Time in Chile is divided into two time zones. Continental Chile uses the time offset UTC−03:00. Additionally, Easter Island uses the time offset UTC−05:00.
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Until 2015, Continental Chile used the time offset UTC−04:00 and Easter Island used UTC−06:00 for standard time, with daylight saving time roughly between October and March every year. In January 2015 the Chilean government announced that the entire country will keep the time offset used during daylight saving time permanently. Indeed, there was no time change in 2015, however the annual time change was reinstated in 2016 after feedback from the public about an increase in truancy during the winter months, complaints about older computers and other electronic devices not using the right time zone, and fruit growers reporting a 15% loss in productivity.
Chile returned to UTC−04:00 for winter time for 3 months starting in 2016. This began the second Saturday in May (May 14) and ended on the second Saturday of August (August 13).
Current time zone
The official time on the mainland is now UTC−03:00, and on Easter Island is UTC−05:00.
Standard time (CLT/EAST)
Standard time in Chile was used in Chile until 2015. The time zone Chile Standard Time (CLT) was used on the mainland with the offset UTC−04:00 and Easter Island Standard Time (EAST) was used on Easter Island with the offset UTC−06:00.
On March 1, 1894, the first official time signal operates in Valparaiso at -4 hours, 46 minutes and 34 seconds with respect to GMT, as UTC did not exist.
In 1903, another official time was operating in Coquimbo. It was synchronized at -4 hours, 45 minutes 20.7 seconds with respect to GMT.
On January 10, 1910, Chile adopted GMT-5 as its official time.
On July 1, 1919, time was set as 4 hours 42 minutes 46.3 seconds behind Greenwich.
Summer time (CLST/EASST)
Summer time in Chile, also known as daylight saving time (DST) in Chile was used in Chile from 1970 to 2015. The time zone Chile Summer Time (CLST) was used on the mainland with the offset UTC−03:00 and Easter Island Summer Time (EASST) was used on Easter Island with the offset UTC−05:00. In mainland Chile, time was changed at 24:00 on a Saturday, i.e. at 0:00 on the following Sunday. In Easter Island, time was changed at 20:00 on a Saturday. In 2015, the time offset used in this time zone eventually became the only time zone in Chile.
Several exceptions have been decreed to the current rule that began in 1970:
IANA time zone database
Zones for Chile as given in the file zone.tab of the IANA time zone database.