Time in Panama City, Panama
Tuesday, October 13, 2026
Panama City does not change its clocks
A fixed offset, all year round
Panama City stays on Eastern Standard Time at UTC-05:00 every day of the year. There is no spring-forward or fall-back here, which puts it with the majority: most of the world's time zones do not observe daylight saving.
That sounds like it makes scheduling simpler, and locally it does — but it introduces a different trap for anyone working with Panama City from a country that does change clocks. The offset between you and Panama City is not constant: it changes when your clocks move, even though nothing changed here. A recurring call that has run at the same local time for months will shift by an hour, from your side, without anyone editing the invite.
When the gap to Panama City changes
Dates in the next year where the difference shifts, by counterpart city
The difference between two cities is not a constant. It changes whenever either side moves its clocks — and because regions switch on different dates, there are short windows each year when the usual gap is wrong. These are the dates that matter for Panama City:
New York (United States)
- From 1 November 2026: Panama City is on the same clock
- From 14 March 2027: Panama City is 1 hour behind New York
London (United Kingdom)
- From 25 October 2026: Panama City is 5 hours behind London
- From 28 March 2027: Panama City is 6 hours behind London
Tokyo (Japan)
Neither Panama City nor Tokyo changes its clocks in the next year, so the gap between them stays fixed. One less thing to track.
Daylight and the sun over Panama City
Panama City sits at 8.99°, -79.52°
Longest day
12h 39m of daylight
Shortest day
11h 36m of daylight
Yearly swing
1h 03m between them
Clock time versus solar time
When the clock in Panama City reads 12:00, the sun is not yet overhead — the civil clock runs 18 minutes ahead of mean solar time here.
Quick Time Comparisons
See how Panama City time compares to other major cities right now
Time Zone Offset from Panama City
Best Times to Contact Panama City
Optimal calling and meeting hours
Business Hours
Typically 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM local time
Best for professional calls, meetings, and business inquiries
Personal Calls
Evenings 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM local time
Ideal for catching up with family and friends
Pro Tip: Use the meeting coordinator tool above to find overlapping working hours between your location and Panama City. This makes scheduling international meetings much easier!
Cultural Business Context
Panama City, Panama • 02:15 local time
Consider Timing
Outside business hours
Quick Stats
Business Hours Timeline
Best Times to Contact
Times to Avoid
Business hours: 08:00 - 17:00 | Weekend: Sunday, Saturday | Lunch: 12:00 - 13:00
🌍 Cultural awareness enhances business relationships and prevents scheduling conflicts across global teams
Places related to Panama City
Cities that share a clock, a country, or an offset
On exactly the same clock as Panama City
These share the America/Panama zone, so they keep the same time as Panama City year-round.
Meeting Time Coordinator
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Common Questions About Panama City Time
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is Panama City in?
Panama City operates in the America/Panama time zone, known as Eastern Standard Time, currently UTC-05:00. This clock applies that offset directly from the IANA time zone database.
Does Panama City observe daylight saving time?
No. Panama City stays on Eastern Standard Time at UTC-05:00 all year and does not observe daylight saving time. Note that the difference between you and Panama City can still change when your own clocks shift.
What's the time difference between Panama City and my location?
The time comparison tool above shows the current time difference. You can also use our meeting coordinator to find the best times for calls across different time zones.
How accurate is this Panama City clock?
Our clock synchronizes with your device's time and applies the official America/Panama time zone offset. It updates every second and automatically handles daylight saving time, ensuring accuracy within a second.
Can I use this for scheduling meetings in Panama City?
Yes! This tool is perfect for scheduling. Use the meeting coordinator above to compare multiple time zones and find optimal meeting times that work for everyone in Panama City and other locations.
Time Zone Facts About Panama City
Interesting information about Panama City's time
IANA identifier
America/Panama
Standard time name
Eastern Standard Time
Standard offset
UTC-05:00
Daylight saving
Not observed — the offset is fixed year-round
Region
Central America