Time zone · Americas
CDT
Cuba Daylight Time
Cuba Daylight Time (CDT) follows Havana's spring-forward rhythm, briefly shifting to UTC-04:00 each year—a small seasonal quirk that links island life to the sun's annual arc across the Caribbean.
Friday, June 5, 2026
Current offset
UTC-04:00
Daylight · CDT
Daylight saving
Active
Reverts 1 Nov 2026
IANA zones
1
1 observe DST, 0 don't
DST offset
—
No summer variant
About CDT
Standard time, with a summer shift.
Cuba Daylight Time (CDT) follows Havana's spring-forward rhythm, briefly shifting to UTC-04:00 each year—a small seasonal quirk that links island life to the sun's annual arc across the Caribbean.
IANA zones · the technical identifiers
The zone that resolve to CDT.
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 CDT
The same hour, city by city.
2 cities · all UTC-04:00
Where CDT is used
One country.
Same offset · UTC-04:00
Other zones at UTC-04:00 right now.
These named zones share CDT's offset today. When daylight saving rules differ, they drift apart for part of the year.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about CDT, daylight saving, and how to handle it in software. Can't find what you need? Email [email protected].
- When does Havana typically enter CDT each year?
- Havana usually switches to CDT in early March, moving clocks forward an hour to UTC-04:00, and stays there until November. The next change is scheduled for 2026-11-01 at midnight.
- Does all of Cuba observe daylight saving?
- Yes—every Cuban time zone follows the same schedule, so whether you're in Havana or Santiago, everyone springs forward and falls back together.
- Is CDT unique to Cuba?
- No—Central Daylight Time also exists in North America; always check the country context to avoid confusion between Cuban CDT and, say, U.S. Central Daylight Time.
- How does DST affect daily life in Cuba?
- The extra afternoon daylight syncs well with Cuba's outdoor social culture—more time for evening baseball games, Malecón strolls, and open-air music when the sun sets later.
- What will happen in November 2026?
- At midnight on 2026-11-01, Havana clocks fall back from CDT (UTC-04:00) to standard Cuba Standard Time (UTC-05:00), gaining an hour and signaling shorter days ahead.
- Are there quirks about Cuban DST?
- Cuba sometimes transitions on unusual dates and occasionally pauses DST for economic or energy reasons—making it one of the more unpredictable DST schedules in the Americas.
- How far in advance is the schedule known?
- Usually only a year or two ahead. Cuban authorities often announce spring-forward and fall-back dates with relatively little global advance notice compared to U.S. or European schedules.
- Why does Cuba use DST at all?
- Primarily to reduce electricity consumption—extending daylight hours means less need for artificial lighting during evening peak usage periods.
- Which zone represents CDT on timezone.io?
- Only one zone—America/Havana—represents this region, making Cuba's timezone network the simplest possible: a single zone covering the entire island.
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