Use the global constant DATETIME_DATETIME_STORAGE_FORMAT to format the date: // If the time is in a different timezone then adjust it to UTC before you save it $date->setTimezone(new \DateTimezone(DATETIME_STORAGE_TIMEZONE)); $paragraph = Paragraph::create([ ... 'field_date' => [ 'value' => $date->format(DATETIME_DATETIME_STORAGE_FORMAT), ], ]);