# Setting the Time Zone in SingleStore

The `default_time_zone` configuration option can be used to set the time zone by specifying an offset from UTC time. While updating a time zone on a host, it is required to set it identically on all hosts in the SingleStore cluster and then restart the cluster. For example, to set the time zone to [UTC](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_UTC_time_offsets) on a host, run the command:

```shell
sdb-admin update-config --key default_time_zone --value "+00:00" --all

```

And then restart the cluster by running the following command:

```shell
sdb-admin restart-node --all

```

For example, to specify an offset of 01 hour from UTC, run the following command and restart the cluster.

```shell
sdb-admin update-config --key default_time_zone --value "+01:00" --all

```

**Note**: `default_time_zone` is a startup configuration option and not engine variable, so you cannot read or write it using the `SELECT` or `SET` command.

When you set `default_time_zone` (for example to the value `UTC`), then the [time\_zone](https://docs.singlestore.com/db/v9.1/user-and-cluster-administration/maintain-your-cluster/setting-the-time-zone/time-zone-engine-variables.md) variable is set to the same value as `default_time_zone`.

```sql
SELECT @@TIME_ZONE;

```

```output

+-------------+
| @@TIME_ZONE |
+-------------+
| UTC         |
+-------------+

```

The actual time zone used by SingleStore is `time_zone` (which is set in `default_time_zone`). So, the `CURRENT_TIMESTAMP()` or `LOCALTIMESTAMP()` displays the actual time zone used by SingleStore:

```sql
SELECT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP();

```

```output

+---------------------+
| CURRENT_TIMESTAMP() |
+---------------------+
| 2020-05-26 11:27:56 |
+---------------------+

```

When you query `DATETIME` values, SingleStore displays the timestamp as it was originally entered. The value is not adjusted according to the `default_time_zone` setting.

For example, assume that the `default_time_zone` is set to `-4:00` and you insert a `DATETIME` value `2020-07-08 15:40:52`. Now, you set the `default_time_zone` to `-7:00` and then query the same `DATETIME` value. You will notice that the value remains `2020-07-08 15:40:52`. 

***

Modified at: November 6, 2023

Source: [/db/v9.1/user-and-cluster-administration/maintain-your-cluster/setting-the-time-zone/setting-the-time-zone-in-singlestore/](https://docs.singlestore.com/db/v9.1/user-and-cluster-administration/maintain-your-cluster/setting-the-time-zone/setting-the-time-zone-in-singlestore/)

(An index of the documentation is available at /llms.txt)