Africa · Northern Africa · Sovereign state
Current time in Morocco
A single time zone at UTC+01:00. Currently observing daylight saving time.
Friday, June 5, 2026
About Morocco's time
A single time zone.
Morocco uses a single time zone—Africa/Casablanca—at UTC+1, but it’s famously dynamic: the country observes Daylight Saving Time almost every year, except during Ramadan when clocks are set back to standard time, creating a brief UTC+0 period before returning to UTC+1 afterward. This unique religious and seasonal rhythm makes Morocco’s timekeeping one of the most shifting in the world.
Next clock change
2027 Sunday · clocks fall back
Clocks fall back by one hour · in 8 months.
Daylight saving schedule
Major cities
Cities of Morocco.
History
How Morocco keeps time.
Morocco’s modern timekeeping began under French and Spanish protectorate rule in the early 20th century. Initially, the country followed Greenwich Mean Time (UTC+0) like Britain and Portugal. In 1984, Morocco permanently adopted UTC+1 (Central European Standard Time) for economic and administrative alignment with its main trading partners in Europe—a major shift that standardized the nation’s clocks year-round. However, this stability was short-lived. Starting in 2008, the Moroccan government reintroduced Daylight Saving Time annually, typically advancing clocks to UTC+2 in spring (late March or early April) and reverting to UTC+1 in autumn (late September or October). Crucially, since Ramadan often falls during the DST window, the clocks are set back to UTC+0 during the holy month—effectively creating three distinct time offsets within a single year: UTC+0 (Ramadan), UTC+1 (standard), and UTC+2 (summer DST). This unusual triannual clock change is officially justified by religious observance and energy-saving goals. The practice has continued intermittently, with occasional policy tweaks due to public debate and regional comparisons with neighboring countries.
Did you know?
Things about Morocco's time.
Morocco’s time zone behavior is among the most unusual globally—not because of geography, but because of culture and policy. While geographically aligned closer to UTC+0 (like neighboring Senegal or Mali), Morocco chooses UTC+1 as its de facto standard and UTC+0 only during Ramadan, making solar noon often occur around 12:30–1:30 PM local time depending on the season and daylight saving status. This means daily life—meal times, TV schedules, and business hours—is heavily influenced by both religious observance and European economic alignment. Another curiosity is that Morocco is one of the few countries where Daylight Saving Time is *partially reversed* not for seasonal reasons, but for lunar calendar events. This creates a rare situation where a country temporarily reverts to a time offset *behind* its normal standard time. Additionally, Morocco’s time zone database entry (Africa/Casablanca) has one of the most complex DST rules in the tz database, with over 100 historical transitions since 1913. For travelers or remote workers, this means Morocco can shift time zones up to four times in a single year, requiring careful calendar checks.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Morocco's time zone, daylight saving rules, and how to handle it in software. Can't find what you need? Email [email protected].
- What time zone is Morocco in?
- Morocco uses Africa/Casablanca, which is normally UTC+1.
- Does Morocco observe Daylight Saving Time?
- Yes—and no. Morocco observes DST almost every year, switching to UTC+2 in summer—but during Ramadan, it reverts to UTC+0, creating a temporary third time offset. So DST is observed, but with a major religious exception.
- Why does Morocco change time during Ramadan?
- Morocco sets clocks back to UTC+0 during Ramadan to align better with daylight hours for fasting. The government cites religious, social, and energy-saving reasons for this temporary shift.
- How many times does Morocco change its clock in a year?
- Typically three to four times: it may shift to UTC+2 in spring, back to UTC+1 after Ramadan, then to UTC+0 during Ramadan, and finally back to UTC+1 in autumn. Exact dates vary yearly.
- Is Morocco always on UTC+1?
- No. While UTC+1 is the base time, Morocco shifts to UTC+2 in summer and UTC+0 during Ramadan, making it one of the most time-variable countries in the world.
- What happens to time in Morocco during summer?
- : Morocco typically advances its clocks to UTC+2 during summer months (DST), except when Ramadan overlaps, in which case it may remain at or revert to UTC+0.
- Does Morocco ever use UTC+0 outside of Ramadan?
- Historically, yes—but rarely since 2008. Since then, UTC+0 is almost exclusively reserved for Ramadan as part of a policy to support fasting schedules.
- How does Morocco’s time affect travel or remote work?
- You must check Morocco’s time carefully—it shifts multiple times a year. During Ramadan, it may be two hours ahead of neighboring countries like Algeria. Always verify your local time settings match Africa/Casablanca’s DST transitions.
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