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Leap seconds have not been confirmed as abolished. As of October 13, 2026, the 28th General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM) has a draft proposal to make UTC continuous from May 20, 2027, and allow it to differ from Earth-rotation time by as much as one hour. That date and limit would take effect only if the conference adopts the draft.
What did world timekeepers vote on?
The policy shift began in 2022, when the CGPM decided that the permitted difference between UTC and UT1 should be increased in or before 2035. That resolution set a direction and deadline, but did not choose the proposed 2027 start date. The 2026 Draft Resolution C now specifies a proposed implementation: continuous UTC effective May 20, 2027, with a maximum absolute UT1−UTC difference of 3,600 seconds, or one hour. BIPM’s 2022 resolution and the 2026 draft resolutions distinguish the earlier decision from the proposed action.
The 28th CGPM’s final vote outcome is not established in the material available as of October 13, 2026. Accordingly, the 2027 date and one-hour limit remain proposals, not adopted rules.
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What leap seconds do—and what would change
UTC is the international reference time scale produced by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM). It runs at the same rate as International Atomic Time (TAI), with an integral-second offset. Earth’s rotation is represented by UT1, which does not run at a perfectly constant rate. Under the current arrangement, leap seconds adjust UTC to keep it within 0.9 seconds of UT1. The first UTC leap second was inserted on June 30, 1972, according to NIST’s leap-second information.
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| Aspect | Current arrangement | Draft proposal |
|---|---|---|
| Relationship to Earth rotation | Leap seconds keep UT1−UTC within ±0.9 seconds. | The permitted absolute difference would be up to 3,600 seconds (one hour). |
| Leap seconds | Applied when UT1−UTC is predicted to approach the current limit. | Discontinued under continuous UTC if the draft is adopted. |
| Timing | In effect now. | Proposed effective date: May 20, 2027, if adopted. |
The draft does not say that UTC would suddenly be an hour away from Earth-rotation time on its proposed start date. It would allow the difference to grow over time, up to the new maximum. Nor does the proposal stop atomic clocks or change the SI second; it changes the leap-second mechanism and the permitted separation between UTC and UT1. BIPM’s overview of the future of time metrology summarizes the proposed change.
Why proponents want continuous UTC
The 2022 resolution identifies the risk of leap-second discontinuities causing serious malfunctions in critical digital infrastructure, including satellite navigation, telecommunications and energy transmission. Different providers may use different ways to manage a leap second, which can make timing inconsistent between systems.
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A negative leap second—removing a second rather than adding one—has never been applied. The 2026 draft reports that a March 2025 workshop involving the Consultative Committee for Time and Frequency (CCTF) and the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS) estimated a 30% probability of a negative leap second by 2035. That is the workshop’s estimate as reported in the draft, not a guaranteed outcome or a separate forecast. The draft describes the infrastructure risk from such an event as high.
Will UTC stop matching Earth’s rotation?
UTC would remain a civil time scale, but under the draft it would no longer be kept within a fraction of a second of Earth’s rotation by leap seconds. The difference from UT1 could increase, subject to the proposed one-hour maximum. This matters to applications that need Earth-rotation time, but not every clock or everyday schedule requires that precision.
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Users who need UT1 would still be able to obtain the UT1−UTC difference through GNSS navigation messages and services from IERS, national metrology institutes and other providers, according to Draft Resolution C. The proposal separates the widely used continuous time scale from the Earth-rotation information required for specialized uses.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What happens next?
The key distinction is between the 2022 policy decision and the 2026 draft’s specific terms. The earlier resolution required an increase in the allowed UT1−UTC difference in or before 2035. Draft Resolution C proposes that the change take effect on May 20, 2027, with a one-hour ceiling. Until the CGPM adopts a resolution, leap seconds remain the current arrangement and the proposed date should not be treated as final.
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