Standard Time
Standard-time abbreviations include EST, CST, MST, PST, CET, EET, AEST, ACST, and AWST. Their UTC offsets depend on the particular time zone represented by the abbreviation.
Time Zone Abbreviations
Find common time zone abbreviations, their full names, UTC offsets, and the regions where they are used. Search the table or filter time zones by region.
Time Zones — Worldwide
| Abbreviation | Time zone name | Location | Offset |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Alpha Time Zone Alpha Time | Military | UTC +01:00 |
| ACDT | Australian Central Daylight Time | Australia | UTC +10:30 |
| ACST | Australian Central Standard Time | Australia | UTC +09:30 |
| ADT | Atlantic Daylight Time | North America, Atlantic | UTC -03:00 |
| AEDT | Australian Eastern Daylight Time | Australia | UTC +11:00 |
| AEST | Australian Eastern Standard Time | Australia | UTC +10:00 |
| AKDT | Alaska Daylight Time | Alaska | UTC -08:00 |
| AKST | Alaska Standard Time | Alaska | UTC -09:00 |
| AST | Atlantic Standard Time | North America, Atlantic | UTC -04:00 |
| AWST | Australian Western Standard Time | Western Australia | UTC +08:00 |
| B | Bravo Time Zone Bravo Time | Military | UTC +02:00 |
| BST | British Summer Time | United Kingdom | UTC +01:00 |
| C | Charlie Time Zone Charlie Time | Military | UTC +03:00 |
| CAT | Central Africa Time | Central and Southern Africa | UTC +02:00 |
| CDT | Central Daylight Time | North America | UTC -05:00 |
| CEST | Central European Summer Time | Central Europe | UTC +02:00 |
| CET | Central European Time | Central Europe | UTC +01:00 |
| ChST | Chamorro Standard Time | Guam, Northern Mariana Islands | UTC +10:00 |
| CST | Central Standard Time | North America | UTC -06:00 |
| CST | China Standard Time | China | UTC +08:00 |
| D | Delta Time Zone Delta Time | Military | UTC +04:00 |
| E | Echo Time Zone Echo Time | Military | UTC +05:00 |
| EAT | East Africa Time | Eastern Africa | UTC +03:00 |
| EDT | Eastern Daylight Time | North America | UTC -04:00 |
| EEST | Eastern European Summer Time | Eastern Europe | UTC +03:00 |
| EET | Eastern European Time | Eastern Europe | UTC +02:00 |
| EST | Eastern Standard Time | North America | UTC -05:00 |
| F | Foxtrot Time Zone Foxtrot Time | Military | UTC +06:00 |
| G | Golf Time Zone Golf Time | Military | UTC +07:00 |
| GMT | Greenwich Mean Time | Worldwide | UTC +00:00 |
| H | Hotel Time Zone Hotel Time | Military | UTC +08:00 |
| HKT | Hong Kong Time | Hong Kong | UTC +08:00 |
| HST | Hawaii Standard Time | Hawaii | UTC -10:00 |
| I | India Time Zone India Time | Military | UTC +09:00 |
| IDT | Israel Daylight Time | Israel | UTC +03:00 |
| IST | India Standard Time | India | UTC +05:30 |
| IST | Irish Standard Time | Ireland | UTC +01:00 |
| IST | Israel Standard Time | Israel | UTC +02:00 |
| JST | Japan Standard Time | Japan | UTC +09:00 |
| K | Kilo Time Zone Kilo Time | Military | UTC +10:00 |
| KST | Korea Standard Time | Korea | UTC +09:00 |
| L | Lima Time Zone Lima Time | Military | UTC +11:00 |
| M | Mike Time Zone Mike Time | Military | UTC +12:00 |
| MDT | Mountain Daylight Time | North America | UTC -06:00 |
| MSK | Moscow Time | Russia | UTC +03:00 |
| MST | Mountain Standard Time | North America | UTC -07:00 |
| N | November Time Zone November Time | Military | UTC -01:00 |
| NDT | Newfoundland Daylight Time | Newfoundland and Labrador | UTC -02:30 |
| NST | Newfoundland Standard Time | Newfoundland and Labrador | UTC -03:30 |
| NZDT | New Zealand Daylight Time | New Zealand | UTC +13:00 |
| NZST | New Zealand Standard Time | New Zealand | UTC +12:00 |
| O | Oscar Time Zone Oscar Time | Military | UTC -02:00 |
| P | Papa Time Zone Papa Time | Military | UTC -03:00 |
| PDT | Pacific Daylight Time | North America | UTC -07:00 |
| PKT | Pakistan Standard Time | Pakistan | UTC +05:00 |
| PST | Pacific Standard Time | North America | UTC -08:00 |
| Q | Quebec Time Zone Quebec Time | Military | UTC -04:00 |
| R | Romeo Time Zone Romeo Time | Military | UTC -05:00 |
| S | Sierra Time Zone Sierra Time | Military | UTC -06:00 |
| SAST | South Africa Standard Time | South Africa | UTC +02:00 |
| T | Tango Time Zone Tango Time | Military | UTC -07:00 |
| U | Uniform Time Zone Uniform Time | Military | UTC -08:00 |
| UTC | Coordinated Universal Time | Worldwide | UTC +00:00 |
| V | Victor Time Zone Victor Time | Military | UTC -09:00 |
| W | Whiskey Time Zone Whiskey Time | Military | UTC -10:00 |
| WAT | West Africa Time | Western and Central Africa | UTC +01:00 |
| WEST | Western European Summer Time | Western Europe | UTC +01:00 |
| WET | Western European Time | Western Europe | UTC +00:00 |
| WIB | Western Indonesian Time Waktu Indonesia Barat | Indonesia | UTC +07:00 |
| WIT | Eastern Indonesian Time Waktu Indonesia Timur | Indonesia | UTC +09:00 |
| WITA | Central Indonesian Time Waktu Indonesia Tengah | Indonesia | UTC +08:00 |
| X | X-ray Time Zone X-ray Time | Military | UTC -11:00 |
| Y | Yankee Time Zone Yankee Time | Military | UTC -12:00 |
| Z | Zulu Time Zone Zulu Time | Military | UTC +00:00 |
Showing 74 time zones
What Is a Time Zone Abbreviation?
A time zone abbreviation is a short label used to represent a time zone or a particular form of local time. Examples include EST for Eastern Standard Time, EDT for Eastern Daylight Time, CET for Central European Time, and JST for Japan Standard Time.
Time Zone Abbreviations Can Be Ambiguous
A time zone abbreviation does not always identify one unique time zone. The same abbreviation can have different meanings and UTC offsets in different parts of the world. For example, CST can refer to Central Standard Time in North America or China Standard Time in China.
When a precise time zone identifier is required, an IANA time zone such as America/New_York or Asia/Shanghai is generally more useful than an abbreviation alone.
Browse IANA time zonesDaylight Saving Time
Some regions use different abbreviations while daylight saving or summer time is active. Examples include EDT, CDT, MDT, PDT, CEST, EEST, AEDT, and NZDT.
Time Zone Abbreviations vs IANA Time Zones
Abbreviations are convenient for human-readable time displays, but IANA time zone identifiers describe geographic time zones more precisely. For example, EST is an abbreviation, while America/New_York is an IANA time zone identifier. IANA zones can represent changes in UTC offset and daylight saving rules over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a time zone abbreviation mean?
A time zone abbreviation is a short label used for a time zone or a particular form of local time, such as EST for Eastern Standard Time, EDT for Eastern Daylight Time, or JST for Japan Standard Time.
Are time zone abbreviations unique?
No. Some abbreviations have more than one meaning. For example, CST can refer to Central Standard Time in North America or China Standard Time in China.
What is the difference between EST and EDT?
EST means Eastern Standard Time and has an offset of UTC -05:00. EDT means Eastern Daylight Time and has an offset of UTC -04:00. EDT is used when daylight saving time is observed in locations that follow Eastern Time.
What is the difference between PST and PDT?
PST means Pacific Standard Time and has an offset of UTC -08:00. PDT means Pacific Daylight Time and has an offset of UTC -07:00.
What time zone is UTC?
UTC stands for Coordinated Universal Time. It is the primary time standard used as a reference for UTC offsets around the world and has an offset of UTC +00:00.
What is the difference between GMT and UTC?
GMT and UTC are both commonly associated with an offset of UTC +00:00, but they are not exactly the same concept. UTC is an international time standard, while GMT is a time zone and historical astronomical time standard.
What does IST mean?
IST is ambiguous. Depending on the context, it can refer to India Standard Time, Irish Standard Time, or Israel Standard Time. Their UTC offsets are different.
Should I use a time zone abbreviation or an IANA time zone?
For software and precise time zone handling, an IANA time zone identifier such as America/New_York or Europe/London is generally more useful because abbreviations can be ambiguous.