A guide to writing dates, days and time.
Days and months are spelt out in full unless appearing in T&Cs, disclaimers, contact details or mobile apps.
For example:
Monday, January
Apply by 1 Jan 2023.
Mon–Sun
Dates should appear as <Day>, <Date><Month><Year>
For example:
Monday, 1 January 2021
Note: For T&Cs and disclaimers, shorten dates as DD/MM/YY or 1 Jan 2021.
Don’t use ‘st’, ‘nd’, ‘rd’, ‘th’ on dates.
For example:
Do: 25 January 2023
Don't: 25th January 2023
No apostrophes on decades – it’s plural, not possessive.
For example:
1990s, 90s
For date/day/time ranges, use an em dash with no space on either side.
For example:
10–15 January 2021
2010–2020
Mon–Fri
8am–8pm
For times, use the 12-hour clock and use full stops to separate hours and minutes.
For example:
Do: 7am, 8.30am, 5.30pm
Don't: 7:00am, 8:30am, 17:30
Note: For 12am and 12pm, use ‘midnight’ and ‘noon’.
For example:
Entries closes before midnight.
The event will start at noon.
If you need to specify the time zone, use the following format:
WESTPAC
8.30am-5pm (Sydney time), Mon-Fri
ST.GEORGE
Mon-Sat, 8am-8pm (Sydney time)
BANK OF MELBOURNE
Mon-Sat, 8am-8pm
BANKSA
Mon-Sat, 7.30am-7.30pm
Use 24/7 – not ‘24 hours, 7 days a week’.
For example:
Bank online, 24/7
You can call us anytime, 24/7
When writing for mobile apps, the guidance for dates and times are as follows:
If a date can be qualified as today, yesterday or tomorrow, write:
For example:
today, yesterday, tomorrow
If a date cannot be qualified as today, yesterday or tomorrow, write:
For example:
Fri 1 Mar 2022
To write a date date with time:
For example:
Fri 1 Mar 2022 11:50pm (Sydney time)
Numbers 0 to 9 are generally written as words while numbers 10+ are generally written as numerals.
For example:
No monthly fees for six months.
Our lowest rate in 20 years.
Use numerals instead of words for:
- business days
- age
- school years
- dates and business days
- street addresses
- tips articles
- instructions
- snappy copy
- mobile apps where space is limited.
For example:
Your new card will arrive within 5 business days
Children under 5 years old…
Year 12 students
Avoid starting a headline or sentence with a numeral unless it’s dollar amounts, percentages, points or tips/reasons/steps, etc.
For example:
$3k cashback when you refinance your home loan to us.
1.99% p.a. fixed rate for first home buyers.
150,000 Velocity Points could be yours with a Westpac home loan.
5 tips for paying off your mortgage faster.
3 easy steps to setting up Online Banking.