EST to PST — Time Difference and Common Meeting Time Conversions

Eastern Standard Time (EST) is always 3 hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time (PST). When it is 9 AM in New York, it is 6 AM in Los Angeles. When it is noon in Atlanta, it is 9 AM in San Francisco. This 3-hour gap is consistent year-round — even during Daylight Saving Time — because both coasts shift their clocks together.

If you regularly coordinate between East and West Coast, knowing the 3-hour rule gets you 80% of the way there. For anything outside business hours or for pinpoint accuracy, use the free time zone converter to convert any time instantly. Below is a full reference table and guidance on scheduling cross-coast meetings.

EST to PST Conversion Table

The table below covers the most common working-hours conversion times from Eastern to Pacific.

Eastern (EST/EDT)	Pacific (PST/PDT)
6 AM EST	3 AM PST
7 AM EST	4 AM PST
8 AM EST	5 AM PST
9 AM EST	6 AM PST
10 AM EST	7 AM PST
11 AM EST	8 AM PST
12 PM EST	9 AM PST
1 PM EST	10 AM PST
2 PM EST	11 AM PST
3 PM EST	12 PM PST
4 PM EST	1 PM PST
5 PM EST	2 PM PST
6 PM EST	3 PM PST

The takeaway: East Coast 9-to-5 corresponds to West Coast 6 AM to 2 PM. That early-morning gap is why East Coast teams schedule all-hands calls before noon — so their West Coast colleagues are at least awake.

Best Times to Schedule EST–PST Meetings

The sweet spot for cross-coast meetings is 12 PM to 5 PM Eastern (9 AM to 2 PM Pacific). This window represents standard working hours for both zones. Before noon Eastern is early for the West Coast; after 5 PM Eastern is after-hours for the East.

If you are on the East Coast setting a meeting, aim for 12 PM to 3 PM ET. That puts your West Coast colleagues at 9 AM to 12 PM — their most productive hours, not rushed, not end-of-day. Avoid 9 AM ET for recurring team meetings: it is 6 AM in California, which irritates the West Coast team every single week.

For one-off calls where someone has to take an awkward time, consider rotating who gets the bad slot. An 8 AM EST / 5 AM PST call should not always fall on the West Coast.

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Does Daylight Saving Time Change the EST–PST Gap?

No — because both zones observe Daylight Saving Time on the same schedule (second Sunday in March, first Sunday in November in the US). When Eastern moves from EST (UTC-5) to EDT (UTC-4), Pacific simultaneously moves from PST (UTC-8) to PDT (UTC-7). The 3-hour difference between the coasts stays exactly the same.

The only exception is the brief window between the US DST change and when other countries change their clocks. If you are also converting to UK time, for example, there is about a week each spring and fall where the offset is different than normal. The timezone converter handles this automatically using your browser's live time zone database.

EST vs EDT — Is There Actually a Difference?

Technically yes. EST (Eastern Standard Time) is UTC-5 and applies from November to March. EDT (Eastern Daylight Time) is UTC-4 and applies from March to November. Most people say "EST" year-round even during summer, which is technically incorrect but universally understood.

For practical scheduling purposes, the distinction does not matter as long as both parties are in the same country. When someone says "3 PM EST," everyone understands they mean 3 PM Eastern regardless of the time of year. Where the distinction matters is in global business — someone in London needs to know whether you mean UTC-5 or UTC-4 to calculate the overlap correctly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is EST always 3 hours ahead of PST?

Yes. Both Eastern and Pacific observe Daylight Saving Time on the same US schedule, so the gap between them stays at exactly 3 hours year-round.

What is 9 AM EST in PST?

9 AM Eastern is 6 AM Pacific. Subtract 3 hours from any Eastern time to get Pacific time.

What is 5 PM EST in PST?

5 PM Eastern is 2 PM Pacific. This is the last practical meeting slot where both coasts are in standard working hours.