diff --git a/irc/channel.go b/irc/channel.go
index 550973af..73ad7806 100644
--- a/irc/channel.go
+++ b/irc/channel.go
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ func NewChannel(s *Server, name string, registered bool) *Channel {
 	}
 
 	channel := &Channel{
-		createdTime: time.Now(), // may be overwritten by applyRegInfo
+		createdTime: time.Now().UTC(), // may be overwritten by applyRegInfo
 		lists: map[modes.Mode]*UserMaskSet{
 			modes.BanMask:    NewUserMaskSet(),
 			modes.ExceptMask: NewUserMaskSet(),
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ func (channel *Channel) SetRegistered(founder string) error {
 		return errChannelAlreadyRegistered
 	}
 	channel.registeredFounder = founder
-	channel.registeredTime = time.Now()
+	channel.registeredTime = time.Now().UTC()
 	channel.accountToUMode[founder] = modes.ChannelFounder
 	return nil
 }
@@ -686,7 +686,7 @@ func (channel *Channel) Part(client *Client, message string, rb *ResponseBuffer)
 // 2. Send JOIN and MODE lines to channel participants (including the new client)
 // 3. Replay missed message history to the client
 func (channel *Channel) Resume(newClient, oldClient *Client, timestamp time.Time) {
-	now := time.Now()
+	now := time.Now().UTC()
 	channel.resumeAndAnnounce(newClient, oldClient)
 	if !timestamp.IsZero() {
 		channel.replayHistoryForResume(newClient, timestamp, now)
@@ -910,7 +910,7 @@ func (channel *Channel) SetTopic(client *Client, topic string, rb *ResponseBuffe
 	channel.stateMutex.Lock()
 	channel.topic = topic
 	channel.topicSetBy = client.nickMaskString
-	channel.topicSetTime = time.Now()
+	channel.topicSetTime = time.Now().UTC()
 	channel.stateMutex.Unlock()
 
 	prefix := client.NickMaskString()
diff --git a/irc/client.go b/irc/client.go
index 48857b8b..45705f06 100644
--- a/irc/client.go
+++ b/irc/client.go
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ type ClientDetails struct {
 
 // NewClient sets up a new client and runs its goroutine.
 func RunNewClient(server *Server, conn clientConn) {
-	now := time.Now()
+	now := time.Now().UTC()
 	config := server.Config()
 	fullLineLenLimit := ircmsg.MaxlenTagsFromClient + config.Limits.LineLen.Rest
 	// give them 1k of grace over the limit:
@@ -409,8 +409,7 @@ func (client *Client) playReattachMessages(session *Session) {
 
 // Active updates when the client was last 'active' (i.e. the user should be sitting in front of their client).
 func (client *Client) Active(session *Session) {
-	// TODO normalize all times to utc?
-	now := time.Now()
+	now := time.Now().UTC()
 	client.stateMutex.Lock()
 	defer client.stateMutex.Unlock()
 	session.atime = now
@@ -472,7 +471,7 @@ func (client *Client) tryResume() (success bool) {
 	success = true
 
 	// this is a bit racey
-	client.resumeDetails.ResumedAt = time.Now()
+	client.resumeDetails.ResumedAt = time.Now().UTC()
 
 	client.nickTimer.Touch(nil)
 
@@ -496,7 +495,7 @@ func (client *Client) tryResume() (success bool) {
 	hostname := client.Hostname()
 
 	friends := make(ClientSet)
-	oldestLostMessage := time.Now()
+	oldestLostMessage := time.Now().UTC()
 
 	// work out how much time, if any, is not covered by history buffers
 	for _, channel := range channels {
@@ -569,7 +568,7 @@ func (client *Client) tryResumeChannels() {
 
 	// replay direct PRIVSMG history
 	if !details.Timestamp.IsZero() {
-		now := time.Now()
+		now := time.Now().UTC()
 		items, complete := client.history.Between(details.Timestamp, now, false, 0)
 		rb := NewResponseBuffer(client.Sessions()[0])
 		client.replayPrivmsgHistory(rb, items, complete)
diff --git a/irc/connection_limits/throttler.go b/irc/connection_limits/throttler.go
index e45aabc4..19f589c2 100644
--- a/irc/connection_limits/throttler.go
+++ b/irc/connection_limits/throttler.go
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ type GenericThrottle struct {
 // it either denies it (by returning false) or allows it (by returning true)
 // and records it
 func (g *GenericThrottle) Touch() (throttled bool, remainingTime time.Duration) {
-	return g.touch(time.Now())
+	return g.touch(time.Now().UTC())
 }
 
 func (g *GenericThrottle) touch(now time.Time) (throttled bool, remainingTime time.Duration) {
diff --git a/irc/dline.go b/irc/dline.go
index c723c204..44adf28f 100644
--- a/irc/dline.go
+++ b/irc/dline.go
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ type IPBanInfo struct {
 }
 
 func (info IPBanInfo) timeLeft() time.Duration {
-	return info.TimeCreated.Add(info.Duration).Sub(time.Now())
+	return time.Until(info.TimeCreated.Add(info.Duration))
 }
 
 func (info IPBanInfo) TimeLeft() string {
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ func (dm *DLineManager) AddNetwork(network net.IPNet, duration time.Duration, re
 		Reason:      reason,
 		OperReason:  operReason,
 		OperName:    operName,
-		TimeCreated: time.Now(),
+		TimeCreated: time.Now().UTC(),
 		Duration:    duration,
 	}
 
diff --git a/irc/getters.go b/irc/getters.go
index cdeadea5..d231d66a 100644
--- a/irc/getters.go
+++ b/irc/getters.go
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ func (channel *Channel) Rename(name, nameCasefolded string) {
 	channel.name = name
 	channel.nameCasefolded = nameCasefolded
 	if channel.registeredFounder != "" {
-		channel.registeredTime = time.Now()
+		channel.registeredTime = time.Now().UTC()
 	}
 	channel.stateMutex.Unlock()
 }
diff --git a/irc/handlers.go b/irc/handlers.go
index feda4447..6b9a4f45 100644
--- a/irc/handlers.go
+++ b/irc/handlers.go
@@ -2377,7 +2377,7 @@ func setnameHandler(server *Server, client *Client, msg ircmsg.IrcMessage, rb *R
 
 // TIME
 func timeHandler(server *Server, client *Client, msg ircmsg.IrcMessage, rb *ResponseBuffer) bool {
-	rb.Add(nil, server.name, RPL_TIME, client.nick, server.name, time.Now().Format(time.RFC1123))
+	rb.Add(nil, server.name, RPL_TIME, client.nick, server.name, time.Now().UTC().Format(time.RFC1123))
 	return false
 }
 
diff --git a/irc/hostserv.go b/irc/hostserv.go
index ff35a80e..a0d7d49c 100644
--- a/irc/hostserv.go
+++ b/irc/hostserv.go
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ func hsRequestHandler(server *Server, client *Client, command string, params []s
 		hsNotice(rb, client.t("An error occurred"))
 		return
 	}
-	elapsed := time.Now().Sub(account.VHost.LastRequestTime)
+	elapsed := time.Since(account.VHost.LastRequestTime)
 	remainingTime := server.AccountConfig().VHosts.UserRequests.Cooldown - elapsed
 	// you can update your existing request, but if you were rejected,
 	// you can't spam a replacement request
diff --git a/irc/kline.go b/irc/kline.go
index 29ee7b79..4099f482 100644
--- a/irc/kline.go
+++ b/irc/kline.go
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ func (km *KLineManager) AddMask(mask string, duration time.Duration, reason, ope
 		Reason:      reason,
 		OperReason:  operReason,
 		OperName:    operName,
-		TimeCreated: time.Now(),
+		TimeCreated: time.Now().UTC(),
 		Duration:    duration,
 	}
 	km.addMaskInternal(mask, info)
diff --git a/irc/server.go b/irc/server.go
index 87ced2b0..6944973a 100644
--- a/irc/server.go
+++ b/irc/server.go
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ type clientConn struct {
 func NewServer(config *Config, logger *logger.Manager) (*Server, error) {
 	// initialize data structures
 	server := &Server{
+		ctime:               time.Now().UTC(),
 		connectionLimiter:   connection_limits.NewLimiter(),
 		connectionThrottler: connection_limits.NewThrottler(),
 		listeners:           make(map[string]*ListenerWrapper),
@@ -576,7 +577,6 @@ func (server *Server) rehash() error {
 
 func (server *Server) applyConfig(config *Config, initial bool) (err error) {
 	if initial {
-		server.ctime = time.Now()
 		server.configFilename = config.Filename
 		server.name = config.Server.Name
 		server.nameCasefolded = config.Server.nameCasefolded