date.getTimezoneOffset

The getTimezoneOffset() method returns the time zone difference, in minutes, from UTC to current locale (host system settings).

Syntax

dateObj.getTimezoneOffset()

Return value

A number representing the time-zone offset from UTC, in minutes, for the date based on current host system settings.

Description

The time-zone offset is the difference, in minutes, between UTC and local time. Note that this means that the offset is positive if the local timezone is behind UTC and negative if it is ahead. For example, for time zone UTC+10:00 (Australian Eastern Standard Time, Vladivostok Time, Chamorro Standard Time), -600 will be returned.

The time zone offset returned is the one that applies for the Date that it's called on. Where the host system is configured for daylight saving, the offset will change depending on the date and time that the Date represents and that daylight saving applies.

Examples

Using getTimezoneOffset()

// Get current timezone offset for host device
var x = new Date();
var currentTimeZoneOffsetInHours = x.getTimezoneOffset() / 60;
1
// Get timezone offset for International Labour Day (May 1) in 2016
// Be careful, the Date() constructor uses 0-indexed month so May is
// represented with 4 (and not 5)
var labourDay = new Date(2016, 4, 1)
var labourDayOffset = labourDay.getTimezoneOffset() / 60;

Specifications

Browser compatibility