Eastern Standard Time (EST)
EST is UTC-5. Current Eastern Time (US & Canada) and when EST applies.
Eastern Time (US & Canada) now
--:--:--
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
ESTUTC-5
Eastern Time is on EST right now
Exact EST (UTC-5) time now: --:--:--
About EST
- Full Name
- Eastern Standard Time
- Abbreviation
- EST
- UTC Offset
- UTC-5
- Eastern Time is on
- Standard Time (EST)
- Daylight Saving Time
- Eastern Time: Starts Mar 14, 2027 · switches between EST and EDT
Eastern Standard Time (EST) is UTC-5. Most places on Eastern Time use EST only in winter; from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November they observe Eastern Daylight Time (EDT, UTC-4). People often write “EST” all year when they mean Eastern Time, so check which one is in effect.
Where EST is used
Switches between EST and EDT
- New York, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Miami and most of the eastern United States
- Most of Ontario and Quebec, Canada (Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal)
EST all year (no DST)
- Panama
- Jamaica
- Quintana Roo, Mexico (Cancún, Playa del Carmen)
Not to be confused with: Australian Eastern Standard Time (usually written AEST) (UTC+10).
Major Cities in Eastern Time and EST
New York--:--ESTOttawa--:--EST
Toronto--:--ESTJacksonville--:--ESTMontreal--:--ESTPhiladelphia--:--ESTWashington, D.C.--:--ESTAtlanta--:--ESTBaltimore--:--ESTKingston--:--ESTPanama City--:--ESTCancún--:--ESTEach city shows its own current abbreviation, so places on daylight saving time are labelled accordingly.
EST vs Other Time Zones
| Comparison | By definition | Right now (local clocks) |
|---|---|---|
| EST to CST | -1 hour | -1 hour |
| EST to PST | -3 hours | -3 hours |
| EST to MST | -2 hours | -2 hours |
| EST to IST | +10 hours 30 minutes | +10 hours 30 minutes |
| EST to GMT | +5 hours | +5 hours |
| EST to UTC | +5 hours | +5 hours |
“By definition” compares the fixed offsets of the abbreviations. “Right now” compares the actual local time in each region today, including daylight saving time.
EST converters
- IST to ESTIndia Standard Time → Eastern Standard Time
- EST to ISTEastern Standard Time → India Standard Time
- EST to PSTEastern Standard Time → Pacific Standard Time
- PST to ESTPacific Standard Time → Eastern Standard Time
- EST to CSTEastern Standard Time → Central Standard Time
- CST to ESTCentral Standard Time → Eastern Standard Time
- EST to GMTEastern Standard Time → Greenwich Mean Time
- GMT to ESTGreenwich Mean Time → Eastern Standard Time
- EST to CETEastern Standard Time → Central European Time
- CET to ESTCentral European Time → Eastern Standard Time
- EST to AESTEastern Standard Time → Australian Eastern Standard Time
- AEST to ESTAustralian Eastern Standard Time → Eastern Standard Time
- EST to MSTEastern Standard Time → Mountain Standard Time
- MST to ESTMountain Standard Time → Eastern Standard Time
- EST to BSTEastern Standard Time → British Summer Time
- BST to ESTBritish Summer Time → Eastern Standard Time
- EST to UTCEastern Standard Time → Coordinated Universal Time
- UTC to ESTCoordinated Universal Time → Eastern Standard Time
- EST to JSTEastern Standard Time → Japan Standard Time
- JST to ESTJapan Standard Time → Eastern Standard Time
- EST to SGTEastern Standard Time → Singapore Standard Time
- SGT to ESTSingapore Standard Time → Eastern Standard Time
- EST to GSTEastern Standard Time → Gulf Standard Time
- GST to ESTGulf Standard Time → Eastern Standard Time
- EST to HKTEastern Standard Time → Hong Kong Time
- HKT to ESTHong Kong Time → Eastern Standard Time
- EST to PHTEastern Standard Time → Philippine Time
- PHT to ESTPhilippine Time → Eastern Standard Time
EST FAQs
What is EST?
Eastern Standard Time (EST) is UTC-5. Most places on Eastern Time use EST only in winter; from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November they observe Eastern Daylight Time (EDT, UTC-4). People often write “EST” all year when they mean Eastern Time, so check which one is in effect.
What is the UTC offset of EST?
EST is always UTC-5. When Eastern Time observes daylight saving time, it uses EDT (UTC-4) instead.
Is it EST or EDT right now?
Eastern Time is on EST right now. EST is UTC-5. Eastern Time switches to EDT (UTC-4) on Sunday, March 14, 2027 at 2:00 AM.
When does Eastern Time switch between EST and EDT?
In 2026, Eastern Time switches to EDT on Sunday, March 8, 2026 at 2:00 AM (clocks go forward 1 hour) and back on Sunday, November 1, 2026 at 2:00 AM (clocks go back 1 hour).
Where is EST used all year?
These places use UTC-5 all year without daylight saving time: Panama; Jamaica; Quintana Roo, Mexico (Cancún, Playa del Carmen).
Does EST have other meanings?
Yes. EST can also mean Australian Eastern Standard Time (usually written AEST) (UTC+10). This page covers Eastern Standard Time (UTC-5). When sharing a time, adding the UTC offset avoids confusion.