time was used in 4 years since 1970, last in 1988; under the current rules the clocks no longer change.
  • Fortaleza: On standard time, clocks at Fortaleza run 26 minutes behind local mean solar time, the tenth-largest gap of the 79 zones whose clocks run behind the sun. Daylight saving time was used in 10 years since 1970, last in 2002; under the current rules the clocks no longer change.
  • Maceió: On standard time, clocks at Maceió run 37 minutes behind local mean solar time, the third-largest gap of the 79 zones whose clocks run behind the sun. Daylight saving time was used in 12 years since 1970, last in 2002; under the current rules the clocks no longer change.
  • Recife: On standard time, clocks at Recife run 40 minutes behind local mean solar time, the second-largest gap of the 79 zones whose clocks run behind the sun. Daylight saving time was used in 10 years since 1970, last in 2002; under the current rules the clocks no longer change.
  • Santarém: On standard time, clocks at Santarém run 39 minutes ahead of local mean solar time, the largest gap of the 8 zones in Brazil whose clocks run ahead of the sun. Daylight saving time was used in 4 years since 1970, last in 1988; under the current rules the clocks no longer change.
  • São Paulo: Daylight saving time was used in 35 years since 1970, last in 2019; under the current rules the clocks no longer change. Clocks have been changed 68 times since 1970, tied for the most among the 16 zones in Brazil.
  • Boa Vista: Daylight saving time was used in 6 years since 1970, last in 2000; under the current rules the clocks no longer change.
  • Campo Grande: Daylight saving time was used in 35 years since 1970, last in 2019; under the current rules the clocks no longer change. On standard time, clocks at Campo Grande run 22 minutes behind local mean solar time, the largest gap of the 5 zones on UTC−4 standard time whose clocks run behind the sun.
  • Cuiabá: Daylight saving time was used in 35 years since 1970, last in 2019; under the current rules the clocks no longer change.
  • Manaus: Daylight saving time was used in 6 years since 1970, last in 1994; under the current rules the clocks no longer change.
  • Porto Velho: Daylight saving time was used in 4 years since 1970, last in 1988; under the current rules the clocks no longer change.
  • Eirunepé: The Eirunepé zone has changed its standard time twice since 1970, tied for the most among the 16 zones in Brazil. The latest change of standard time came on November 10, 2013, from UTC−4 to UTC−5.
  • Rio Branco: On standard time, clocks at Rio Branco run 29 minutes behind local mean solar time, the sixth-largest gap of the 79 zones whose clocks run behind the sun. The Rio Branco zone has changed its standard time twice since 1970, tied for the most among the 16 zones in Brazil.

How the zones compare with Fernando de Noronha since 1970

  • Belém: usually 1 hour behind Fernando de Noronha; different on 504 days in 1985–1990 and 1999–2002.
  • Fortaleza: usually 1 hour behind Fernando de Noronha; different on 8 days in 1985–1990 and 1999–2002.
  • Recife: usually 1 hour behind Fernando de Noronha; different on 1 day in 1985–1990 and 1999–2002.
  • Araguaína: usually 1 hour behind Fernando de Noronha; different on 881 days in 1985–1990, 1995–2003, 2012 and 2013.
  • Maceió: usually 1 hour behind Fernando de Noronha; different on 127 days in 1985–1990, 1995, 1996 and 1999–2002.
  • Bahia: usually 1 hour behind Fernando de Noronha; different on 1,476 days in 1985–2003, 2011 and 2012.
  • São Paulo: usually 1 hour behind Fernando de Noronha; different on 3,287 days in 1985–2019.
  • Campo Grande: usually 2 hours behind Fernando de Noronha; different on 3,287 days in 1985–2019.
  • Cuiabá: usually 2 hours behind Fernando de Noronha; different on 3,168 days in 1985–2019.
  • Santarém: usually 2 hours behind Fernando de Noronha; different on 7,269 days in 1985–1990, 1999–2002 and 2008–2026; 1 hour behind today.
  • Porto Velho: usually 2 hours behind Fernando de Noronha; different on 504 days in 1985–1990 and 1999–2002.
  • Boa Vista: usually 2 hours behind Fernando de Noronha; different on 351 days in 1985–1990 and 1999–2002.
  • Manaus: usually 2 hours behind Fernando de Noronha; different on 630 days in 1985–1990, 1993, 1994 and 1999–2002.
  • Eirunepé: usually 3 hours behind Fernando de Noronha; different on 2,595 days in 1985–1990, 1993, 1994, 1999–2002 and 2008–2013.
  • Rio Branco: usually 3 hours behind Fernando de Noronha; different on 2,470 days in 1985–1990, 1999–2002 and 2008–2013.

Daylight saving periods shared by 4 zones since 1970

Belém, Porto Velho, Rio Branco and Santarém have changed their clocks on the same days since 1970. Times are local clock times before each change.

YearsClocks go forwardClocks go backShift and labels
1985November 2not that year1 hour
1986October 25March 151 hour
1987October 25February 141 hour
1988not that yearFebruary 71 hour

Every change of standard time since 1970

5 changes across the 16 zones, oldest first.