Time Difference: London and Los Angeles
Los Angeles is 8 hours behind London for most of the year and 7 hours behind for a few weeks. 9:00 AM in London is 1:00 AM in Los Angeles normally and 2:00 AM in the 7-hour weeks.
Daylight saving note: Los Angeles is 8 hours behind London in both winter and summer. For a few weeks in March and about a week in late October the gap is 7 hours, because the US and the UK change their clocks on different dates.
Why the Gap Is Sometimes 7 Hours
Los Angeles is UTC-8 in winter and UTC-7 in summer. In London the offset is UTC+0 during GMT and UTC+1 during BST. If both are on the same season, the gap is 8 hours. When only one has moved, it's 7.
The US moves its clocks forward on the second Sunday in March, which is two to three weeks before the UK does on the last Sunday in March. In autumn, the UK moves back on the last Sunday in October, about a week before the US does on the first Sunday in November. In both short windows the gap is 7 hours.
So 4:00 PM in London is 8:00 AM in Los Angeles for most of the year and 9:00 AM in those windows. If a late London call falls near the change, check the date, not just the usual rule.
London to Los Angeles Conversion Table
Each column is one real season of the London-Los Angeles gap. Pick the column that matches your date.
| 🇬🇧 London (GMT) | 🇺🇸 Los Angeles (GMT → PST) | 🇺🇸 Los Angeles (BST → PDT) | 🇺🇸 Los Angeles (GMT → PDT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 00:00 | 16:00(prev day) | 16:00(prev day) | 17:00(prev day) |
| 03:00 | 19:00(prev day) | 19:00(prev day) | 20:00(prev day) |
| 06:00 | 22:00(prev day) | 22:00(prev day) | 23:00(prev day) |
| 09:00 | 01:00 | 01:00 | 02:00 |
| 12:00 | 04:00 | 04:00 | 05:00 |
| 15:00 | 07:00 | 07:00 | 08:00 |
| 18:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 11:00 |
| 21:00 | 13:00 | 13:00 | 14:00 |
- GMT → PST: first Sunday in November to second Sunday in March, while both are on standard time
- BST → PDT: last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October, while both are on summer time
- GMT → PDT: a few weeks from the second Sunday in March, and about a week from the last Sunday in October, when only the US is on summer time
* "next day" / "prev day" = the converted time falls on a different calendar date.
Best Meeting Time for London and Los Angeles
A 9-to-5 day on each side doesn't overlap for most of the year, since London's 5:00 PM close is Los Angeles's 9:00 AM start. London's last working hour, 4:00 to 5:00 PM, is 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM in Los Angeles. In the 7-hour windows the same hour is 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM, which is inside both working days.
Avoiding London-Los Angeles Time Mistakes
Los Angeles is behind, so an early morning in London is still the previous calendar day in Los Angeles. With a 8 hours gap, that applies to anything before 8:00 AM in London: 7:30 AM there is 11:30 PM the previous day in Los Angeles. When the gap narrows to 7 hours, the cut-off moves to 7:00 AM.
The risky weeks are the two short ones. A recurring 4:00 PM London call that is 8:00 AM in Los Angeles most weeks is 9:00 AM in the 7-hour weeks, so the Los Angeles attendee joins an hour later on their own clock. Going the other way, 9:00 AM in Los Angeles is 5:00 PM in London normally and 4:00 PM in the short windows.
A Worked Example: A London Late-Afternoon Call With Los Angeles
Suppose a London team calls Los Angeles at 4:30 PM. In most weeks that's 8:30 AM in Los Angeles. In the 7-hour weeks it's 9:30 AM.
If Los Angeles hosts at 9:00 AM, London joins at 5:00 PM in most weeks and 4:00 PM in the 7-hour weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the time difference between London and Los Angeles?
Los Angeles is 8 hours behind London in winter and in summer. For a few weeks in March and about a week in late October the gap is 7 hours, when only the US or only the UK is on summer time.
What time is 9 AM in London in Los Angeles?
In most weeks, 9:00 AM in London is 1:00 AM in Los Angeles. In the 7-hour weeks it's 2:00 AM.
When does the London-Los Angeles difference change?
The US moves forward on the second Sunday in March, before the UK does on the last Sunday in March, so the gap drops to 7 hours in between. In autumn the UK goes back on the last Sunday in October, before the US does on the first Sunday in November, which gives another 7-hour week.
What is the best time to schedule a London-Los Angeles call?
Late afternoon in London. 4:00 to 5:00 PM is 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM in Los Angeles most of the year and 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM in the 7-hour weeks.