COT to AKST Time Converter
AKST is 3 hours behind COT. COT is UTC-5:00, and Alaska is currently on AKDT (UTC-8:00).
Best Time to Call Between COT and AKST
Both zones are inside normal business hours between 12:00 PM and 5:00 PM COT — that's 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM AKST. That's a 5-hour window.
both at work COT only AKST only neither — hours along the strip are COT.
Common Times Converted
COT on the left, AKST on the right.
COT to AKST: Full 24-Hour Conversion Table
Shaded rows are working hours; the darker shade marks the hours when both zones are at work.
| COT | AKST | Working hours |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 9:00 PM prev day | — |
| 1:00 AM | 10:00 PM prev day | — |
| 2:00 AM | 11:00 PM prev day | — |
| 3:00 AM | 12:00 AM | — |
| 4:00 AM | 1:00 AM | — |
| 5:00 AM | 2:00 AM | — |
| 6:00 AM | 3:00 AM | — |
| 7:00 AM | 4:00 AM | — |
| 8:00 AM | 5:00 AM | — |
| 9:00 AM | 6:00 AM | COT only |
| 10:00 AM | 7:00 AM | COT only |
| 11:00 AM | 8:00 AM | COT only |
| 12:00 PM | 9:00 AM | Both zones |
| 1:00 PM | 10:00 AM | Both zones |
| 2:00 PM | 11:00 AM | Both zones |
| 3:00 PM | 12:00 PM | Both zones |
| 4:00 PM | 1:00 PM | Both zones |
| 5:00 PM | 2:00 PM | AKST only |
| 6:00 PM | 3:00 PM | AKST only |
| 7:00 PM | 4:00 PM | AKST only |
| 8:00 PM | 5:00 PM | — |
| 9:00 PM | 6:00 PM | — |
| 10:00 PM | 7:00 PM | — |
| 11:00 PM | 8:00 PM | — |
What COT and AKST Actually Are
COT — Colombia Time
Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Barranquilla. Standing at UTC-5:00 as written, and the region does not change its clocks, so that offset holds all year.
Colombia briefly tried daylight saving during the energy crisis of 1992-93 and has not repeated it.
AKST — Alaska Standard Time
Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau. Standing at UTC-9:00 as written, and the region does change its clocks, so its live offset moves by an hour twice a year. The next change is on Sunday, November 1, 2026, to AKST.
Alaska compressed four time zones into one in 1983, moving most of the state onto a single clock to keep business hours aligned with the rest of the country.
What This Means in Practice
This gap is not fixed
AKST changes its clocks and COT does not, so the difference between them moves by an hour twice a year. A recurring meeting set now will drift for one side from Sunday, November 1, 2026 unless someone resets it.
Major Cities in Each Zone
Cities on COT
Cities on AKST
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the time difference between COT and AKST?
AKST is 3 hours behind COT. That is the live figure. Taken strictly as written, the gap between COT and AKST is 4 hours — the two differ because at least one of these regions is currently on daylight saving.
What is 9:00 AM COT in AKST?
9:00 AM COT is 6:00 AM AKST.
What are the best hours to schedule a call between COT and AKST?
Between 12:00 PM and 5:00 PM COT, which is 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM AKST. Both sides are inside normal business hours through that window.
Does the difference between COT and AKST change during the year?
Yes. AKST observes daylight saving and COT does not, so the gap shifts by an hour at least twice a year. The next clock change is on Sunday, November 1, 2026.