Time Zone History

New York time zone history

Standard time has stayed at UTC−5 since 1883, tied second-longest run among the 148 zones with no change of standard time since 1970. On standard time, clocks in New York run 4 minutes behind local mean solar time.

UTC−5

Standard time is UTC−5 (EDT/EST); clocks go forward to UTC−4 on the second Sunday in March and back on the first Sunday in November.

Covers: Eastern time, most areas · tz database name America/New_York

Convert a time from New York

Summer time in every year since 1970

UTC−5: today’s standard timeUTC−4:56:02: 4 minutes ahead of today’s standard timeUTC−4: 1 hour ahead of today’s standard timeUTC−5: today’s standard timeUTC−4:56:02: 4 minutes ahead oftoday’s standard timeUTC−4: 1 hour ahead of today’sstandard time

How to read this chart

Before 1970

187018901910193019501970187019101950
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec1970198019902000201020202028JFMAMJJASOND1970198019902000201020202028

Standard time changes

DateChangeNew standard timeClock label
Before 1970
November 18, 1883Local mean time (UTC−4:56:02) replacedUTC−5EST

Daylight saving periods

YearsClocks go forwardClocks go backShift and labels
1918–1920last Sunday in March, 02:00last Sunday in October, 02:001 hour, EST to EDT
1921–1941last Sunday in April, 02:00last Sunday in September, 02:001 hour, EST to EDT
1942February 9not that year1 hour, EST to EWT
1945not that yearSeptember 301 hour
1946–1954last Sunday in April, 02:00last Sunday in September, 02:001 hour, EST to EDT
1955–1973last Sunday in April, 02:00last Sunday in October, 02:001 hour, EST to EDT

Since 1970: the periods shared by 5 of 29 zones, listed on the United States page.

Clock changes in 2026, 2027 and 2028

The clocks go forward 1 hour (EST to EDT) on March 8, 2026, March 14, 2027 and March 12, 2028 at 02:00 and back 1 hour (EDT to EST) on November 1, 2026, November 7, 2027 and November 5, 2028 at 02:00, local time.

Also on UTC−5

Toronto (Canada), Detroit (United States), Vevay, Indiana (United States), Monticello, Kentucky (United States), Indianapolis, Indiana (United States), Louisville, Kentucky (United States), Winamac, Indiana (United States), Marengo, Indiana (United States), Petersburg, Indiana (United States) and Vincennes, Indiana (United States) (nearest first; 13 more on the list of offsets).

Clocks next door since 1970

  • Toronto (Canada) (550 km): same time except 175 days in 1974 and 1975.
  • Detroit (773 km): same time except 616 days in 1970–1972 and 1975.
  • Moncton (Canada) (955 km): usually 1 hour ahead; different on 364 days in 1970–2026.
  • Halifax (Canada) (956 km): usually 1 hour ahead; different on 180 days in 1970–2026.
  • Vevay, Indiana (970 km): same time except 6,684 days in 1973–2005.