You generally light Chanukah candles once it is halachically evening, and they should stay lit for at least about 30 minutes after full nightfall, with earlier times (before sunset) only when needed for Shabbat.

Basic time window

  • On a regular (weeknight) of Chanukah, many communities light right after sunset , while others wait until full nightfall (around 30 minutes after sunset, or when three stars are visible).
  • In all views, the candles should have enough oil or wax to burn at least 30 minutes past nightfall, so short candles may need to be lit a bit later if sunset is early.

Earliest and latest times

  • Earliest normal time is from sunset onward; most halachic sources say not to light before sunset, because the mitzvah is specifically for the night.
  • If you missed the usual time, you can still light later at night as long as someone in the home is awake, ideally no later than about half an hour before dawn; some authorities say to omit a blessing if no one will see the candles.

Friday night and Saturday night

  • On Friday night of Chanukah, candles must be lit before Shabbat starts, after the earliest halachic time in the afternoon, and with extra-long candles or more oil so they will still be burning into the night.
  • On Motzaei Shabbat (Saturday night), many light after making Havdalah, while some light before Havdalah; in both customs, it is done once it is nightfall and again with at least 30 minutes of burn time.

Different community customs

  • Ashkenazi practice often favors lighting a bit after sunset (for example 10–25 minutes later), while many Sephardi authorities emphasize lighting precisely at or just after nightfall (tzeit hakochavim).
  • Contemporary guides from major organizations note that whichever custom one follows, the main priorities are: it should be evening, the candles should be visible as a publicizing of the miracle, and they should burn for the required halachic duration.

Practical tip

  • To know the exact clock time where you live on a given night, many people use Jewish calendar sites or synagogue schedules that list local sunset and nightfall along with recommended Chanukah lighting times.
  • If you have a family or community custom (minhag), that is usually the primary guide, and when in doubt, asking a local rabbi helps resolve questions about edge cases like very late nights or travel.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.