Military time is a way of expressing time using a 24-hour clock instead of the familiar 12-hour AM and PM system. Hours run continuously from 0000 at midnight to 2359 just before the next midnight, making it easy to tell exactly which part of the day a time refers to.
For example, 7:00 AM is written as 0700, while 7:00 PM is 1900 in military time. Because each hour of the day has a unique number, there is no need to add AM or PM.
The system is widely associated with the military, but the 24-hour clock is also useful in aviation, healthcare, emergency services, transportation, international travel, and other situations where clear time communication matters. NIST notes that a 24-hour clock eliminates the morning-versus-evening ambiguity that can occur with a 12-hour clock.
Whether you need to convert military time to standard time, learn how to read the 24-hour clock, or quickly check what 1300, 1700, or 2200 means, this guide covers the essentials.
What Is Military Time?
Military time is based on the 24-hour clock.
Instead of dividing the day into two 12-hour periods identified by AM and PM, military time numbers the hours sequentially throughout the entire day.
The day begins at midnight:
0000 = 12:00 AM
It then progresses through:
0100 = 1:00 AM
0600 = 6:00 AM
1200 = 12:00 PM
1300 = 1:00 PM
1800 = 6:00 PM
2300 = 11:00 PM
After 2359, the next day begins at 0000.
U.S. Army material describes military time as operating on a 24-hour clock beginning at midnight with 0000 hours.
Military Time Chart
Use this military time conversion chart to quickly convert between military time and standard 12-hour time.
| Military Time | 24-Hour Time | Standard Time |
| 0000 | 00:00 | 12:00 AM |
| 0100 | 01:00 | 1:00 AM |
| 0200 | 02:00 | 2:00 AM |
| 0300 | 03:00 | 3:00 AM |
| 0400 | 04:00 | 4:00 AM |
| 0500 | 05:00 | 5:00 AM |
| 0600 | 06:00 | 6:00 AM |
| 0700 | 07:00 | 7:00 AM |
| 0800 | 08:00 | 8:00 AM |
| 0900 | 09:00 | 9:00 AM |
| 1000 | 10:00 | 10:00 AM |
| 1100 | 11:00 | 11:00 AM |
| 1200 | 12:00 | 12:00 PM |
| 1300 | 13:00 | 1:00 PM |
| 1400 | 14:00 | 2:00 PM |
| 1500 | 15:00 | 3:00 PM |
| 1600 | 16:00 | 4:00 PM |
| 1700 | 17:00 | 5:00 PM |
| 1800 | 18:00 | 6:00 PM |
| 1900 | 19:00 | 7:00 PM |
| 2000 | 20:00 | 8:00 PM |
| 2100 | 21:00 | 9:00 PM |
| 2200 | 22:00 | 10:00 PM |
| 2300 | 23:00 | 11:00 PM |
This simple chart covers every full hour of the day and makes most military-time conversions easy to understand.
How to Read Military Time
Military time normally uses four digits.
The first two digits represent the hour, while the final two represent the minutes.
For example:
0630
The first two digits, 06, represent the hour.
The final two digits, 30, represent the minutes.
Therefore:
0630 = 6:30 AM
Consider another example:
1845
The first two digits represent hour 18, and the final two represent 45 minutes.
18:45 in the 24-hour clock equals:
6:45 PM
The same principle works throughout the day.
0915 = 9:15 AM
1245 = 12:45 PM
1430 = 2:30 PM
2110 = 9:10 PM
Once you understand the four-digit structure, reading military time becomes much easier.
How to Convert Military Time to Standard Time
Converting military time depends on whether the hour is before or after 1200.
From 0000 to 1159
For morning times, the hour generally stays the same.
For example:
0700 = 7:00 AM
0845 = 8:45 AM
1130 = 11:30 AM
The main exception is the midnight hour.
0000 = 12:00 AM
0030 = 12:30 AM
From 1200 to 1259
Times beginning with 12 represent the noon hour.
For example:
1200 = 12:00 PM
1230 = 12:30 PM
1255 = 12:55 PM
From 1300 to 2359
For afternoon and evening military times, subtract 12 from the hour.
For example:
1500
15 − 12 = 3
So:
1500 = 3:00 PM
Another example:
1945
19 − 12 = 7
Therefore:
1945 = 7:45 PM
This simple subtraction rule makes converting most afternoon and evening military times quick.
How to Convert Standard Time to Military Time
You can also convert regular AM/PM time into military time.
Converting AM Times
For most AM times, keep the hour and add a leading zero when necessary.
For example:
5:15 AM = 0515
7:30 AM = 0730
9:45 AM = 0945
For midnight:
12:00 AM = 0000
Converting PM Times
For PM times after noon, add 12 to the hour.
For example:
2:00 PM
2 + 12 = 14
So:
2:00 PM = 1400
Another example:
8:35 PM
8 + 12 = 20
Therefore:
8:35 PM = 2035
Noon remains:
12:00 PM = 1200
Military Time vs 24-Hour Time
The terms military time and 24-hour time are closely related, but their written formats can differ.
A civilian 24-hour clock will commonly display:
14:30
Military notation may appear as:
1430
The underlying time is the same: 2:30 PM.
Military notation is commonly written as four digits without a colon. In some operational contexts, a letter may also be added to identify the relevant time zone. Timeanddate explains that military notation can combine four numerical digits with a time-zone letter when that additional precision is required.
For ordinary time conversion, however, the main concept to remember is that both systems use hours from 00 through 23.
Why Does the Military Use a 24-Hour Clock?
One major advantage of a 24-hour clock is clarity.
Imagine being told that an operation begins at:
7:00
Without more information, that could mean 7:00 in the morning or 7:00 in the evening.
In military time:
0700 clearly means 7:00 AM.
1900 clearly means 7:00 PM.
There is no AM/PM ambiguity.
This distinction can be especially valuable when precise communication is necessary. The same principle explains why 24-hour time is useful beyond the military in fields such as healthcare, emergency response, aviation, and transportation.
What Is 1300 in Military Time?
1300 military time is 1:00 PM.
To convert it, subtract 12 from 13:
13 − 12 = 1
Therefore:
1300 = 1:00 PM
If minutes are included, they remain unchanged.
For example:
1330 = 1:30 PM
1345 = 1:45 PM
What Is 1500 in Military Time?
1500 military time is 3:00 PM.
15 − 12 = 3
Therefore:
1500 = 3:00 PM
Similarly:
1515 = 3:15 PM
1530 = 3:30 PM
1545 = 3:45 PM
What Is 1700 in Military Time?
1700 military time is 5:00 PM.
Subtract 12:
17 − 12 = 5
So:
1700 = 5:00 PM
What Is 1800 in Military Time?
1800 military time means 6:00 PM.
18 − 12 = 6
Therefore:
1800 = 6:00 PM
For example:
1830 = 6:30 PM
1845 = 6:45 PM
What Is 2000 in Military Time?
2000 military time is 8:00 PM.
20 − 12 = 8
Therefore:
2000 = 8:00 PM
What Is 2200 in Military Time?
2200 military time means 10:00 PM.
22 − 12 = 10
So:
2200 = 10:00 PM
Likewise:
2230 = 10:30 PM
Midnight in Military Time
Midnight deserves special attention because it can sometimes cause confusion.
The beginning of a new day is commonly represented as:
0000
NIST explains that in 24-hour notation, 0000 can identify midnight at the beginning of a date, while 2400 may be used to designate the end of a given date in contexts where that distinction is needed.
For most everyday military-time conversions, think of:
0000 = midnight / 12:00 AM
One minute after midnight is:
0001 = 12:01 AM
Thirty minutes after midnight is:
0030 = 12:30 AM
Noon in Military Time
Noon is much simpler.
1200 = 12:00 PM
After noon, military hours continue upward:
1300 = 1:00 PM
1400 = 2:00 PM
1500 = 3:00 PM
and so on until 2300.
What Is Zulu Time?
You may occasionally see military time followed by the letter Z, such as:
1500Z
The letter Z is pronounced Zulu in the NATO phonetic alphabet and is associated with UTC, or Coordinated Universal Time.
This is important because military operations may involve people located in different time zones. A shared reference such as UTC can reduce confusion about which local time is intended.
Do not assume that a time written with Zulu time is your local time. Its local equivalent depends on your location, UTC offset, date, and potentially daylight saving time.
Military Time and Time Zones
Military time tells you the time of day, but it does not automatically tell you the geographic time zone unless additional context or a zone designation is provided.
For example, 1600 in New York and 1600 in Tokyo are not the same instant.
If you need to coordinate military time between different cities or countries, use a time zone converter in addition to converting the 24-hour format.
This is especially important for international travel, remote communication, flight planning, global operations, and events involving several time zones.
Easy Military Time Conversion Trick
Remember these three basic rules:
Morning: Keep the hour.
Afternoon/evening: Subtract 12 from hours 13 through 23.
Standard PM to military: Add 12 to hours 1 through 11 PM.
Examples:
0900 → 9:00 AM
1200 → 12:00 PM
1400 → 2:00 PM
1800 → 6:00 PM
2300 → 11:00 PM
With a little practice, you can recognize common military times almost immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions About Military Time
What time is 1600 military time?
1600 is 4:00 PM. Subtract 12 from 16 to get 4.
What time is 1900 military time?
1900 is 7:00 PM.
What time is 2100 military time?
2100 is 9:00 PM.
What is 12:00 AM in military time?
12:00 AM is 0000.
What is 12:00 PM in military time?
12:00 PM is 1200.
What is 3:30 PM in military time?
Add 12 to 3 and keep the minutes unchanged:
3 + 12 = 15
So 3:30 PM = 1530.
What is 8:45 PM in military time?
8 + 12 = 20
Therefore, 8:45 PM = 2045.
Does military time use AM and PM?
No. Military time uses a continuous 24-hour system, so AM and PM are unnecessary.
Does military time use a colon?
Military notation is commonly written without a colon, such as 1730, while civilian 24-hour notation commonly appears as 17:30.
Is military time the same worldwide?
The 24-hour numbering system can be used worldwide, but a military-time value by itself does not necessarily identify a time zone. When coordinating across regions, the applicable zone or UTC reference must also be known.
Convert Military Time Quickly
Learning military time becomes simple once you understand the 24-hour clock.
Times from midnight through late morning run from 0000 to 1159. Noon is 1200. For hours from 1300 onward, subtract 12 from the hour to convert to standard PM time.
That means:
1300 = 1:00 PM
1500 = 3:00 PM
1700 = 5:00 PM
1800 = 6:00 PM
2000 = 8:00 PM
2200 = 10:00 PM
Whether you are interpreting a schedule, converting 24-hour time, coordinating travel, or simply trying to understand what a military time means, a military time converter and conversion chart provide a fast way to switch between military time and standard AM/PM time.
