EST to PST Conversion: Time Difference, Chart, and DST Rules

Pacific Standard Time (PST) is exactly 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time (EST). If it is 1:00 PM in New York, it is 10:00 AM in Los Angeles. The gap is always 3 hours, even when daylight saving time is in effect, because both time zones shift their clocks forward by one hour at the same time.

During daylight saving time (March to November), EST becomes EDT (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-4) and PST becomes PDT (Pacific Daylight Time, UTC-7). The abbreviations change, but the 3-hour gap stays the same. 1:00 PM EDT is still 10:00 AM PDT.

This consistency makes EST-to-PST conversion one of the simplest timezone calculations. You always subtract 3 hours to go from Eastern to Pacific, and add 3 hours to go from Pacific to Eastern.

To convert from EST to PDT, subtract 3 hours. To convert from PST to EST, add 3 hours. If the result crosses midnight, adjust the date.

For example: 11:00 PM EST = 8:00 PM PST (same day). But 1:00 AM EST = 10:00 PM PST (previous day). When the conversion crosses midnight, the Pacific time lands on the day before.

Here is the quick reference: 6:00 AM EST = 3:00 AM PST. 9:00 AM EST = 6:00 AM PST. 12:00 PM EST = 9:00 AM PST. 3:00 PM EST = 12:00 PM PST. 6:00 PM EST = 3:00 PM PST. 9:00 PM EST = 6:00 PM PST.

Here is the complete EST to PST conversion for every hour of the day. During standard time (winter), use EST and PST. During daylight time (summer), the same clock times apply, just with EDT and PDT labels.

12:00 AM EST = 9:00 PM PST (previous day). 1:00 AM EST = 10:00 PM PST. 2:00 AM EST = 11:00 PM PST. 3:00 AM EST = 12:00 AM PST (same day). 4:00 AM EST = 1:00 AM PST. 5:00 AM EST = 2:00 AM PST. 6:00 AM EST = 3:00 AM PST. 7:00 AM EST = 4:00 AM PST. 8:00 AM EST = 5:00 AM PST. 9:00 AM EST = 6:00 AM PST. 10:00 AM EST = 7:00 AM PST. 11:00 AM EST = 8:00 AM PST.

12:00 PM EST = 9:00 AM PST. 1:00 PM EST = 10:00 AM PST. 2:00 PM EST = 11:00 AM PST. 3:00 PM EST = 12:00 PM PST. 4:00 PM EST = 1:00 PM PST. 5:00 PM EST = 2:00 PM PST. 6:00 PM EST = 3:00 PM PST. 7:00 PM EST = 4:00 PM PST. 8:00 PM EST = 5:00 PM PST. 9:00 PM EST = 6:00 PM PST. 10:00 PM EST = 7:00 PM PST. 11:00 PM EST = 8:00 PM PST.

Both Eastern and Pacific time zones observe daylight saving time on the same schedule. Clocks spring forward on the second Sunday of March and fall back on the first Sunday of November.

During DST, EST becomes EDT (UTC-4) and PST becomes PDT (UTC-7). The offset changes, but the gap between them stays at 3 hours. This is because both zones shift at the same time.

The tricky weeks are the few days when the US has not yet changed but other countries have, or vice versa. If you are converting between a US time zone and a European time zone during transition weeks, the difference may be off by one hour.

For EST-to-PST conversions specifically, DST is a non-issue. The 3-hour gap is constant year-round.

The sweet spot for cross-coast meetings is 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM Eastern, which is 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM Pacific. Both sides are in their working hours, neither side is rushed, and no one has to wake up before dawn.

If you need a wider window, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM Eastern (6:00 AM to 9:00 AM Pacific) works if the West Coast team is willing to start early. And 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM Eastern (12:00 PM to 2:00 PM Pacific) works if the East Coast team is wrapping up.

Avoid scheduling before 8:00 AM Pacific (11:00 AM Eastern). The West Coast team is commuting or still sleeping. And avoid after 8:00 PM Eastern (5:00 PM Pacific). The East Coast team is done for the day.

For a full meeting planner that handles multiple time zones, use the meeting planner. For a quick one-off conversion, use the time zone converter.

Eastern Standard Time covers the US East Coast: New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Atlanta, Miami, Charlotte, Detroit, and most of the Eastern Seaboard. It also covers parts of Ontario and Quebec in Canada.

Pacific Standard Time covers the US West Coast: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, San Diego, Las Vegas, and most of California, Oregon, and Washington state. It also covers parts of British Columbia in Canada.

Mountain Time (MST/MDT) sits between them, covering Denver, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, and Albuquerque. Central Time (CST/CDT) covers Chicago, Dallas, Houston, and Minneapolis.

• Use city names instead of ambiguous timezone abbreviations.
• Repeat the selected time on booking confirmation pages.
• Check daylight saving changes before publishing event times.

The most common mistake is forgetting that the abbreviations change during DST. In summer, the correct labels are EDT and PDT, not EST and PST. Using the wrong abbreviation can cause confusion, especially in international contexts where other countries use similar abbreviations for different offsets.

Another mistake is assuming the 3-hour gap applies to all US time zones. The gap between Eastern and Central is 1 hour. The gap between Eastern and Mountain is 2 hours. Only Eastern and Pacific have a 3-hour gap.

When scheduling across coasts, always specify the timezone. Write 2:00 PM Eastern Time, not just 2:00 PM. If someone reads 2:00 PM without context, they may assume their own local time.

EST to PST conversion is straightforward: subtract 3 hours to go East to West, add 3 hours to go West to East. The gap is constant year-round because both zones observe DST on the same schedule.

For quick conversions, use the time zone converter. For planning meetings across the coasts, use the meeting planner. For a world clock showing multiple cities, use the world clock.