Military Time Converter
Convert between 24-hour military time and 12-hour regular time with AM/PM. Perfect for understanding military, aviation, and international time formats.
Military Time Conversion
Input 12 hour time
How It Works
Military time (24-hour clock) runs from 0000 (midnight) to 2359 (11:59 PM). The hours from 1 AM to 12 PM are the same in both formats. For PM times, add 12 to the hour (except for 12 PM which stays as 1200).
Examples:
1:00 PM = 13:00 = 1300 hours
3:30 PM = 15:30 = 1530 hours
11:45 PM = 23:45 = 2345 hours
What is Military Time?
Military time, also known as the 24-hour clock, is a timekeeping system that runs from 0000 (midnight) to 2359 (one minute before midnight). Unlike the 12-hour clock that repeats twice daily with AM and PM designations, military time continues counting through the day, eliminating any ambiguity about whether a time is in the morning or evening.
This time format is used by the military, emergency services, aviation, hospitals, transportation systems, and most countries worldwide. It's called "military time" in the United States, but it's the standard time format in many countries and is officially known as the 24-hour clock or international standard time notation (ISO 8601).
Military Time Conversion Chart
| 12-Hour (Regular) | 24-Hour | Military | Pronounced |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 AM (Midnight) | 00:00 | 0000 hours | Zero hundred hours |
| 1:00 AM | 01:00 | 0100 hours | Zero one hundred hours |
| 6:00 AM | 06:00 | 0600 hours | Zero six hundred hours |
| 12:00 PM (Noon) | 12:00 | 1200 hours | Twelve hundred hours |
| 1:00 PM | 13:00 | 1300 hours | Thirteen hundred hours |
| 6:00 PM | 18:00 | 1800 hours | Eighteen hundred hours |
| 11:59 PM | 23:59 | 2359 hours | Twenty-three fifty-nine hours |
How to Convert Military Time
From Military to Regular Time
- 1. For times 0000-0059: Add 12 hours and use AM (midnight hour)
- 2. For times 0100-1159: Remove leading zero, use AM
- 3. For time 1200-1259: Keep as 12:XX PM (noon hour)
- 4. For times 1300-2359: Subtract 12 from hours, use PM
Example:
1530 hours → 15 - 12 = 3 → 3:30 PM
From Regular to Military Time
- 1. For 12:00 AM - 12:59 AM: Use 00:00 - 00:59
- 2. For 1:00 AM - 11:59 AM: Add leading zero if needed
- 3. For 12:00 PM - 12:59 PM: Keep as 12:00 - 12:59
- 4. For 1:00 PM - 11:59 PM: Add 12 to the hour
Example:
8:45 PM → 8 + 12 = 20 → 20:45 or 2045 hours
Who Uses Military Time?
Professional Fields
- • Military and armed forces
- • Aviation and airports
- • Emergency services (police, fire, EMS)
- • Hospitals and medical facilities
- • Transportation (trains, buses)
- • Maritime and shipping
- • Space agencies (NASA)
- • Scientific research
Global Usage
- • Most European countries
- • Asian countries
- • Latin American countries
- • African countries
- • Australia and New Zealand
- • International organizations
- • Global telecommunications
- • Computer systems and programming
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why is it called military time?
It's called "military time" in the United States because the armed forces adopted the 24-hour clock to avoid confusion in operations where precision timing is critical. However, this is the standard time format used by most countries worldwide and is officially called the 24-hour clock or international standard time notation.
What is 0000 hours in military time?
0000 hours (pronounced "zero hundred hours") is midnight, or 12:00 AM in regular time. It marks the beginning of a new day in the 24-hour clock. One minute before midnight is 2359 hours (11:59 PM), and one minute after midnight is 0001 hours (12:01 AM).
Is 12:00 PM noon or midnight?
12:00 PM is noon (midday) in 12-hour time, which is 1200 hours in military time. Midnight is 12:00 AM, which is 0000 hours in military time. To avoid confusion, many prefer to say "12 noon" and "12 midnight" instead of using AM/PM for these times.
How do you say military time out loud?
Military time is pronounced by stating the digits followed by "hundred hours." For example, 0800 is "zero eight hundred hours," 1530 is "fifteen thirty hours," and 2100 is "twenty-one hundred hours." Minutes other than multiples of 100 are stated individually (e.g., 1545 is "fifteen forty-five hours").
What is Zulu time?
Zulu time (Z time) is the military name for Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), the primary time standard used worldwide. It's called "Zulu" from the NATO phonetic alphabet letter Z. Zulu time is used in aviation, military, and other fields where coordinating across time zones is essential. For example, 1400Z means 14:00 UTC.
Do all countries use the 24-hour clock?
Most countries around the world use the 24-hour clock as their standard time format in daily life. The United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, and a few other countries primarily use the 12-hour clock with AM/PM in informal settings, though they often use the 24-hour clock in professional contexts like medicine, aviation, and military.
Is there a colon in military time?
In formal military notation, times are written as four digits without a colon (e.g., 1430 hours), though the 24-hour clock commonly uses a colon in civilian contexts (14:30). When writing military time, you can use either format, but the four-digit format without punctuation is traditional in military and aviation use.
How do I learn to read military time quickly?
The easiest trick: For times after 12:00 PM, simply subtract 12 from the hour. For example, 17:00 - 12 = 5:00 PM, 20:00 - 12 = 8:00 PM. For morning times (before noon), just remove the leading zero if present. With practice, you'll start recognizing common times automatically (1800 is dinner time, 0900 is mid-morning, etc.).
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