Eastern Time Zone

Eastern Time (ET) is the time zone used by the US East Coast. It switches between Eastern Standard Time (EST, UTC-5) in winter and Eastern Daylight Time (EDT, UTC-4) in summer during Daylight Saving Time. It covers states from Maine to Florida and major cities like New York, Miami, Atlanta, and Washington D.C.

Eastern Standard Time (EST) is UTC-5 — five hours behind Coordinated Universal Time. During Daylight Saving Time (from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November), the East Coast uses Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), which is UTC-4.

States entirely in Eastern Time: Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana (most), Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, Washington D.C., and West Virginia.

Eastern Time observes Daylight Saving Time from the second Sunday in March (clocks spring forward 1 hour at 2:00 AM) to the first Sunday in November (clocks fall back 1 hour at 2:00 AM). During DST, EST (UTC-5) becomes EDT (UTC-4).

EST (Eastern Standard Time) is UTC-5, used in winter (November to March). EDT (Eastern Daylight Time) is UTC-4, used in summer during Daylight Saving Time (March to November). Both refer to the same geographic zone — the US East Coast — but at different times of year.