Also known as: Eastern Time (ET) and Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)

Caution: This is NOT the current local time in most locations in that time zone

North America, Caribbean: Only some locations are currently on EST because most places in this time zone are currently on summer time / daylight saving time and are observing EDT.

Time zone map of EST
Currently observing EST.
Observes EST part of the year.
Areas with same time currently (UTC -5).
Currently observing EST – Eastern Standard Time.
Observes EST – Eastern Standard Time part of the year, but not currently.
Currently has same time zone offset as EST (UTC -5) but different time zone name.

Eastern Standard Time (EST) is 5 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). This time zone is in use during standard time in: North America, Caribbean, Central America.

See full time zone map

What Is Eastern Standard Time?

Eastern Standard Time (EST) is the easternmost time zone in the United States. It is also used in Canada.

It covers all or parts of 23 states in the US and three provinces or territories in Canada. It is also used in Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America.

Almost half of the population in the USA live in the EST time zone. It spans from northern Canada and south to Panama near the equator.

In North America, Eastern Standard Time shares a border with Atlantic Standard Time (AST) in the east and with Central Standard Time (CST) in the west.

Eastern Standard Time Zone

Eastern Standard Time (EST) is a standard time zone in use from the first Sunday in November to the second Sunday in March—when Daylight Saving Time (DST) is not in effect. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) is used during the remainder of the year.

EST Is the Eastern Time Zone

In everyday usage, EST is often referred to as Eastern Time (ET) or the Eastern Time Zone. This can add a bit of confusion as the term Eastern Time does not differentiate between standard time and Daylight Saving Time, so Eastern Time switches between EST and EDT in areas that use DST during part of the year.

Most North American time zones also have generic terms, including Pacific Time (PT), Mountain Time (MT), Central Time (CT), and Atlantic Time (AT).

Converting Eastern Time to Other US Time Zones

  • Eastern Standard Time (EST) is 1 hour ahead of Central Standard Time (CST).
    To convert EST to CST, you have to subtract one hour.
  • Eastern Standard Time (EST) is 2 hours ahead of Mountain Standard Time (MST).
    To convert EST to MST, you have to subtract two hours.
  • Eastern Standard Time (EST) is 3 hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time (PST).
    To convert EST to PST, you have to subtract three hours.

Time Zone Converter: UTC to EST

Where and When is EST Observed?

North America

US states using EST in the winter and EDT in the summer:

  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • District of Columbia
  • Florida - Southern/Eastern parts Show

    except Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Holmes, Jackson, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton and Washington counties and norther Gulf county - look in CST/CDT

  • Georgia
  • Indiana - all except for these north-western counties near Chicago (Lake, Porter, La Porte, Newton, Jasper, Starke) and these south-western counties in Indiana near Evansville Show

    Gibson, Posey, Vanderburgh, Warrick, Perry

  • Kentucky - eastern parts Show

    counties of Anderson, Bath, Bell, Boone, Bourbon, Boyd, Boyle, Bracken, Breathitt, Bullitt, Campbell, Carroll, Carter, Casey, Clark, Clay, Elliott, Estill, Fayette, Fleming, Floyd, Franklin, Gallatin, Garrard, Grant, Greenup, Hancock, Hansock, Hardin, Harlan, Harrison, Henry, Jackson, Jefferson, Jessamine, Johnson, Kenton, Knott, Knox, Larue, Laurel, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Lewis, Lincoln, Madison, Magoffin, Marion, Martin, Mason, McCreary, Meade, Menifee, Mercer, Montgomery, Morgan, Nelson, Nicholas, Oldham, Owen, Owsley, Pendleton, Perry, Pike, Powell, Pulaski, Robertson, Rockcastle, Rowan, Scott, Shelby, Spencer, Taylor, Trimble, Washington, Wayne, Whitley, Wolfe, Woodford

  • Maine
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan - most except these western counties Show

    Dickinson, Gogebic, Iron, and Menominee - which are on CST/CDT

  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • New York
  • North Carolina
  • Ohio
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • South Carolina
  • Tennessee - eastern counties Show

    Anderson, Blount, Bradley, Campbell, Carter, Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hamilton, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Loudon, McMinn, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Polk, Rhea, Roane, Scott, Sevier, Sullivan, Unicoi, Union, and Washington

  • Vermont
  • Virginia
  • West Virginia

Canadian provinces/territories using EST in the winter and EDT in the summer:

  • Nunavut - most of it Show

    except Kugluktuk, Cambridge Bay - CST/CDT and Southampton Island (Coral Harbor) EST all year

  • Ontario - most parts east of 90 West and two communities west of 90 West Show

    Shebandowan, Upsala

  • Quebec - most of it Show

    except East of 63 West, Blanc Sablon which observe AST all year

Canadian provinces/territories using EST all year:

  • Nunavut - Southampton Island only (Coral Harbour)

Mexican states using EST all year:

  • Quintana Roo

Caribbean

Caribbean countries using EST in the winter and EDT in the summer:

  • Bahamas
  • Haiti

Caribbean countries using EST all year:

  • Cayman Islands
  • Jamaica

Central America

Central American countries using EST all year:

  • Panama

Other Eastern Standard Time Zones

Time zones can have similar names and abbreviations but have a different UTC offset:

  • Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST): UTC +10
  • Eastern Africa Time (EAT): UTC +3
  • Eastern European Time (EET): UTC +2
  • East Greenland Time (EGT): UTC -1

Other Time Zones in UTC -5

Some time zones exist that have the same offset as EST, but can be found under a different name:

  • ACT – Acre Time
  • CDT – Central Daylight Time
  • CIST – Cayman Islands Standard Time
  • COT – Colombia Time
  • CST – Cuba Standard Time
  • EASST – Easter Island Summer Time
  • ECT – Ecuador Time
  • PET – Peru Time
  • R – Romeo Time Zone

EST time now

00:00:00

Showing 24 hour format.

UTC – Coordinated

Universal Time is the common time standard across the world.

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