Current Eastern Time (ET)
Eastern Time is the most populous US time zone and the one used as the national reference for TV schedules, stock markets and federal government business. It covers the entire Atlantic seaboard from Maine to Florida and reaches inland to Ohio, Michigan and eastern Kentucky and Tennessee. The zone is home to about 47% of the US population - roughly 155 million people.
Time in the other US time zones right now
Eastern Time Zone Map
The map highlights every state on Eastern Time. States shown in the darker shade are entirely within the zone; lighter states are split between Eastern Time and a neighboring zone. Hover over a state for details, or see the complete US time zones map for all six zones side by side.
States in the Eastern Time Zone
Entirely on Eastern Time (18)
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Georgia
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- Vermont
- Virginia
- West Virginia
Partly on Eastern Time (5)
- Florida - all except the western Panhandle (west of the Apalachicola River), which is on Central Time
- Indiana - most of the state; 12 counties near Chicago and Evansville use Central Time
- Kentucky - the eastern half, including Louisville, Lexington and Frankfort
- Michigan - all except four Upper Peninsula counties bordering Wisconsin
- Tennessee - East Tennessee, including Knoxville and Chattanooga
Major cities on Eastern Time
New York City, Washington, DC, Philadelphia, Boston, Atlanta, Miami, Detroit, Charlotte, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, Columbus, Indianapolis.
Because Wall Street, Washington and the big media networks all run on Eastern Time, most nationwide events are announced in ET: "8 PM ET / 7 PM CT" is the standard broadcast phrasing. When the NYSE opens at 9:30 AM ET it is only 6:30 AM in California.
Eastern Time Converted to Other US Time Zones
Use this table to convert Eastern Time to the other contiguous US time zones and UTC. The differences between the four main zones stay the same all year because they all switch to Daylight Saving Time together (Arizona is the only exception, see the Mountain Time page).
| Eastern (ET) | Central (CT) | Mountain (MT) | Pacific (PT) | UTC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 AM ET | 11:00 PM CT | 10:00 PM MT | 9:00 PM PT | 5:00 AM (winter) / 4:00 AM (summer) |
| 3:00 AM ET | 2:00 AM CT | 1:00 AM MT | 12:00 AM PT | 8:00 AM (winter) / 7:00 AM (summer) |
| 6:00 AM ET | 5:00 AM CT | 4:00 AM MT | 3:00 AM PT | 11:00 AM (winter) / 10:00 AM (summer) |
| 8:00 AM ET | 7:00 AM CT | 6:00 AM MT | 5:00 AM PT | 1:00 PM (winter) / 12:00 PM (summer) |
| 9:00 AM ET | 8:00 AM CT | 7:00 AM MT | 6:00 AM PT | 2:00 PM (winter) / 1:00 PM (summer) |
| 10:00 AM ET | 9:00 AM CT | 8:00 AM MT | 7:00 AM PT | 3:00 PM (winter) / 2:00 PM (summer) |
| 12:00 PM ET | 11:00 AM CT | 10:00 AM MT | 9:00 AM PT | 5:00 PM (winter) / 4:00 PM (summer) |
| 2:00 PM ET | 1:00 PM CT | 12:00 PM MT | 11:00 AM PT | 7:00 PM (winter) / 6:00 PM (summer) |
| 3:00 PM ET | 2:00 PM CT | 1:00 PM MT | 12:00 PM PT | 8:00 PM (winter) / 7:00 PM (summer) |
| 5:00 PM ET | 4:00 PM CT | 3:00 PM MT | 2:00 PM PT | 10:00 PM (winter) / 9:00 PM (summer) |
| 6:00 PM ET | 5:00 PM CT | 4:00 PM MT | 3:00 PM PT | 11:00 PM (winter) / 10:00 PM (summer) |
| 8:00 PM ET | 7:00 PM CT | 6:00 PM MT | 5:00 PM PT | 1:00 AM (winter) / 12:00 AM (summer) |
| 9:00 PM ET | 8:00 PM CT | 7:00 PM MT | 6:00 PM PT | 2:00 AM (winter) / 1:00 AM (summer) |
| 11:00 PM ET | 10:00 PM CT | 9:00 PM MT | 8:00 PM PT | 4:00 AM (winter) / 3:00 AM (summer) |
Daylight Saving Time in the Eastern Time Zone
The whole zone observes Daylight Saving Time. Clocks move forward one hour at 2:00 AM on the second Sunday in March (EST becomes EDT) and back one hour at 2:00 AM on the first Sunday in November. In 2026 the dates are March 8 and November 1; in 2027 they are March 14 and November 7.
- EST - Eastern Standard Time: UTC-5, in effect November to March
- EDT - Eastern Daylight Time: UTC-4, in effect March to November
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is it in the Eastern Time Zone right now?
The live clock at the top of this page shows the current Eastern Time, updated every second from your device's clock. It automatically switches between EST (UTC-5) in winter and EDT (UTC-4) during Daylight Saving Time.
Which states are in the Eastern Time Zone?
18 states use Eastern Time entirely: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia. Another 5 are split, with only part of the state on Eastern Time: Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Tennessee.
What is the UTC offset for Eastern Time?
Eastern Standard Time (EST) is UTC-5. During Daylight Saving Time, from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November, the zone uses EDT, which is UTC-4.
Does the Eastern Time Zone observe Daylight Saving Time?
Yes. Every state in the Eastern Time Zone moves its clocks forward one hour on the second Sunday in March and back one hour on the first Sunday in November.
Is Eastern Time the same as EST?
Almost. EST (Eastern Standard Time) is the winter clock, and EDT (Eastern Daylight Time) is the summer clock. "Eastern Time" or "ET" refers to whichever of the two is currently in effect, so it is the safest term to use when scheduling.