12 de January, 2026
Would you know what time it is in Portugal right now? It may seem like a small detail, but knowing about the time zone in Portugal makes all the difference for those who travel, work remotely, or need to organize calls with someone in the country.
❗⏰ Attention: Time in Portugal will change again on March 29, 2026, from Saturday to Sunday. On this date, clocks must be set forward by one hour: at 1:00 a.m., they move directly to 2:00 a.m., marking the start of daylight saving time.
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
What time zone is Portugal in? Basically, Portugal has two time zones:
In practice, this means that Lisbon, Porto, and Coimbra follow the same time, while Ponta Delgada (Azores) is one hour behind.
Portugal follows London time — that is, UTC+0 for most of the year.
During daylight saving time, it changes to UTC+1.
UTC stands for Coordinated Universal Time. It is the international time standard used worldwide as a reference for time zones, telecommunications, aviation, navigation systems, the internet, and official records.
UTC is the reference, so it does not change.
It is calculated from atomic clocks and adjusted based on Earth’s rotation (with the addition of “leap seconds” when necessary).
Local time zones are defined as differences from UTC (Coordinated Universal Time), either positive or negative.
For example, mainland Portugal is usually UTC+0 in winter and UTC+1 in summer.
New York, on the other hand, is UTC−5 in winter and UTC−4 in summer.
So, if we say that an event happens at 3 p.m. UTC in winter, that means:
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⚠️ Attention: The time difference between Portugal and New York changes throughout the year due to daylight saving time in both regions.
Portugal is 5 hours ahead of New York.
➡️ Example: 9 a.m. in New York → 2 p.m. in Lisbon
The difference decreases to 4 hours, since both regions move their clocks forward.
➡️ Example: 9 a.m. in New York → 1 p.m. in Lisbon
Reversing the calculation:
Like most European countries, Portugal adjusts its clocks one hour forward between March and October to make better use of daylight and save energy — making summer days feel longer.
The European Union has discussed ending the biannual time change, but the proposal has not been approved.
For now, Portugal continues to switch between summer and winter time every year.
Portugal and the United Kingdom share the same time zone — Greenwich Mean Time (GMT/UTC+0) in winter and GMT+1 in summer.
This alignment reflects their strong historical, commercial, and cultural ties.
If you’re unsure about time zones, use one of these tools:
Knowing the time in Portugal helps you plan meetings, calls, or trips without confusion — especially if you work remotely or have family across the Atlantic. If relocating to Portugal is part of your plans, knowing the time zone is just the first step. With European citizenship, your adaptation becomes even easier.
Contact our consultants and start your journey to Portugal today!
Author:
Silvia Resende
The Fiscal Identification Number - NIF (or Taxpayer Number) is a sequential number assigned to individuals to identify them before the Tax Administration of Portugal. It is tax equivalent to the SSN in USA.
Author:
Atlantic Bridge
30 de September, 2023
