---
name: "ntpctl"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "openntpd"
version: "7.9p1-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux", "openbsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/ntpctl/8"
---

# ntpctl(8)

control the NTP daemon

## NAME

**ntpctl** – control the NTP daemon

## SYNOPSIS

**ntpctl** **-s** **all** \| **peers** \| **Sensors** \| **status**

## DESCRIPTION

The **ntpctl** program displays information about the running [ntpd(8)](/ntpd/8.md) daemon.

The options are as follows:

- **-s** **all** \| **peers** \| **Sensors** \| **status**

  Used to display information about the running daemon. Keywords may be abbreviated.

  **all** shows all data available.

  **peers** shows the following information about each peer: weight, trustlevel, stratum, number of seconds until the next poll, polling interval in seconds, and offset, network delay and network jitter in milliseconds. When the system clock is synced to a peer, an asterisk is displayed to the left of the weight column for that peer.

  **Sensors** shows the following information about each sensor: weight, sensor "good" status, stratum, and offset and the configured correction in milliseconds. When the system clock is synced to a sensor, an asterisk is displayed to the left of the weight column for that sensor.

  **status** shows the status of peers and sensors, and whether the system clock is synced. When the system clock is synced, the stratum is displayed. When the system clock is not synced, the offset of the system clock, as reported by the [adjtime(2)](/adjtime/2.md) system call, is displayed. When the median constraint is set, the offset to the local time is displayed.

## FILES

- */var/run/ntpd.sock*

  Socket file for communication with [ntpd(8)](/ntpd/8.md).

## SEE ALSO

[adjtime(2)](/adjtime/2.md), [ntpd.conf(5)](/ntpd.conf/5.md), [ntpd(8)](/ntpd/8.md)

## HISTORY

The **ntpctl** program first appeared in OpenBSD 5.5.