Military Time Converter

What is military time?

Military time is the 24-hour clock written without a colon and without AM or PM. The day starts at 0000 (midnight) and runs to 2359 (11:59 PM). Morning hours look almost the same as standard time with a leading zero — 9:00 AM is 0900 — while afternoon and evening hours continue counting past 12: 1:00 PM is 1300, 6:00 PM is 1800 and 11:00 PM is 2300.

How to convert

• Standard → military: for AM times, keep the hour (add a leading zero; 12 AM becomes 00). For PM times, add 12 to the hour (12 PM stays 12). Remove the colon. So 4:45 PM → 16:45 → 1645.
• Military → standard: if the hour is 13 or more, subtract 12 and add PM. 00 is 12 AM; 12 is 12 PM. So 2130 → 21 − 12 = 9 → 9:30 PM.

How to say military time

Military time is spoken as two pairs of digits followed by “hours”. 0600 is “zero six hundred hours”, 1430 is “fourteen thirty hours”, and 2000 is “twenty hundred hours”. Leading zeros are pronounced “zero” (or “oh” in casual use).

Who uses the 24-hour clock?

Besides the armed forces, the 24-hour clock is used by hospitals and nurses, police and fire services, airlines and pilots, and in timetables and computer systems worldwide — it removes any confusion between AM and PM. Most countries outside the US, UK, Canada and Australia use it in everyday life. Converting between time zones too? Try the time zone converter.

Frequently asked questions