How to read military time
Military time is a 24-hour clock written as four digits. The first two are the hour (00–23) and the last two are the minutes (00–59). There’s no AM or PM because every hour of the day has its own number.
Reading the four digits
1730 → hour 17, minutes 30. Hour 17 is 5 PM, so 1730 is 5:30 PM.
Military time to standard time
- 0000 to 0059: the hour is 12 AM. 0045 → 12:45 AM.
- 0100 to 1159: drop the leading zero and add AM. 0630 → 6:30 AM.
- 1200 to 1259: keep 12 and add PM. 1215 → 12:15 PM.
- 1300 to 2359: subtract 12 from the hour and add PM. 1845 → 6:45 PM.
Standard time to military time
- 12:xx AM: write 00 for the hour. 12:20 AM → 0020.
- 1:00 to 11:59 AM: add a leading zero if needed. 9:05 AM → 0905.
- 12:xx PM: keep 12. 12:40 PM → 1240.
- 1:00 to 11:59 PM: add 12 to the hour. 8:15 PM → 2015.
Examples
| Military | Standard | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| 0000 | 12:00 AM | Zero hundred hours |
| 0045 | 12:45 AM | Zero zero forty-five hours |
| 0630 | 6:30 AM | Zero six thirty hours |
| 1200 | 12:00 PM | Twelve hundred hours |
| 1245 | 12:45 PM | Twelve forty-five hours |
| 1530 | 3:30 PM | Fifteen thirty hours |
| 1830 | 6:30 PM | Eighteen thirty hours |
| 2345 | 11:45 PM | Twenty-three forty-five hours |
Saying military time
Read the four digits as two pairs, then add “hours.” On the hour, say “hundred.” A leading zero is spoken as “zero” (not “oh” in formal use).
- 0800: “zero eight hundred hours”
- 1300: “thirteen hundred hours”
- 1905: “nineteen zero five hours”
- 2330: “twenty-three thirty hours”
Midnight and noon
0000 is midnight at the start of the day (12:00 AM). 1200 is noon (12:00 PM). Some schedules write midnight at the end of a day as 2400, but clocks roll from 2359 to 0000.
Common mistakes
- 12 PM written as 2400. Noon is 1200; 2400 is midnight.
- Adding 12 to 12 PM. 12:30 PM is 1230, not 2430.
- Leaving off the leading zero. 7:00 AM is 0700, not 700.
Time zones
Military time often ends with a letter for the time zone: 1730Z is 5:30 PM at UTC (“Zulu”), 1730R is Eastern Standard Time. See military time zones and the current Zulu time.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the military use 24-hour time?
A 24-hour clock removes any doubt about AM and PM. "0700" can only mean seven in the morning, which matters for orders, flight plans and shift handovers.
Do you put a colon in military time?
No. Military time is written as four digits with no colon: 1430, not 14:30. Civilian 24-hour time (used in much of the world) usually keeps the colon.
Do you say "hundred" or "hundred hours"?
On the hour, say "hundred hours": 1500 is "fifteen hundred hours". With minutes, say the two pairs and "hours": 1545 is "fifteen forty-five hours". In casual speech many people drop "hours".
What about seconds?
Seconds are rarely used. When they are, add two more digits: 143015 is 2:30:15 PM.