---
title: 'PostgreSQL AT TIME ZONE Operator'
page_title: 'PostgreSQL AT TIME ZONE Operator'
page_description: 'You will learn how to use the PostgreSQL AT TIME ZONE operator to convert a timestamp or a timestamp with time zone to a different time zone.'
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updatedOn: '2024-03-21T09:22:23+00:00'
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---

**Summary**: in this tutorial, you will learn how to use the PostgreSQL `AT TIME ZONE` operator to convert a timestamp or a timestamp with time zone to a different time zone.

## Introduction to the PostgreSQL AT TIME ZONE operator

In PostgreSQL, the `AT TIME ZONE` is an operator that allows you to convert a [timestamp](../postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-timestamp) or a timestamp with time zone to a different time zone.

The `AT TIME ZONE` operator can be useful when you want to perform timezone conversions within your SQL queries.

Here’s the syntax of the `AT TIME ZONE` operator:

```csssqlsql
timestamp_expression AT TIME ZONE target_timezone
```

In this syntax:

- timestamp_expression is a timestamp or timestamp with time zone value that you want to convert.
- target_timezone is the target time zone to which you want to convert. This can be either a time zone name or an expression that evaluates to a time zone name.

The `AT TIME ZONE` operator always returns a value of type `TIMESTAMP WITH TIME ZONE`.

## PostgreSQL AT TIME ZONE operator examples

Let’s explore some examples of using the `AT TIME ZONE` operator. It is assumed that the server’s time zone is `'America/Los_Angeles'`.

If you want to have consistent results like the following examples, you can set the PostgreSQL server’s timezone to `'America/Los_Angeles'` by executing the following statement in any PostgreSQL client (such as pgAdmin or psql):

```sql
set timezone to 'America/Los_Angeles'
```

Once you execute the command, you can verify it by showing the current timezone:

```sql
show timezone;
```

Output:

```text
      TimeZone
---------------------
 America/Los_Angeles
(1 row)
```

### 1\) Basic AT TIME ZONE operator example

The following example uses the `AT TIME ZONE` operator to convert a timestamp to Coordinated Universal time (UTC):

```
SELECT TIMESTAMP '2024-03-21 10:00:00' AT TIME ZONE 'UTC';
```

Output:

```
        timezone
------------------------
 2024-03-21 03:00:00-07
(1 row)
```

### 2\) Converting timestamp with time zone

The following example uses the `AT TIME ZONE` operator to convert a timestamp with time zone to UTC:

```css
SELECT TIMESTAMP WITH TIME ZONE '2024-03-21 10:00:00-04' AT TIME ZONE 'UTC';
```

Output:

```text
      timezone
---------------------
 2024-03-21 14:00:00
(1 row)
```

### 3\) Using the AT TIME ZONE operator with time zone abbreviation

The following query uses the `AT TIME ZONE` operator to convert a timestamp to Pacific Standard Time (PST) from the default time zone:

```css
SELECT TIMESTAMP '2024-03-21 10:00:00' AT TIME ZONE 'PST';
```

Output:

```text
        timezone
------------------------
 2024-03-21 11:00:00-07
(1 row)
```

### 4\) Converting a timestamp using a time zone offset

The following example uses the `AT TIME ZONE` operator to convert a timestamp using a time zone offset:

```css
SELECT TIMESTAMP '2024-03-21 10:00:00' AT TIME ZONE '-08:00';
```

Output:

```text
        timezone
------------------------
 2024-03-20 19:00:00-07
(1 row)
```

### 5\) Converting a timestamp using named time zones

The following example uses the `AT TIME ZONE` operator to convert a timestamp using a named time zone:

```css
SELECT TIMESTAMP '2024-03-21 10:00:00' AT TIME ZONE 'America/New_York';
```

Output:

```
        timezone
------------------------
 2024-03-21 07:00:00-07
(1 row)
```

Please note that PostgreSQL uses the [IANA time zone database](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tz_database_time_zones) for time zone information.

## Summary

- Use the `AT TIME ZONE` operator to convert a timestamp to a different time zone.