🇪🇸 Time in Spain Now
Current local time in Spain. Timezone: CET / CEST (UTC+1 / UTC+2).
Current Time in Spain Cities
Local time across major cities in Spain, updated every second.
Time Difference from Spain
See how Spain compares to other major cities worldwide.
| City | Current Time | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| New York | --:-- | -- |
| Los Angeles | --:-- | -- |
| Chicago | --:-- | -- |
| London | --:-- | -- |
| City | Current Time | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Berlin | --:-- | -- |
| Tokyo | --:-- | -- |
| Sydney | --:-- | -- |
| Dubai | --:-- | -- |
Key Facts About Time in Spain
Madrid is 6 hours ahead of New York (EST)
Spain geographically should be UTC+0 but uses UTC+1
The Canary Islands are 1 hour behind mainland Spain
Spain changed to CET during WWII to align with Germany
Spanish dinner time (9-10 PM) is partly due to the timezone offset
About Spain Time (CET / CEST)
Mainland Spain uses Central European Time (CET, UTC+1) despite geographically being aligned with the UK and Portugal (UTC+0). This was changed during WWII to align with Germany and never reverted. The Canary Islands use Western European Time (WET, UTC+0), one hour behind the mainland. Spain follows EU DST rules.
Scheduling Across Time Zones
When scheduling meetings or calls with people in Spain, remember that CET / CEST is UTC+1 / UTC+2. Spain observes Daylight Saving Time, so the offset changes seasonally. Always double-check the current offset during spring and autumn transitions.
For business coordination, the standard working hours in Spain are approximately 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM CET / CEST. Use the time difference table above to find overlapping business hours between Spain and your location.
Timekeeping in Spain
Spain has 5 major cities tracked on this page: Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Canary Islands. Some of these cities may be in different time zones within the country.
Modern devices automatically adjust for CET / CEST using the IANA timezone database, which tracks every timezone and DST rule globally. When traveling to Spain, most smartphones and laptops will update to local time automatically when connected to a local network.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is it in Spain right now?
The current time in Spain is shown live at the top of this page. Spain uses CET / CEST (UTC+1 / UTC+2). The clock updates every second using the IANA timezone Europe/Madrid.
Does Spain use Daylight Saving Time?
Yes, Spain observes Daylight Saving Time (DST). During DST, clocks are moved forward by one hour. Check the current offset shown on this page to see if DST is currently active.
What is the time difference between Spain and New York?
The time difference is calculated live in the comparison table above. Note that the difference may change by an hour during Daylight Saving Time transitions in either location. Check the live table for the exact current difference.
What timezone abbreviation does Spain use?
Spain uses CET / CEST, which stands for the timezone at UTC+1 / UTC+2 from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The abbreviation may change during DST periods.
What is the IANA timezone for Spain?
The primary IANA timezone identifier for Spain is Europe/Madrid. This is used by computers, smartphones, and programming languages to accurately determine the local time, including historical timezone changes and DST rules.
Time in Other Locations
Check the current time in other popular destinations around the world.