The next time change in Chile is on Saturday, April 3, 2027: at midnight, clocks go back one hour and winter time begins. Until then summer time applies, which started on Saturday, September 5, 2026. The rule does not hold for the whole country: Aysén and Magallanes do not change their clocks, and Easter Island does so at a different moment. Here are the dates, the zones and the practical effects.
Time change dates in 2026 and 2027
| Date | What happens | Time that begins |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday, April 4, 2026 | Clocks went back one hour | Winter |
| Saturday, September 5, 2026 | Clocks went forward one hour | Summer |
| Saturday, April 3, 2027 | Clocks go back one hour | Winter |
| Saturday, September 4, 2027 | Clocks go forward one hour | Summer |
The current rule is easy to remember: summer time runs from the first Saturday of September to the first Saturday of April. The change happens at 24:00 on that Saturday, that is, on the night from Saturday to Sunday. The 2026 to 2027 schedule was set by a decree published in July 2026. The September 2027 date follows the same rule, but it can change if the government issues a different decree.
| Change | What to do with the clock | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| April (winter) | Set it back one hour: 00:00 becomes 23:00 | One more hour of sleep; sunrise and sunset come earlier |
| September (summer) | Set it forward one hour: 00:00 becomes 01:00 | One hour less of sleep; daylight lasts later |
Phones, computers and smartwatches adjust on their own if the time zone is set to automatic. Wall clocks, car clocks and those on some appliances have to be changed by hand. Information on the April 2026 change is in the government's note on winter time.
Which regions do not change their clocks
Two regions keep the same time all year: Aysén, and Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica. Both stay on UTC-3, which is summer time for the rest of the country. The reason is geographical: they are so far south that winter daylight is very short, and putting the clock back would bring darkness by mid-afternoon.
| Zone | Summer time | Winter time | Does it change? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mainland Chile, from Arica to Los Lagos | UTC-3 | UTC-4 | Yes |
| Aysén Region | UTC-3 | UTC-3 | No |
| Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica Region | UTC-3 | UTC-3 | No |
| Easter Island and Salas y Gómez Island | UTC-5 | UTC-6 | Yes, at 22:00 on Saturday |
In practice, between April and September Chile has three different times at once. When it is 12:00 in Santiago, it is 13:00 in Punta Arenas and Coyhaique and 10:00 on Easter Island. In summer, Santiago and the far south line up again.
This matters when travelling within the country. A flight from Santiago to Punta Arenas in July lands in a city one hour ahead, and bus and ferry timetables between Los Lagos and Aysén cross that time boundary.
The time difference with other countries
Most South American countries do not change their clocks, so it is Chile that moves closer or further away. This is Santiago's difference with some capitals in the region.
| City | Time zone | With Chile in summer (UTC-3) | With Chile in winter (UTC-4) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buenos Aires | UTC-3 | Same time | One hour ahead of Santiago |
| São Paulo | UTC-3 | Same time | One hour ahead of Santiago |
| Montevideo | UTC-3 | Same time | One hour ahead of Santiago |
| La Paz | UTC-4 | One hour behind Santiago | Same time |
| Lima | UTC-5 | Two hours behind | One hour behind |
| Bogotá | UTC-5 | Two hours behind | One hour behind |
| Mexico City | UTC-6 | Three hours behind | Two hours behind |
With the United States and Europe the arithmetic is more tangled, because they also change their clocks, on different dates and in the opposite direction, being in the other hemisphere. For a few weeks in March, April, September and November the difference varies. Before scheduling an international meeting in those months, it is worth checking the time in a converter.
Why Chile changes its clocks
The idea is to line up active hours with daylight. In summer, putting the clock forward leaves more light in the evening. In winter, putting it back stops children and workers leaving home in the dark, because the Sun rises earlier by the clock.
The system has changed many times. Chile tried staying on summer time all year and then went back to changing, with a shorter or longer winter time depending on each period's decree. That is why the dates are not permanent: the government sets them and it is worth confirming them every year.
Chile's official time is kept by the Navy's Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service (SHOA), which publishes it at horaoficial.cl. If you are unsure whether a device changed correctly, that is the reference to compare against, rather than another clock at home.
How to prepare for the change
- Check your devices on Sunday morning. Confirm that your phone changed on its own and adjust manual clocks.
- Mind your alarms. If the phone's time zone is not on automatic, the alarm will ring at the wrong time.
- Shift your sleep gradually. In September an hour is lost: going to bed 15 minutes earlier on the preceding days helps, especially for children.
- Watch your travel plans. If you fly or take a bus that night, confirm the departure time with the company.
- Timed medication. If you take something at a fixed hour, ask how to adjust the dose time.
The April 2027 change falls exactly one week after Easter, which that year is the last weekend of March. All the dates are in the 2027 public holiday calendar. And if the change catches you travelling abroad, check the details of the Chilean passport beforehand.
How long each period lasts
Under the current rule, the year is not split into halves. The summer time that began on September 5, 2026 lasts 210 days, exactly 30 weeks, until April 3, 2027. The following winter time lasts 154 days, 22 weeks, until September 4, 2027.
| Period | From | To | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer time | September 5, 2026 | April 3, 2027 | 210 days (30 weeks) |
| Winter time | April 3, 2027 | September 4, 2027 | 154 days (22 weeks) |
In practice, mainland Chile spends about seven months of the year on the same time as Buenos Aires and around five months one hour behind.
Frequently asked questions
When is the next time change in Chile?
Saturday, April 3, 2027, at midnight. Clocks go back one hour.
In April, do clocks go forward or back?
Back. 00:00 becomes 23:00 and you get an extra hour of sleep.
Which regions do not change their clocks?
Aysén, and Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica, which stay on UTC-3 all year.
When does summer time start?
On the first Saturday of September. In 2026 it was September 5 and in 2027 it would be September 4.
What time is it on Easter Island compared with Santiago?
Two hours behind, all year. The island also changes its clocks, but does so at 22:00 on Saturday.
Does my phone change the time by itself?
Yes, if automatic time zone is switched on and the system is up to date.
