What Time Is It Right Now in Atlanta, Georgia?

If you’re asking “What time now in Atlanta, Georgia?”, you’re really asking about the local time in Atlanta’s time zone – and how it lines up with where you are or with your travel, meetings, or daily plans.

Because this page can’t update in real time, it can’t show the exact current clock time. However, it explains exactly how Atlanta time works, so you can always tell the correct local time using your phone, computer, or any world clock.

Atlanta’s Time Zone: The Basics

Atlanta, Georgia is in the Eastern Time Zone of the United States.

• Standard time name: Eastern Standard Time (EST)
• Daylight time name: Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
• Standard time offset:UTC−5 hours
• Daylight time offset:UTC−4 hours

In everyday terms:

• During fall and winter, Atlanta uses EST (UTC−5)
• During spring and summer, Atlanta uses EDT (UTC−4) because of Daylight Saving Time

If your phone or computer location is set to Atlanta (or to Eastern Time), the time shown there is the current local time in Atlanta.

Quick Reference: What Time Is It in Atlanta Compared to Other Places?

Use this table to understand how Atlanta time compares to a few common locations. The offsets don’t change; only whether Atlanta is on EST or EDT changes during the year.

*Exact difference depends on whether both locations are on Daylight Saving Time at the same time.

Does Atlanta Use Daylight Saving Time?

Yes. Atlanta observes Daylight Saving Time (DST) along with the rest of Georgia and most of the United States.

When the Time Changes in Atlanta

• Spring (“spring forward”)

  • Clocks move forward 1 hour
  • Occurs in March, in the early morning
  • Time changes from 2:00 a.m. EST to 3:00 a.m. EDT
  • You lose one hour of sleep but get more evening daylight

• Fall (“fall back”)

  • Clocks move back 1 hour
  • Occurs in November, in the early morning
  • Time changes from 2:00 a.m. EDT to 1:00 a.m. EST
  • You gain one hour of sleep and evenings get darker earlier

If you’re living in or visiting Atlanta, your phone, smartwatch, and most digital clocks will switch automatically as long as:

• Time zone is set to “Automatic” or “Use network-provided time”
• Time zone is set to Eastern Time (US & Canada) or Atlanta, Georgia

How to Quickly Check the Current Time in Atlanta

Here are simple ways to confirm what time it is right now in Atlanta, Georgia:

1. On Your Smartphone

iPhone (iOS)

• Open the Clock app
• Go to the World Clock tab
• Tap “+”, search for Atlanta, and add it
• The time next to Atlanta is the current local time

Android (varies slightly by manufacturer)

• Open the Clock app
• Look for World Clock or City list
• Tap Add city, search Atlanta
• The displayed time for Atlanta is the current time

2. On a Computer

• On Windows or Mac, set your system time zone to Eastern Time (ET) or Atlanta, Georgia
• Or use any reputable world clock tool and search for Atlanta (Georgia, USA)

3. Calling or Scheduling from Another City or Country

If you’re trying to call someone in Atlanta, remember:

• Atlanta is in the same time zone as New York, Miami, and Washington, D.C.
• It’s 1 hour ahead of cities like Chicago, Dallas, and Houston
• It’s 3 hours ahead of the U.S. West Coast (like Los Angeles and Seattle)

When booking meetings or video calls, choose “America/New_York” or “Eastern Time (US & Canada)” in scheduling tools—this will match Atlanta’s local time.

Local Life in Atlanta: Typical Business and Service Hours

Knowing the current time in Atlanta is useful because many local services follow Eastern Time–based schedules.

Common Business Hours in Atlanta

While hours vary, many places in Atlanta follow patterns like:

• Downtown offices & businesses:
  Usually 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. or 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., Monday–Friday
• Retail stores (e.g., around Lenox Square, Atlantic Station):
  Often open around 10:00 a.m. and close between 8:00–10:00 p.m.
• Restaurants (Midtown, Buckhead, Downtown):
  Lunch often starts 11:00 a.m., dinner typically from 5:00 p.m. into late evening
• Bars and nightlife (Edgewood, Old Fourth Ward, Buckhead):
  Most active from 9:00 p.m. into the early morning hours

For time-sensitive services—like flights, buses, and government offices—always check the local Atlanta time when planning.

Time and Transportation in Atlanta

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)

All flight arrivals and departures at ATL are listed in local Atlanta time (Eastern Time).

• If you’re flying into Atlanta, check your boarding pass:
  • Departure time is in your origin city’s local time
  • Arrival time is in Atlanta local time
• If you’re connecting through Atlanta, layover times are calculated in local Atlanta time

MARTA (Atlanta’s Transit System)

The MARTA rail and bus schedules run on Atlanta’s local time:

• When checking first/last train times from places like Five Points, Peachtree Center, or Airport Station, make sure you’re looking at Eastern Time.
• If you’re traveling in from another time zone, convert your time to Atlanta time to avoid missing the last train or bus.

Time for Events, Sports, and Entertainment in Atlanta

Most events, shows, and games in Atlanta display start times in local Eastern Time.

Examples:

• Atlanta Hawks (NBA) at State Farm Arena – tip-off times are in Atlanta time
• Atlanta Falcons (NFL) at Mercedes-Benz Stadium – kickoff is listed in local time
• Concerts at venues like Fox Theatre, Coca-Cola Roxy, or Tabernacle – doors and show times use Atlanta’s local time

If you’re watching or attending from out of town, you’ll need to convert from Eastern Time to your local time so you don’t miss the start.

Time for Schools, Offices, and Government in Atlanta

Schools and Universities

Public schools in the Atlanta Public Schools (APS) system and local universities like:

• Georgia State University (downtown Atlanta)
• Georgia Tech (Midtown Atlanta)

all run on Atlanta’s local Eastern Time for:

• Class schedules
• Exam times
• Office hours
• Registration deadlines

If you’re logging into a virtual class or exam from another time zone, make sure to adjust to Atlanta time.

Government Offices in Atlanta

Key government services in Atlanta also operate by local time:

• Fulton County Government Center – Downtown Atlanta
• City of Atlanta City Hall
• State offices clustered around the Georgia State Capitol

Business hours are typically Monday–Friday during the daytime, using Eastern Time. Always confirm specific office hours before you go.

Practical Tips for Managing Time in Atlanta

Here are a few quick pointers to keep your timing straight in Atlanta:

• ✅ Enable automatic time updates on your phone
  This ensures your clock adjusts to Eastern Time when you arrive in Atlanta.

• ✅ Add Atlanta to your world clock
  Having Atlanta, GA saved makes it easy to compare time if you travel or work with people in other time zones.

• ✅ Double-check time when booking or joining online events
  Many webinars and online meetings list times in ET/EST/EDT—which matches Atlanta time.

• ✅ Watch the clock around Daylight Saving Time changes
  When the time changes in March and November, confirm important appointments, flights, and meetings using local Atlanta time.

Summary: How to Know the Exact Time in Atlanta, Georgia Right Now

To know “what time now in Atlanta, Georgia” at this exact moment:

1. Set your device’s time zone to Eastern Time (US & Canada) or Atlanta, Georgia
2. Make sure automatic time is turned on
3. Read the time displayed—that’s the current local time in Atlanta

Remember:

• Atlanta is in the Eastern Time Zone
• It uses EST (UTC−5) in fall/winter and EDT (UTC−4) in spring/summer
• All local services—transportation, schools, offices, events—run on this Atlanta local time

With those basics, you can always figure out the correct current time in Atlanta, wherever you are.