ET to CDT Converter

Category: Time Zone Converters

- July 01, 2025

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Eastern Time (ET)

UTC-5/-4 • New York, Toronto, Atlanta, Miami

Conversion Settings

Configure your timezone conversion preferences

Daylight Saving Aware

Show UTC Offset

Show Details

Central Time (CT)

UTC-6/-5 • Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Austin

--:--:--

Press convert to see result

Time Difference: --

UTC Offset (ET): -05:00

UTC Offset (CT): -06:00

DST Status: --

ET Time: --

CT Time: --

Time Format:

Current ET: --:--:--

Current CT: --:--:--

🇺🇸 Both ET and CT observe daylight saving time from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November. ET becomes EDT (UTC-4) and CT becomes CDT (UTC-5) during summer months.

ET to CT Conversion Guide

What is ET to CT Conversion?

ET to CT conversion helps you translate time between Eastern Time and Central Time zones across the United States. ET alternates between EST (UTC-5) in winter and EDT (UTC-4) in summer. CT alternates between CST (UTC-6) in winter and CDT (UTC-5) in summer. The time difference is consistently 1 hour, with ET always ahead of CT.

Time Zone Information

Eastern Time (ET): Used in eastern United States and Canada including New York, Atlanta, Miami, and Toronto. Standard time (EST) is UTC-5, daylight time (EDT) is UTC-4.

Central Time (CT): Used in central United States and Canada including Chicago, Houston, Dallas, and Austin. Standard time (CST) is UTC-6, daylight time (CDT) is UTC-5.

Consistent Time Difference: ET is always exactly 1 hour ahead of CT year-round, making this one of the most straightforward timezone conversions.

Daylight Saving Time Impact

Both Zones Change Together: ET and CT both observe daylight saving time from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November

Synchronized Transitions: Since both zones change on the same dates and times, the 1-hour difference never varies

Summer Abbreviations: During daylight saving time, ET becomes EDT and CT becomes CDT, but the relationship remains the same

Common Conversion Examples

Business Hours

ET 9:00 AM → CT 8:00 AM

ET 5:00 PM → CT 4:00 PM

Perfect for coordinating across US time zones

Conference Calls

ET 2:00 PM → CT 1:00 PM

ET 10:00 AM → CT 9:00 AM

Easy scheduling for meetings

Travel Planning

Flight Departure ET 6:00 PM

Arrival CT 7:00 PM (local time)

Account for time zone when traveling west

TV Show Times

ET 8:00 PM → CT 7:00 PM

ET 11:00 PM → CT 10:00 PM

Common for US TV scheduling

Conversion Tips & Best Practices

• Always subtract 1 hour when converting from ET to CT - this never changes

• Both time zones change for daylight saving time on exactly the same dates

• This is the most common timezone conversion within the United States

• Business hours overlap perfectly - 9 AM ET = 8 AM CT, 5 PM ET = 4 PM CT

• Many national US TV shows list times as "8/7 Central" meaning 8 PM ET, 7 PM CT

• When traveling from ET to CT, you "gain" an hour (clocks show an earlier time)

Eastern to Central Time Converter

If you've ever needed to line up schedules across US time zones, you know how quickly things can go sideways. This converter keeps it clean and simple by focusing on just two zones, Eastern and Central. Whether you're planning a business call, catching a live event, or coordinating travel, all you need is a date and time. The tool handles the rest, including daylight saving adjustments and exact UTC offsets.

Eastern Time (ET)	Central Time (CT)
🇺🇸 United States 🇨🇦 Canada 🇧🇸 Bahamas 🇭🇹 Haiti 🇨🇺 Cuba 🇯🇲 Jamaica 🇰🇾 Cayman Islands 🇹🇨 Turks and Caicos Islands	🇺🇸 United States 🇨🇦 Canada 🇲🇽 Mexico 🇧🇿 Belize 🇬🇹 Guatemala 🇸🇻 El Salvador 🇭🇳 Honduras 🇳🇮 Nicaragua

A tool made for real-time coordination

This calculator does one thing and does it well. You type in a date and time in either Eastern or Central Time, press convert, and it shows the exact time in the other zone. It’s always accurate by one hour, but it also accounts for daylight saving time automatically. You can choose whether to display details like UTC offsets and DST status, or just keep it simple.

How to use it without second-guessing yourself

Step-by-step setup

Select a time zone: either Eastern or Central from the dropdown menu.
Pick a date and enter a time.
Optional: adjust settings like daylight saving awareness, show offsets, or show details.
Hit the “Convert Time” button.
See the result instantly, including a readable time difference and formatted output.

If you’d rather use the current time, tap “Now.” Want to flip the direction? Use the “Swap” button. And if you want to clear everything out, hit “Reset.”

Built-in features that make a big difference

Live clocks for both time zones update every second, so you can always see the current time at a glance.
12/24 hour toggle lets you view time in the format you’re comfortable with.
Details on demand: You can choose whether to show things like UTC offsets and formatted time breakdowns.
Daylight Saving toggle: For those rare cases when you don’t want to factor it in, you can switch it off.

Use it where time matters most

Let’s say you’re managing a cross-country podcast recording between colleagues in Canada and Guatemala. Both observe different offsets and daylight rules depending on the season. This tool handles it seamlessly, showing exactly how their time zones match up, down to the second. You can even keep the time format the same across both ends to avoid confusion.

A few helpful reminders

ET is always 1 hour ahead of CT, no matter the date.
Both zones switch to daylight saving time on the same days in March and November, so the hour gap never changes.
TV networks often use “8/7 Central” because this is such a standard conversion.
You can input any past or future date and it’ll still account for daylight saving time historically.

Let the time difference handle itself

The Eastern to Central Time Converter was built to cut out second-guessing. You don’t have to memorize offset rules, remember when daylight saving starts, or worry about slipping up with time math. Just enter your time, click a button, and let the tool do what it’s meant to—keep you on track.