You may have heard and seen EDT and EST and wondered if they’re the same (they’re not). Exactly what is EDT, then? EDT stands for “Eastern Daylight Time,” which governs how we set our clocks for a portion of the year. Reading on will help you understand the difference between EDT and EST and when and where we use them.
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What Does EDT Mean?
EDT is short for Eastern Daylight Time. It’s the system used in the Eastern Time Zone during Daylight Saving Time (DST). The exact beginning and end dates sometimes change, but DST typically begins during the spring and ends in the fall. If a state or nation follows DST, the sun sets later because of a clock adjustment.
Since DST occurs during the warmer months of the year, people enjoy more daylight after work, and children can play outside longer before it gets dark.
What’s the Difference Between EDT and EST?
EDT and EST are not the same. EDT is for Eastern Daylight Time, whereas EST is for Eastern Standard Time. The latter is the system the Eastern Time Zone follows from late fall into early spring.
In other words, EST is what the Eastern Time Zone uses when it is not DST. It’s one hour behind EDT.
Tip: Some people use ET (Eastern Time) instead of EDT and EST. That can help you avoid confusing the two, but note that it’s just for convenience.
How to Convert EST to EDT?
Converting EST to EDT is simple: all you do is adjust your clock ahead by an hour. So if it’s 8:00 A.M., the current time is really 9 A.M., and you have to adjust accordingly.
Most modern cell phones, computers, tablets, and other devices self-update when EDT begins or ends.
Tip: It’s important to remember to update your times when you go from EST to EDT. Even if your devices self-update, you should always double-check
Which U.S. States Use ET, EST, and EDT?
States that use ET, EST, and EDT are in the eastern part of the country. However, some of them are split into the Eastern and Central Time Zones.
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida (also CST)
- Georgia
- Indiana (also CST)
- Kentucky (also CST)
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan (also CST)
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- Tennessee (also CST)
- Vermont
- Virginia
- West Virginia
Which Countries Use ET, EDT, and EST?
Now, it gets tricky. Not all countries that fall geographically into the Eastern Time Zone use the systems here. And some that do just follow EST. In the following list, countries with an asterisk follow EST but do not follow EDT.
- United States
- Bahamas
- Canada (with one exception)
- Cayman Islands *
- Haiti
- Jamaica *
- Caribbean
- Mexico (with one exception)
- Panama *
Other US Time Zones
U.S. states fall into six time zones. Here is what they are, along with converted times based on 9 P.M. EST:
- Eastern Standard Time / EST: 9 P.M.
- Central Standard Time / CST (most of the Heartland states): 8 P.M.
- Mountain Standard Time / MST (most of the Rocky Mountains region): 7 P.M.
- Pacific Standard Time /PST (the West Coast and Nevada): 6 P.M.
- Alaskan Standard Time / AST: 5 P.M.
- Hawaiian-Aleutian Standard Time / HST (the Aleutian Islands stretch far enough west that some are in the same time zone as Hawaii): 3 P.M.
Fun Fact: Alaska and Hawaii do not observe Daylight Saving Time. To make things more confusing, the Navajo Nation, most of which is in Arizona, does.
States in other time zones that do observe DST do have their Standard and Daylight Times. For example, Wyoming in the Mountain Time Zone has MST and MDT.
Other Meanings of EDT
To most people, EDT only stands for Eastern Daylight Time. However, it does have other meanings for some. Here are a few:
- Eau de Toilette: A French term for “grooming water.” It’s a lightly scented perfume.
- Explosive Detection Team: Members of law enforcement trained to locate explosive materials and devices. They often use highly trained canines.
- Estimated Departure Time: This is often used in reference to air travel, but it can be for other modes of travel as well.
Final Thoughts
“What is EDT?” has an easy answer: it stands for Eastern Daylight Time. EDT is the time setting Eastern America, and some other nations use during Daylight Saving Time (DST). Outside DST, people use Eastern Standard Time (EST), which is an hour behind EDT.
