Military Time Converter
Convert between 24-hour military time and standard 12-hour AM/PM format instantly. Works both ways.
Military → Standard
Standard → Military
Complete Conversion Chart
Every hour and half-hour of the day, in both military (24-hour) and standard (12-hour) formats.
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What Is Military Time?
Military time is the 24-hour clock notation used by the US military, NATO, emergency services, hospitals, airlines, and computing systems worldwide. Instead of cycling through 12 hours twice (with AM and PM), the day runs continuously from 0000 to 2359. Each moment has exactly one unambiguous representation, which eliminates the AM/PM confusion that can arise in scheduling, operations, and international communications.
The format uses 4 digits: the first two represent the hour (00–23) and the last two represent the minutes (00–59). Hours are always written with a leading zero: 0100, 0830, 1430. In spoken form, the time is read as "zero eight hundred hours," "fourteen hundred hours," or "oh-nine-thirty."
How to Convert Military Time to Standard Time
Converting from military time to 12-hour standard time follows a simple rule:
- 0000 = 12:00 AM (midnight)
- 0001–0059 = 12:01–12:59 AM
- 0100–1159 = 1:00 AM – 11:59 AM (identical hour numbers, add AM)
- 1200 = 12:00 PM (noon)
- 1201–1259 = 12:01–12:59 PM
- 1300–2359 = 1:00 PM – 11:59 PM (subtract 12 from the hour, add PM)
For PM times above 1200, the formula is: Standard hour = Military hour − 12. So 1500 − 12 = 3 → 3:00 PM. 2130 − 12 = 9 → 9:30 PM.
How to Convert Standard Time to Military Time
Going the other direction is equally straightforward:
- 12:xx AM (midnight hour) → 0000–0059
- 1:00 AM – 11:59 AM → Pad to 4 digits: 1:00 AM = 0100, 9:45 AM = 0945
- 12:00 PM (noon) → 1200
- 1:00 PM – 11:59 PM → Add 12 to the hour: 1:00 PM = 1300, 9:30 PM = 2130
The exception to remember: 12:00 AM is not 1200 — it is 0000. And 12:00 PM is not 2400 — it stays as 1200. These midnight/noon edge cases trip up most beginners.
Common Military Time Conversions
Some of the most frequently looked-up military time values: 0800 = 8:00 AM, 0900 = 9:00 AM, 1000 = 10:00 AM, 1200 = 12:00 PM (noon), 1300 = 1:00 PM, 1400 = 2:00 PM, 1500 = 3:00 PM, 1600 = 4:00 PM, 1700 = 5:00 PM, 1800 = 6:00 PM, 2000 = 8:00 PM, 2100 = 9:00 PM, 2200 = 10:00 PM, 2300 = 11:00 PM, 2359 = 11:59 PM.
Military Time vs. 24-Hour Clock
The terms are often used interchangeably, but there is a subtle difference. The 24-hour clock is the international standard (ISO 8601) and typically written with a colon: 13:00. Military time drops the colon (1300) and is spoken with "hours" appended ("thirteen hundred hours"). Both represent the same underlying system. Computing, aviation, and logistics almost universally use 24-hour notation; military operations and emergency services in the US use the spoken military convention.
Countries and the 24-Hour Clock
Most of the world uses the 24-hour clock in official contexts. In Europe, transportation schedules, official documents, and digital devices default to 24-hour. In Latin America, the 24-hour system is widely used in formal settings. In Asia, Japan uses both systems contextually; China, Korea, and most of Southeast Asia commonly use 24-hour in official schedules. The United States and Canada are among the few countries where 12-hour AM/PM is dominant in everyday speech, though 24-hour is standard in the military, aviation, medicine, and computing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 1300 in military time?
1300 is 1:00 PM. Subtract 12 from hours above 1200: 1300 − 12 = 1 → 1:00 PM. The same rule applies for any PM time above 1200.
How do I read military time?
Military time uses 4 digits from 0000 (midnight) to 2359 (11:59 PM). Hours 0100–1200 correspond to 1 AM–noon. From 1300, subtract 12 to get the PM hour. Speak it as "fourteen hundred hours" (1400) or "oh-nine-thirty" (0930).
What is midnight in military time?
Midnight is 0000 hours (zero hundred hours). The end of a day can also be written 2400, but the start of each day begins at 0000. Noon is 1200.
What is 0800 military time?
0800 is 8:00 AM. Any military time from 0100 to 1159 corresponds directly to the same hour AM — just add the AM label.
How do I convert 12-hour time to military time?
For AM: pad to 4 digits (9:00 AM = 0900). For PM: add 12 to the hour (1:00 PM → 13 → 1300). Special cases: 12:00 AM = 0000, 12:00 PM = 1200.
Which countries use 24-hour time?
Most countries use 24-hour officially (Europe, Latin America, Asia, Africa, Australia). The US and Canada use 12-hour AM/PM in everyday speech but 24-hour in military, aviation, medicine, and computing.