This EST to UTC converter turns any time in Eastern Standard Time (EST) into Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), using your device clock so daylight saving is applied automatically. UTC is 5 hours ahead of EST when both zones are on standard time, and 4 hours ahead during the summer months when clocks have shifted. EST is UTC−5 (EDT: UTC−4); UTC is UTC+0.
EST covers New York, Toronto, Miami; UTC covers Reykjavik (same clock), servers and aviation. Because only EST observes daylight saving time, the difference is not constant through the year. The tables below show both cases, and the converter at the top always uses the rule in force on the date you pick.
EST and UTC UTC offsets
EST
UTC−5
Eastern Standard Time
EDT UTC−4 from March 8 to November 1, 2026
UTC
UTC+0
Coordinated Universal Time
No daylight saving time
EST to UTC conversion table (standard time)
| EST | UTC |
|---|---|
| 12 am | 5 am |
| 3 am | 8 am |
| 6 am | 11 am |
| 8 am | 1 pm |
| 9 am | 2 pm |
| 10 am | 3 pm |
| 11 am | 4 pm |
| 12 pm | 5 pm |
| 1 pm | 6 pm |
| 2 pm | 7 pm |
| 3 pm | 8 pm |
| 4 pm | 9 pm |
| 5 pm | 10 pm |
| 6 pm | 11 pm |
| 8 pm | 1 amnext day |
| 10 pm | 3 amnext day |
EST to UTC during daylight saving
Between the dates listed above, the difference is 4 hours instead of 5 hours.
| EST/EDT | UTC |
|---|---|
| 12 am | 4 am |
| 3 am | 7 am |
| 6 am | 10 am |
| 8 am | 12 pm |
| 9 am | 1 pm |
| 10 am | 2 pm |
| 11 am | 3 pm |
| 12 pm | 4 pm |
| 1 pm | 5 pm |
| 2 pm | 6 pm |
| 3 pm | 7 pm |
| 4 pm | 8 pm |
| 5 pm | 9 pm |
| 6 pm | 10 pm |
| 8 pm | 12 amnext day |
| 10 pm | 2 amnext day |
Frequently asked questions
What is the time difference between EST and UTC?
UTC is 5 hours ahead of EST on standard time. During daylight saving the gap changes to 4 hours. That comes from the UTC offsets: EST is UTC−5 and UTC is UTC+0. For example, 9 am EST = 2 pm UTC, and in summer 9 am EST = 1 pm UTC.
Is UTC ahead of or behind EST?
UTC is 5 hours ahead of EST, so when it is noon in EST it is 5 pm in UTC. Ahead means the clock there already shows a later time; a call at 5 pm EST lands at 10 pm UTC.
Does EST or UTC observe daylight saving time in 2026?
EST switches to EDT (UTC−4) on March 8 and back on November 1 in 2026. UTC keeps UTC+0 all year. Between those dates the difference in the table above shifts by an hour, which is the usual cause of missed calls in spring and autumn.
What is the best time for a meeting between EST and UTC?
Standard office hours (9 am to 5 pm) overlap from 9 am to 12 pm EST, which is 2 pm to 5 pm UTC. Pick a slot inside that window and both sides stay within a normal working day. Check the daylight saving dates above, because the window moves by an hour when only one side has changed clocks.
Which cities use EST and UTC?
EST (Eastern Standard Time) is used in New York, Toronto, Miami, Atlanta. UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) is used in Reykjavik (same clock), servers and aviation. Some cities inside a zone skip daylight saving, noted in parentheses, so their offset matches only part of the year.