Americas · Central America · Sovereign state
Current time in Costa Rica
A single time zone at UTC-06:00.
Friday, June 5, 2026
About Costa Rica's time
A single time zone.
Costa Rica uses a single time zone—Central Standard Time (UTC-06:00)—all year round, with no daylight saving time adjustments.
Major cities
Cities of Costa Rica.
History
How Costa Rica keeps time.
Costa Rica adopted its official time zone on June 30, 1992, when the government switched from UTC-05:00 to UTC-06:00 to better align with neighboring countries and simplify regional business and travel. Before that, the country observed daylight saving time during certain periods, aligning its clocks with international standards and energy-saving policies, but ultimately the change provided economic benefits and consistency. The nation has never observed daylight saving time.
Historically, before official standardization, Costa Rica followed basic time used in Central America. The 1992 shift aligned better with the region's geography.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Costa Rica's time zone, daylight saving rules, and how to handle it in software. Can't find what you need? Email [email protected].
- What is the time zone in Costa Rica?
- Costa Rica uses Central Standard Time (UTC-06:00) year-round.
- Does Costa Rica observe daylight saving time?
- No, Costa Rica does not observe daylight saving time and remains on Central Standard Time (UTC-06:00) throughout the year.
- Why did Costa Rica change its time zone in 1992?
- Costa Rica changed its time zone from UTC-05:00 to UTC-06:00 to align better with neighboring countries and increase economic benefits.
- Does the time zone in Costa Rica affect business scheduling?
- No, the time zone in Costa Rica remains consistent, making it easier to plan business and communications as it aligns with other Central American nations.
- Can I rely on the time zone in Costa Rica for travel?
- Yes, the time zone is predictable and consistent year-round, making travel scheduling straightforward.
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