How to check or change Server Time via WHM Root?

Open WHM and go to Home » Server Configuration » Server Time to view the current clock and time zone. To change it, select a time zone and click Change TimeZone or click Sync Time with Time Server to correct the clock, then perform a Graceful Server Reboot if you changed the time zone.

This is a root-level task. It applies if you run a VPS or a dedicated server with its own cPanel & WHM licence. If you are on Hostworld shared, reseller or WordPress hosting, you do not have root and cannot change the server clock yourself: open a support ticket and we will look at it.

Before you start

• Log in to WHM as root. This is done in WHM, not in cPanel or Virtualizor. Resellers may not see Server Time unless root enables it.
• If your server runs inside a container that inherits the host clock, WHM cannot change it. If changes will not stick, open a support ticket.
• Changing the time zone requires a reboot. Plan a short maintenance window.

Step 1: Check the server’s current time in WHM

1. In WHM, go to Home » Server Configuration » Server Time.
2. Confirm the displayed time and time zone. A wrong system time can cause SSL problems and prevent your cPanel & WHM licence from validating.

Step 2: Set or revert the server time zone in WHM

1. On the Server Time page, choose your required time zone. cPanel recommends UTC to avoid Daylight Saving Time issues.
2. Click Change TimeZone.

• Undo: Go back to the same page, select your previous time zone or UTC, and click Change TimeZone again.

Step 3: Synchronise the clock with a time server

1. Still on Server Time, click Sync Time with Time Server to correct clock skew immediately. Significant skew can trigger SSL errors.

• Undo: There is nothing to undo. If needed, click Sync Time with Time Server again.

Step 4: Reboot gracefully to apply a time zone change

1. Go to WHM » Home » System Reboot » Graceful Server Reboot and confirm. This applies a new time zone consistently across services.

• Do not use Forceful Server Reboot. It can cause data loss.
• Undo: If you picked the wrong time zone, set the correct one in Step 2, then perform another Graceful Server Reboot.

Step 5: Do it from the command line instead (root)

This performs the same change without the WHM page. It requires root over SSH.

1. List available time zones to find the exact name:

   timedatectl list-timezones

2. Set the time zone:

   timedatectl set-timezone <Region/City>

   Example to use UTC:

   timedatectl set-timezone UTC

• cPanel-level shell users cannot run timedatectl. Root is required.
• Undo: Run timedatectl set-timezone <previous-zone>, then reboot gracefully from WHM.

If it does not work

• Server Time is missing or permission denied: You are not root, or the feature is disabled for your reseller role. Log in as root. If you do not control root on a Hostworld server, open a support ticket.
• Changes do not stick after reboot: Your VPS may be a container that inherits the host clock. WHM cannot override it. Open a support ticket so we can correct it at host level.
• SSL or licence errors persist: Click Sync Time with Time Server again, confirm the date, time and time zone, then do a Graceful Server Reboot. If messages like “License File is for the Future” still appear, open a support ticket.

What next

If you want the wider context, including related administration tasks, see our VPS guides. If the clock still will not hold after a graceful reboot, open a support ticket and we will check it from our side.