What Is The Time In Florida?
Current Time in Florida
The current time in Florida is:
• Eastern Time (ET) for most of the state
• Central Time (CT) for the westernmost counties
Time Zones in Florida
Florida is divided into two time zones:
• **Eastern Time (ET)**: Most of Florida, including the major cities of Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville, and Tampa, is in the Eastern Time zone. This zone is 5 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and 4 hours behind Eastern Standard Time (EST) during Daylight Saving Time.
• **Central Time (CT)**: The westernmost counties of Florida, including Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton, are in the Central Time zone. This zone is 6 hours behind UTC and 5 hours behind CST during Daylight Saving Time.
Daylight Saving Time in Florida
Florida observes Daylight Saving Time (DST) from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November. During DST, clocks are set forward one hour, moving the state from ET/CT to EDT/CDT.
Time Difference Between Florida and Other States
The time difference between Florida and other states varies depending on the time zone. Here are some examples:
• **New York City:** 1 hour ahead of Florida (ET)
• **Chicago:** 1 hour behind Florida (ET)
• **Los Angeles:** 3 hours behind Florida (ET)
• **Denver:** 2 hours behind Florida (ET)
Additional Information
• Florida is the only state in the contiguous United States that is divided into two time zones.
• The Florida Panhandle is the only part of the state that is in the Central Time zone.
• Daylight Saving Time was first introduced in Florida in 1967.