The Benin time difference is +1 hour from London and +6 hours from New York in winter, and 0 hours and +5 hours in summer (UK and US daylight saving seasons; Benin does not change its clocks).
In practice, when it is noon in London it is 13:00 in Cotonou during UK winter time (GMT) and 12:00 during British Summer Time. When it is noon in New York, it is 18:00 in Cotonou during Eastern Standard Time and 17:00 during Eastern Daylight Time.
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Live local time
Calculated by your browser from the IANA time zone database.
Time in Benin: key facts
- Time zone: UTC+1, IANA identifier
Africa/Porto-Novo - Difference with London: +1 h in UK winter (GMT), 0 h during British Summer Time
- Difference with New York: +6 h during Eastern Standard Time, +5 h during Eastern Daylight Time
- Daylight saving in Benin: no, local time stays the same all year
- Next clock changes: UK on Sunday 25 October 2026 (BST to GMT) and Sunday 28 March 2027; US on Sunday 1 November 2026 (EDT to EST) and Sunday 14 March 2027
Time difference between London, New York and Benin
| Time in London | In Cotonou (UK winter, GMT) | In Cotonou (UK summer, BST) |
|---|---|---|
| 08:00 | 09:00 | 08:00 |
| 12:00 | 13:00 | 12:00 |
| 18:00 | 19:00 | 18:00 |
| 22:00 | 23:00 | 22:00 |
| Time in New York | In Cotonou (US winter, EST) | In Cotonou (US summer, EDT) |
|---|---|---|
| 08:00 (8 am) | 14:00 | 13:00 |
| 12:00 (noon) | 18:00 | 17:00 |
| 18:00 (6 pm) | 00:00 (next day) | 23:00 |
| 22:00 (10 pm) | 04:00 (next day) | 03:00 (next day) |
The difference of one hour between winter and summer comes from daylight saving time in the UK and the US; local time in Benin does not change.
Clock changes 2026–2027
Benin does not observe daylight saving time: local time stays at UTC+1 all year round. Only clock changes in your home country alter the gap.
Clocks change on the following dates (local time):
- UK, Sunday 25 October 2026: BST (UTC+1) to GMT (UTC+0)
- US, Sunday 1 November 2026: EDT (UTC−4) to EST (UTC−5) in New York
- US, Sunday 14 March 2027: EST (UTC−5) to EDT (UTC−4)
- UK, Sunday 28 March 2027: GMT (UTC+0) to BST (UTC+1)
- UK, Sunday 31 October 2027: BST (UTC+1) to GMT (UTC+0)
- US, Sunday 7 November 2027: EDT (UTC−4) to EST (UTC−5)
When to call Benin from the UK or the US
To reach someone between 09:00 and 20:00 Cotonou time, call between 08:00 and 19:00 London time in UK winter, and between 09:00 and 20:00 during British Summer Time. From New York, call between 03:00 and 14:00 during EST, and between 04:00 and 15:00 during EDT.
On 15 January 2027, office hours (09:00–17:00) overlap for 7 hours with London and for 2 hours with New York. Always state the time zone in your meeting invitations.
Time difference and jet lag: practical tips
With a gap of at most 1 hour from London, the trip does not disrupt your rhythm much; the main trap is forgetting to set your watch or calendar to local time for a booked train, tour or meeting. From North America the gap is larger (+6 hours from New York in winter), so a few simple rules help you adjust to local time:
- Set your watch and phone to local time as soon as you board.
- Align meals and bedtime with local time from the first day.
- Plan a light first day, with no important meetings or long drives.
- Get out in daylight when you arrive and avoid long naps.
- If you take medication at fixed times, ask your doctor how to adapt the schedule to the time difference.
Benin time zone: IANA identifier and history
| Zone | IANA identifier | Standard time on 15 January 2027 | On 15 July 2027 | Abbreviation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cotonou | Africa/Porto-Novo | UTC+1 | UTC+1 | WAT |
- Cotonou (
Africa/Porto-Novo): no clock change recorded since 1 January 1970.
No daylight saving time in Benin in 2027
The tz database lists no clock change in 2027 for Africa/Porto-Novo: standard time remains UTC+1 all year. Only the UK clock changes (Sunday 28 March and Sunday 31 October 2027) and the US clock changes (Sunday 14 March and Sunday 7 November 2027) alter the gap.
| 2027 period | Cotonou vs London | Cotonou vs New York |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January – 13 March | +1 h | +6 h |
| 14 – 27 March | +1 h | +5 h |
| 28 March – 30 October | 0 h | +5 h |
| 31 October – 6 November | +1 h | +5 h |
| 7 November – 31 December | +1 h | +6 h |
Sunrise and sunset in Porto-Novo in 2027
Local sunrise and sunset times on the 15th of each month in Porto-Novo (6.48° N, 2.62° E). They help you time your exposure to daylight, the main lever for resetting your body clock on arrival.
| 15th of the month | Sunrise | Solar noon | Sunset | Day length | Sunrise / sunset in London time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 07:05 | 12:59 | 18:52 | 11 h 47 | 06:05 / 17:52 |
| February | 07:06 | 13:04 | 19:01 | 11 h 55 | 06:06 / 18:01 |
| March | 06:56 | 12:58 | 19:01 | 12 h 05 | 05:56 / 18:01 |
| April | 06:42 | 12:50 | 18:58 | 12 h 16 | 06:42 / 18:58 |
| May | 06:33 | 12:46 | 18:58 | 12 h 25 | 06:33 / 18:58 |
| June | 06:35 | 12:50 | 19:05 | 12 h 30 | 06:35 / 19:05 |
| July | 06:42 | 12:56 | 19:09 | 12 h 28 | 06:42 / 19:09 |
| August | 06:44 | 12:54 | 19:04 | 12 h 20 | 06:44 / 19:04 |
| September | 06:40 | 12:45 | 18:50 | 12 h 09 | 06:40 / 18:50 |
| October | 06:36 | 12:35 | 18:35 | 11 h 59 | 06:36 / 18:35 |
| November | 06:39 | 12:34 | 18:29 | 11 h 50 | 05:39 / 17:29 |
| December | 06:52 | 12:45 | 18:37 | 11 h 45 | 05:52 / 17:37 |
The longest day in the table is 15 June (12 h 30 between 06:35 and 19:05), the shortest 15 December (11 h 45).
Jet lag: how flight direction affects you in Benin
- From the UK: the gap is at most 1 hour (+1 h in UK winter, 0 h during BST), so there is no real jet lag. Any tiredness comes from the journey, not from the change of time zone.
- From New York (flying east): you « lose » 6 hours in winter (EST) and 5 hours in summer (EDT); your arrival day is shortened and you need to go to bed earlier than your body clock expects.
- Your usual night at home (23:00 – 07:00) corresponds to 00:00 – 08:00 in Cotonou from London in UK winter (23:00 – 07:00 during BST), and to 05:00 – 13:00 in Cotonou from New York during EST (04:00 – 12:00 during EDT): this is when your body will want to sleep for the first few days.
- Daylight on arrival: in Porto-Novo, the sun rises around 07:05 and sets around 18:52 in mid-January, and around 06:42 and 19:09 in mid-July (table above). After flying east, seek morning light and avoid it late in the day; after flying west, make the most of late-afternoon light to stay awake until the evening. This is the standard advice for shifting your body clock.
Plan your trip to Benin
- Our complete Benin travel guide: highlights, itineraries and budget
- Best time to visit Benin: month-by-month weather and the best season
- Time differences around the world: every country in our guides
Frequently asked questions
What is the time difference between Benin and the UK or the US?
Benin is 1 hour ahead of London in UK winter and at the same time as London during British Summer Time. It is 6 hours ahead of New York during Eastern Standard Time and 5 hours ahead of New York during Eastern Daylight Time.
What time is it in Benin when it is noon in London or New York?
Noon in London is 13:00 in Cotonou in UK winter and 12:00 in summer. Noon in New York is 18:00 in Cotonou during EST and 17:00 during EDT.
Does Benin have daylight saving time?
No, local time stays at UTC+1 all year. Only clock changes in the UK or the US alter the gap.
When should I call Benin from the UK or the US?
To reach someone between 09:00 and 20:00 local time, call between 08:00 and 19:00 London time in UK winter (09:00 to 20:00 during BST), or between 03:00 and 14:00 New York time during EST (04:00 to 15:00 during EDT).
What is the IANA time zone for Benin?
Cotonou: Africa/Porto-Novo.
What time does the sun rise in Porto-Novo?
Around 07:05 on 15 January 2027 and around 06:42 on 15 July 2027 (local time); sunset around 18:52 and 19:09. Destination de Voyage calculation (NOAA algorithm).
Our sources
- Sunrise and sunset: algorithm from the NOAA Solar Calculator (Global Monitoring Laboratory), applied to the capital’s coordinates (Natural Earth, Wikidata or Wikipedia): Destination de Voyage calculation.
- IANA Time Zone Database (tz database), version 2026b, consulted on 13 October 2026: time zones, rules and clock-change dates. Future dates may be changed by local authorities.
- UK clock changes: GOV.UK, When do the clocks change? (UK summer time from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October).
- US daylight saving time: NIST, Daylight Saving Time (from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November).
- Live time: calculated by your browser (Intl API), which relies on the same IANA database.
- Our methodology
Updated November 2026.
