CET to UTC converter
UTC is 2 hours behind CET for most of the year. The gap is different for part of the year, because only one side changes its clocks: in 2026 that is 1 January to 28 March (1 hour) and 25 October to 31 December (1 hour). If you schedule something in that period, check the date.
CET to UTC conversion table
Every hour of the day in CET and what it is in UTC. The columns use a January date and a July date, so you can see how daylight saving changes the answer.
| Time in CET | UTC in January CET to UTC | UTC in July CEST to UTC |
|---|---|---|
| 12 AM | 11:00 PM previous day | 10:00 PM previous day |
| 1 AM | 12:00 AM | 11:00 PM previous day |
| 2 AM | 1:00 AM | 12:00 AM |
| 3 AM | 2:00 AM | 1:00 AM |
| 4 AM | 3:00 AM | 2:00 AM |
| 5 AM | 4:00 AM | 3:00 AM |
| 6 AM | 5:00 AM | 4:00 AM |
| 7 AM | 6:00 AM | 5:00 AM |
| 8 AM | 7:00 AM | 6:00 AM |
| 9 AM | 8:00 AM | 7:00 AM |
| 10 AM | 9:00 AM | 8:00 AM |
| 11 AM | 10:00 AM | 9:00 AM |
| 12 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM |
| 1 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM |
| 2 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM |
| 3 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM |
| 4 PM | 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM |
| 5 PM | 4:00 PM | 3:00 PM |
| 6 PM | 5:00 PM | 4:00 PM |
| 7 PM | 6:00 PM | 5:00 PM |
| 8 PM | 7:00 PM | 6:00 PM |
| 9 PM | 8:00 PM | 7:00 PM |
| 10 PM | 9:00 PM | 8:00 PM |
| 11 PM | 10:00 PM | 9:00 PM |
How to convert CET to UTC
To convert CET to UTC by hand, subtract 2 hours for most of the year, then fix the date if you cross midnight.
- 8 PM CET on 15 January is 7:00 PM UTC.
- 8 PM CEST on 15 July is 6:00 PM UTC.
- On the other side of the year, 8 PM CET on 13 February is 7:00 PM UTC, because the gap is then 1 hour.
- 8 PM CEST on 15 October is 6:00 PM UTC.
UTC is the easy anchor: convert to UTC first, then to the other zone, and you never have to think about which side changed its clocks.
About the two time zones
Central European Time (CET/CEST). Used in: Paris, Berlin, Madrid, Rome, Amsterdam, Brussels, Vienna, Stockholm, Oslo, Warsaw. Clocks go forward on the last Sunday in March and back on the last Sunday in October.
CET is the winter name and CEST (Central European Summer Time) is the summer name. People often write CET all year; the clock in Europe is on CEST from March to October.
Coordinated Universal Time (UTC/GMT). Used in: servers, aviation, space agencies and software release schedules, as the reference every other zone is measured from. No daylight saving: the offset is the same all year.
UTC never changes. GMT is the same time on the clock, but GMT is also the name of the UK's winter time.
Skip the converter: let Herewise do it on every page
Herewise is a free Chrome extension. When a page says "8 PM EST", "75°F" or "$49", it adds a small label with the time, temperature or price in your own time zone, units and currency. Free, no account, nothing you read leaves your browser.
Questions
What is 8 PM CET in UTC?
8 PM CET on 15 January is 7:00 PM UTC. 8 PM CEST on 15 July is 6:00 PM UTC. On the other side of the year, 8 PM CET on 13 February is 7:00 PM UTC, because the gap is then 1 hour.
Is UTC ahead of or behind CET?
UTC is 2 hours behind CET for most of the year. The gap is different for part of the year, because only one side changes its clocks: in 2026 that is 1 January to 28 March (1 hour) and 25 October to 31 December (1 hour). If you schedule something in that period, check the date.
Does daylight saving change the difference between CET and UTC?
Yes. Central European Time: Clocks go forward on the last Sunday in March and back on the last Sunday in October. Coordinated Universal Time: No daylight saving: the offset is the same all year.
How can I see CET times in my own time zone automatically?
Install Herewise, a free Chrome extension. When a web page says a time like 8 PM CET, it adds a small label with that time in your own time zone, using the correct date for daylight saving.