Time zone · Americas
BST
Brasilia Standard Time
Brasilia Standard Time (BST) anchors much of coastal and central-western Brazil, giving São Paulo, Recife, and surrounding cities a year-round offset of UTC-03:00 without daylight saving complications. Whether you're syncing a video call or shipping a package, a single clock setting keeps BST simple and predictable.
Friday, June 5, 2026
Current offset
UTC-03:00
Standard · -03
Daylight saving
Not observed
Year-round standard time
IANA zones
8
None observe daylight saving
DST offset
—
No summer variant
About BST
A fixed, year-round offset.
Brasilia Standard Time (BST) anchors much of coastal and central-western Brazil, giving São Paulo, Recife, and surrounding cities a year-round offset of UTC-03:00 without daylight saving complications. Whether you're syncing a video call or shipping a package, a single clock setting keeps BST simple and predictable.
IANA zones · the technical identifiers
The 8 zones that resolve to BST.
For software, always store the IANA identifier — never the abbreviation alone. The database keeps these zones distinct because their rules can, and historically did, diverge.
Cities currently on BST
The same hour, city by city.
39 cities · all UTC-03:00
Where BST is used
One country.
Same offset · UTC-03:00
Other zones at UTC-03:00 right now.
These named zones share BST's offset today. When daylight saving rules differ, they drift apart for part of the year.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about BST, daylight saving, and how to handle it in software. Can't find what you need? Email [email protected].
- Why does Brasilia Standard Time stay fixed all year?
- Brazil suspended nationwide daylight saving in 2019, making BST a static offset—no spring-forward or fall-back surprises.
- Does BST cover the whole of Brazil?
- No. BST represents several major coastal and central-western capitals, while the far west follows different offsets built around UTC-05:00 or UTC-04:00.
- Is St. John's (Canada) related to the BST abbreviation?
- Not at all. Although St. John's also uses “BST,” it follows Newfoundland Standard Time; Brasilia Standard Time is anchored in UTC-03:00 in Brazil.
- Why was Santarem moved into UTC-03:00?
- Following a 2013 adjustment, Santarem and several other interior zones were harmonized with the capital to simplify event planning and transport scheduling across Brazil.
- Is running a meeting across Brazil's time zones tricky?
- Not with BST in play. Most of Brazil's populous hubs share the same hour and never drift apart, keeping national teamwork frictionless.
- What is the default abbreviation for BST?
- The system shows “-03” to avoid confusion with other regions that also use the BST code elsewhere on the planet.
- Is BST the same as GMT-3?
- Yes. While “GMT-3” sounds vintage, the modern phrase is “UTC-03:00”; both describe the same hour difference.
- Do Brazilian stock exchanges consider DST?
- No. Markets in São Paulo open and close at the same local hour every trading day, giving remote traders reliable windows.
Free · Developer API
Time, as JSON.
Every IANA time zone with live offsets, DST status, and the countries and cities that use them — clean, dependable JSON. Sign up free and get an API key in seconds.
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