EST — Eastern Standard Time
UTC-05:00 · 5 hours behind UTC · DST active
Details
| Abbreviation | EST |
| Full name | Eastern Standard Time |
| UTC offset | UTC-05:00 |
| IANA identifier | America/New_York |
| DST status | Active |
| Standard offset | UTC-05:00 |
| DST offset | UTC-04:00 |
| Clocks forward | Sunday, March 8, 2026 |
| Clocks back | Sunday, November 1, 2026 |
Countries Using EST
Current offset differs from the label
EST is listed as UTC-05:00, but the live IANA zone America/New_York is currently UTC-04:00. This usually happens during daylight saving time.
Time Difference from EST
| City | Difference |
|---|---|
| Chicago | +1h |
| Los Angeles | +3h |
| London | -5h |
| Paris | -6h |
| Moscow | -7h |
| Dubai | -8h |
| Mumbai | -9h 30m |
| Bangkok | -11h |
| Shanghai | -12h |
| Tokyo | -13h |
| Sydney | -14h |
| Auckland | -16h |
Using EST in practice
Planning notes for business hours, handoffs, and recurring meetings in this timezone.
Right now
It is currently morning in EST, which is near the edge of the workday. Standard business-hour checks should use 9:00 AM-5:00 PM local time.
Best overlap
The best listed workday overlap is with Chicago: 10:00 AM-5:00 PM EST equals 9:00 AM-4:00 PM there.
Recurring events
This zone observes daylight saving time, so recurring meetings can shift by one hour for people outside the same DST rule.
| Market | EST | Their time |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | 10:00 AM-5:00 PM | 9:00 AM-4:00 PM |
| Los Angeles | 12:00 PM-5:00 PM | 9:00 AM-2:00 PM |
| London | 9:00 AM-12:00 PM | 2:00 PM-5:00 PM |
| Paris | 9:00 AM-11:00 AM | 3:00 PM-5:00 PM |
| Moscow | 9:00 AM-10:00 AM | 4:00 PM-5:00 PM |
Convert EST to Other Time Zones
Cities in EST
About EST (Eastern Standard Time)
EST (Eastern Standard Time) is a time zone with a UTC offset of -05:00, meaning it is 5 hours behind UTC. The IANA timezone database identifies it as America/New_York. It is used in 5 countries, including Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and others.
This time zone observes daylight saving time. During standard time, the offset is UTC-05:00. When DST is active, clocks are advanced by one hour to UTC-04:00. In 2026, DST begins on Sunday, March 8, 2026 and ends on Sunday, November 1, 2026. DST is currently active.
Major cities in EST include New York City, and 115 more.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is EST?
EST stands for Eastern Standard Time. It is 5 hours behind UTC (UTC-05:00). The IANA timezone identifier is America/New_York.
What is the current time in EST?
The current EST time is shown at the top of this page and updates every second. EST is UTC-05:00, which is 5 hours behind UTC.
Does EST observe daylight saving time?
Yes. When DST is active, the offset changes from UTC-05:00 to UTC-04:00. In 2026, clocks spring forward on Sunday, March 8, 2026 and fall back on Sunday, November 1, 2026.
What countries use EST?
Countries and regions using EST include Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, United States.
How do I convert EST to my local time?
Use our time zone converter to convert EST to any other time zone. You can also check the time difference table on this page which shows the offset between EST and 13 major world cities.