Military Time Converter

Not sure how to write a specific time of day in the military time format? To eliminate billing errors and manual inefficiencies, this simple military time converter enables you to easily convert between military time and standard time.

What is military time?

Military time refers to a timekeeping method, also known as the 24-hour clock.

This timekeeping system is widely used around the world, except in the US and several other countries, such as the following:

• Canada,
• India,
• Mexico,
• Philippines,
• Australia, and
• New Zealand.

The use of the 24-hour clock format is also encouraged by the ISO 8601 international standard — established with the intention of providing a clear way to communicate date and time internationally.

🎓 The US Timekeeping Regulations

How is military time different from standard time?

Standard time refers to a timekeeping system commonly known as the 12-hour clock. This clock splits the day into 2 blocks of time:

• First block — starts at midnight (12:00 AM) and ends at noon (12:00 PM), and
• Second block — starts at noon (12:00 PM) and ends at midnight (12:00 AM).

Here are a couple of examples to illustrate the standard time format used to show time:

• 1:00 AM — one o’clock after midnight.
• 3:30 PM — half past three in the afternoon.

We see here that the standard time uses the abbreviations “AM” and “PM” to signify time before and after noon, respectively.

These abbreviations come from Latin terms:

• Ante meridiem (before noon) — AM or a.m.
• Post meridiem (after noon) — PM or p.m.

On the other hand, the 24-hour clock represents a continuous cycle of 24 hours, from 0000 (midnight) to 2359 (one minute before the next midnight).

This timekeeping system eliminates the need for AM/PM abbreviations because each hour of the day has a unique number. The count of hours after 1200 (noon) is simply continued — 1:00 PM becomes 1300 military time, 2:00 PM becomes 1400 military time, and so on.

Where and why is military time used?

The 24-hour clock is used in specialist areas, such as:

• Aviation,
• Navigation,
• Meteorology,
• Astronomy,
• Computing,
• Logistics,
• Emergency services,
• The military, and others.

The reasons behind the use of military time in these areas include the following:

• To avoid ambiguity in critical situations such as military operations or air traffic control,
• To make collaborative work more convenient by using a shorter and more machine-friendly format (no separators or abbreviations), and
• To align with the internationally accepted time formatting within the mentioned professions.

🎓 DCAA Compliant Timekeeping

What is a military time converter?

A military time converter is a tool that eases the process of converting between military and standard time formats.

Using a military time converter eliminates AM/PM confusion, helping operations managers reduce communication and scheduling errors — especially when working with international teams.

Utilizing this tool also helps operations managers enhance client trust and justify invoices by providing clear time-based data to clients. Moreover, by converting all billable time and getting precise data, operations managers can better measure project profitability and improve future estimates.

How our military time converter works

To convert military time to regular time using this military time converter, enter military time (e.g., 1600) in the Military time field. As soon as you do that, a standard time equivalent (in this case, 4:00 PM) will appear in the Standard time field.

To convert standard time to military time, click the Swap option (⇄). Then, enter standard time (e.g., 6:15) in the Standard time field and choose the AM or PM option (in this case, AM). A military time equivalent (in this case, 0615) will appear in the Military time field.

How to convert military time

There are a few ways you can do this:

• Step by step, manually,
• Using a military time converter, or
• Referencing the military time converter chart.

In the following section, we’ll explain how to manually convert military time to standard time.

From military time to standard time conversion

Step-by-step conversion is the most time-consuming way of converting military time. However, if you’re interested in time value formatting, the following are the instructions for manual military to standard time conversion.

Military times 0000 and 2400 both signify 12:00 AM (midnight). Also, military time 1200 represents 12:00 PM (noon).

For military times from 0000 to 0059, insert a colon between the first two and last two digits. Next, add 12 to the number of hours. Finally, include the AM abbreviation.

For military times from 0100 to 0959, remove the leading zero, insert a colon between the first and last two digits, and add AM.

For military times from 1000 to 1159, insert a colon between the first two and last two digits. Then add AM at the end.

For military times from 1200 to 1259, insert a colon between the first two and last two digits and include PM.

For military times from 1300 to 2359, insert a colon between the first two and last two digits, and then subtract 12 from the number of hours (e.g., 17-12=5). In the end, add PM.

From standard time to military time conversion

Now, let’s see how to manually turn standard time into military time.

Standard time 12:00 AM is either 0000 or 2400 in military time format, as we’ve mentioned above.

For standard times from 12:01 AM to 12:59 AM, remove the colon, then subtract 12 from the number of hours. In the end, remove AM.

For standard times from 1:00 AM to 9:59 AM, add a zero before the first digit, remove the colon, and erase AM.

For standard times from 10:00 AM to 11:59 AM, remove the colon and the AM abbreviation.

For regular times from 12:00 PM to 12:59 PM, remove the colon and the PM part.

For standard times from 1:00 PM to 11:59 PM, add 12 to the number of hours and then remove the colon. Finally, erase PM.

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Military time chart converter

A simple military time converter chart can help you get a clear picture of the differences between military and standard time.

The chart below provides a blueprint for converting military time to standard time, as well as the reverse conversion.

FAQs about military time conversion

To find answers to some frequently asked questions about military time conversion, refer to the next section.

What time is 1730?

Military time 1730 is 5:30 PM in standard time format. Remember, minutes don’t change, while 1700 military time is equivalent to 5:00 PM in a 12-hour clock.

What time is 18:15?

Military time 18:15 is 6:15 PM in standard time format.

To convert 1800 military time to standard time, insert a colon between the first two and last two digits (18:00), and then subtract 12 from the number of hours (18-12=6). Finally, add the PM abbreviation (6:00 PM). Again, minutes remain the same.

What time is 12:00?

Military time 12:00 corresponds to 12:00 PM regular time.

What is 30 minutes in the military time converter?

When converting between standard and military time, minutes remain the same. So, 6:30 PM in military time format is 1830, and 0730 is 7:30 AM in standard time format, for instance.

What is 8 o’clock in military time?

In military time, 8 o’clock in the morning is 0800, while 8 o’clock in the evening is 2000.

How to convert 2000 military time to standard time?

To convert 2000 military time to standard time, put a colon between the first two and last two digits (20:00), subtract 12 from the hours (20-12=8), and add PM (8:00 PM).

What is 1600 military time in a 12-hour clock format?

Military time 1600 is 4:00 PM in the 12-hour clock.

What is 2100 military time in standard time format?

Military time 2100 is the same as 9:00 PM standard time.

What is 1300 military time in standard time format?

Military time 1300 corresponds to 1:00 PM standard time.

What is 3:00 in military time?

Depending on the context, 3:00 can be 0300 (if it’s 3:00 AM) or 1500 (if it’s 3:00 PM) in military time format.

Use Clockify to track time accurately and prevent billing errors

As an operations manager, you know how difficult getting accurate timekeeping data can be — especially if your employees use different time formats when reporting time. This leads to confusion and billing errors, which can hurt your business.

Luckily, Clockify’s powerful time tracker can help you avoid issues that arise from inconsistent timekeeping.

You and your employees can set your preferred time format in Clockify. This way, you establish a standardized system for time reporting, allowing you to get precise data necessary for correct billing and compliant payroll.

First, you can choose between a 12-hour and a 24-hour time format, as shown below:

Let’s say you chose a 24-hour time format.

To track time via timer in Clockify, go to the Time Tracker page and enter what you’re working on. Then, select a project and click the Start button to start tracking time. When you finish working, click the Stop button.

Once you and your employees have completed your tasks, you can view your tracked time in Clockify’s detailed report.

As shown in the screenshot above, the start and end times are displayed in 24-hour time format, so you know exactly when each of your team members started working (e.g., 09:00) and finished working on the project (e.g., 16:00). No confusion, no complications.

Plus, if you switch to a 12-hour time format, Clockify automatically converts all time previously recorded in military time format to a standard time format.

Tired of manually converting your team’s time entries? Automate the time conversion process with a reliable time tracking tool and save time.