Time Difference Between New York and Los Angeles
Los Angeles is 3 hours behind New York for the entire year. Both cities follow the same US federal daylight saving schedule, so the 3-hour gap never changes.
At a glance
| New York (EST/EDT) | Los Angeles (PST/PDT) |
|---|---|
| 6 AM | 3 AM |
| 9 AM | 6 AM |
| 12 PM (noon) | 9 AM |
| 3 PM | 12 PM (noon) |
| 5 PM | 2 PM |
| 7 PM | 4 PM |
| 10 PM | 7 PM |
This relationship holds every day of the year — there are no transition windows or surprise mismatches, because both cities follow the same US daylight saving schedule.
Why the difference never changes
The US enforces daylight saving time at the federal level. Every state that observes DST (most of them) shifts clocks on exactly the same dates:
- US clocks shift forward: second Sunday of March
- US clocks shift back: first Sunday of November
Because New York and Los Angeles both follow this schedule, they always move in lockstep. The result: Los Angeles is exactly 3 hours behind New York every minute of every day. No mid-March or early-November confusion to plan around. The Time Zone Converter will confirm this for any date you pick.
Best times to schedule a meeting
The transcontinental US overlap is one of the easier ones to plan, because both sides keep similar 9-to-5 hours and the gap is modest. The sweet spot:
- 12 PM New York / 9 AM Los Angeles — NY is at lunch, LA has just settled into the workday. The single most popular default for coast-to-coast calls.
- 1 PM New York / 10 AM Los Angeles — gives LA an extra hour to get coffee. Often the better choice.
- 3 PM New York / 12 PM Los Angeles — works but LA is at lunch.
- 5 PM New York / 2 PM Los Angeles — NY's end of day, LA still has half the afternoon. Common for "wrap-up" calls.
Avoid pre-9-AM New York (early morning for everyone in LA) and post-6-PM New York (LA's afternoon is fine but you're working late). For complex schedules involving teams in Europe or Asia too, the Meeting Planner shows everyone's working-hours overlap visually.
Travel and jet lag notes
Transcontinental US flights are usually 5-6 hours. Despite being on the same continent, the 3-hour shift produces real (if mild) jet lag:
- New York → Los Angeles is the easier direction. You "gain" 3 hours — a 9 AM flight arrives around 12 PM LA local time. Most people adjust within a day.
- Los Angeles → New York is harder, especially the red-eye overnight flights. You "lose" 3 hours and often a night's sleep. Plan a quiet first day on the east coast.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is New York in?
New York uses EST (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-5) in winter and EDT (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-4) in summer. The shift happens on the second Sunday of March and the first Sunday of November.
What time zone is Los Angeles in?
Los Angeles uses PST (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-8) in winter and PDT (Pacific Daylight Time, UTC-7) in summer. The shift happens on the same dates as New York, since both cities follow the US federal daylight saving schedule.
Is Los Angeles always 3 hours behind New York?
Yes — unlike transatlantic pairs (where each country shifts daylight saving on different dates), both cities are in the United States and observe DST on the same dates. The 3-hour gap is constant.
What time is 9 AM New York in Los Angeles?
6 AM Los Angeles. Most LA-based workers won't be at their desks yet — try scheduling later if you have a choice.
What time is 12 PM noon New York in Los Angeles?
9 AM Los Angeles. One of the best transcontinental meeting times — NY can take it at lunch and LA has just started their day.
See live times and convert exact moments
For the live, currently-ticking time in both cities (and 60+ others), see the World Clock. To convert any specific date and time, use the Time Zone Converter. For multi-city scheduling, the Meeting Planner shows everyone's working-hours overlap visually.