BRAZIL TIME ZONES - BRAZIL CURRENT TIME

Brazil uses four standard time zones. From west to east UTC/GMT - 5 is observed in Acre and thirteen municipalities in western Amazonas. UTC/GMT - 4 is observed in five western states. UTC/GMT - 3 is used in twenty-one central and eastern states, including the capital of Brasilia and UTC/GMT -2 is observed in several islands off the east coast of Brazil, including the twenty one islands in the archipelago of Fernando de Noronha.

In 2008 the Brazilian Government moved states which had been observing UTC/GMT - 5 into the UTC/GMT - 4 time zone. This included the state of Acre and other municipalities southwest of the Amazon rainforest. In October 2010 a referendum was held in Acre in which a majority of voters indicated their desire to move back to the UTC/GMT - 5 time zone. This change back to UTC/GMT - 5 was finally approved for Acre and thirteen municipalities in western Amazon in October 2013 with an effective date of November 10, 2013.

UPDATE: The government of Brazil had previously announced daylight saving time would not be observed in 2019-2020 and daylight saving time has not been observed since. It is not yet clear if daylight saving time has been abolished permanently.

In previous years Daylight Saving Time in Brazil has been observed by most of the southern, south-eastern and central-western states which includes, Espirito Santo, the Federal District, Goias, part of Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Parana, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, and Sao Paulo. Daylight saving time is not observed in the north and north-eastern states.

NOTE: Brazil energy authorities are considering reinstating daylight saving time due to ongoing droughts which have impacted some hydroelectric plants in the country. Brazil's reservoir levels, which are a key source for hydroelectric plants, has at times been below 50%. The plan would require approval of Brazil's president to go into effect.

Brazil Time Zone Map