What is military time?
Military time is the 24-hour clock written as four digits with no colon and no AM or PM. The day starts at 0000 (midnight) and runs to 2359 (one minute before the next midnight). It’s used by the military, hospitals, airlines, and many time clocks and point-of-sale systems, because it can’t be misread: there’s only one 0700 in a day.
Common military time conversions
The times people look up most. For example, 1700 in military time is 5:00 PM, 1730 is 5:30 PM, and noon is 1200. 9 o’clock is 0900 in the morning and 2100 at night.
| Military time | Standard time | Said as |
|---|---|---|
| 0000 | 12:00 AM (midnight) | zero zero hundred |
| 0030 | 12:30 AM | zero zero thirty |
| 0700 | 7:00 AM | zero seven hundred |
| 0900 | 9:00 AM | zero nine hundred |
| 0930 | 9:30 AM | zero nine thirty |
| 1200 | 12:00 PM (noon) | twelve hundred |
| 1300 | 1:00 PM | thirteen hundred |
| 1445 | 2:45 PM | fourteen forty-five |
| 1500 | 3:00 PM | fifteen hundred |
| 1700 | 5:00 PM | seventeen hundred |
| 1730 | 5:30 PM | seventeen thirty |
| 1900 | 7:00 PM | nineteen hundred |
| 2100 | 9:00 PM | twenty-one hundred |
| 2115 | 9:15 PM | twenty-one fifteen |
| 2200 | 10:00 PM | twenty-two hundred |
| 2330 | 11:30 PM | twenty-three thirty |
How to convert military time to standard time
- 0000 to 0059: the 12 o’clock hour after midnight. 0030 is 12:30 AM.
- 0100 to 1159: the same as AM time. 0930 is 9:30 AM.
- 1200 to 1259: the noon hour. 1215 is 12:15 PM.
- 1300 to 2359: subtract 12 and add PM. 1745 is 5:45 PM.
How to convert standard time to military time
- AM times: write the hour as two digits. 7:05 AM is 0705. 12 AM becomes 00, so 12:40 AM is 0040.
- PM times: add 12 to the hour. 3:20 PM is 1520. 12 PM stays 12, so 12:10 PM is 1210.
How to say military time
Say the hours and minutes as two numbers: 1730 is “seventeen thirty”, 2115 is “twenty-one fifteen”. On the hour, say “hundred”: 1400 is “fourteen hundred”. Leading zeros are spoken: 0800 is “zero eight hundred”.
Reading a time card in 24-hour time
If your time clock prints 24-hour times, subtract them directly: out at 1730, in at 0900 is 8 hours 30 minutes. The time card calculator accepts 24-hour times too.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert military time to standard time?
For hours 13 to 23, subtract 12 and add PM: 1700 is 5:00 PM. 0000 is 12:00 AM (midnight), hours 01 to 11 are AM, and 1200 is 12:00 PM (noon).
Is midnight 0000 or 2400?
Both are used. 0000 marks the start of a day and 2400 the end of it; they’re the same moment.
How do you say military time?
1700 is said “seventeen hundred”, and 0930 is “zero nine thirty”.