RFC 2822 Date Converter

Q: What is the RFC 2822 date format?

`EEE, dd MMM yyyy HH:mm:ss Z`, e.g. **Sat, 13 Aug 2026 14:30:00 +0000**. The weekday is optional but conventional; the offset is mandatory.

RFC 2822 defines the date format used in email headers and HTTP: `Sat, 13 Aug 2026 14:30:00 +0000`. It descends from RFC 822 (hence "822-style dates") and is still the format `Date:` and `Received:` headers use in every email message.

This converter renders your date-time in the exact RFC 2822/1123 form with the numeric UTC offset, plus the full weekday and month names. Paste any date and copy the ready-to-use header string.

Timezone:

Enter a date-time above to see the conversion results.

RFC 2822 Date Converter Quick Reference

Format	Pattern / Description	Example 1	Example 2
RFC 2822	Email / HTTP Date	Thu, 13 Aug 2026 14:30:00 UTC	Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 UTC

* Examples are rendered in UTC for the fixed sample instants above.

When to Use RFC 2822 Date

Email header generation

Custom mail senders, mailing lists and SMTP clients must format the `Date:` header as RFC 2822. Generate and verify the string before sending.

HTTP response headers

The `Date` header in HTTP/1.1 (RFC 7231) uses the same format. Test and debug header generation in proxies and CDNs.

RSS and Atom feeds

RSS `pubDate` and Atom `updated` use RFC 822-style dates. Convert feed timestamps for validation and debugging.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the RFC 2822 date format?

`EEE, dd MMM yyyy HH:mm:ss Z`, e.g. Sat, 13 Aug 2026 14:30:00 +0000. The weekday is optional but conventional; the offset is mandatory.

What is the difference between RFC 2822 and RFC 822?

RFC 2822 (2001) is the updated standard; RFC 822 (1982) is its predecessor. The date format is effectively identical — only the mail header rules changed. The term "822 date" is still common.

Does RFC 2822 allow GMT instead of an offset?

Yes — `GMT` and the obsolete zone names (EST, PST…) are permitted, but the numeric form `+0000` is recommended and universally parsed.

Why is the weekday in the date?

It lets mail readers verify the date is not corrupt — if the weekday does not match the date, the message is flagged as having an invalid header.

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