How it works
Military time is the 24-hour clock written as four digits without a colon. The day starts at 0000 (midnight) and runs to 2359 (11:59 PM). It removes any AM/PM ambiguity, which is why it is used by the armed forces, hospitals, aviation and emergency services.
To convert from military to standard time, subtract 12 from any hour of 13 or more and add PM. Hours 00 through 11 are AM, with 00 becoming 12 AM, and 12 is noon (12 PM).
Formula
Standard hour = military hour − 12 (for 13–23); 00 → 12 AM; 12 → 12 PM
Questions people ask
What is 1700 in standard time?
5:00 PM. Subtract 12 from 17 to get 5, and it is PM because the hour is 12 or greater.
Is midnight 0000 or 2400?
Both are used. 0000 marks the start of a day and 2400 the end of a day, but 0000 is the standard form, and clocks roll from 2359 to 0000.
How do you say military time out loud?
Say the digits in pairs followed by "hours": 0800 is "zero eight hundred hours" and 1430 is "fourteen thirty hours".