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Eastern Time (ET)

Also known as: Eastern Standard Time (EST) and Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)

Time zone map of EST
Currently observing EST.
Areas with same time currently (UTC -5).
Currently observing EST – Eastern Standard Time.
Currently has same time zone offset as EST (UTC -5) but different time zone name.

The term Eastern Time (ET) is often used to denote the local time in areas observing either Eastern Standard Time (EST) or Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).

In other words, in locations observing Daylight Saving Time (DST) during part of the year, Eastern Time is not static but switches between EST and EDT.

Eastern Time UTC Offset

See Time Zone Map

What Is Eastern Time?

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

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

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

What Does ET Time Zone Mean?

Unlike other time zone denominations, which have a fixed time, Eastern Time refers to a geographical area where the time changes twice yearly as Daylight Saving Time (DST) begins and ends. Eastern Standard Time is UTC-5, while Eastern Daylight Time is UTC-4.

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

Time Zone Converter: UTC to ET

Where and when is Eastern Time 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

Caribbean

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

  • Bahamas
  • Haiti

EST all year round

Some locations, such as the ones below don't switch and are in EST all year long.

North America

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 all year

  • Cayman Islands
  • Jamaica

Central America

Central American countries using EST all year

  • Panama