Daylight saving time can shift the local clock by one hour for part of the year, which impacts meetings, flights, and deadlines.

The best practice is to reference an IANA timezone (like America/New_York) rather than relying only on an offset.

Quick takeaway

Use timezone names (ET/CT/MT/PT or the IANA form like America/Los_Angeles) and confirm with a live clock. This prevents mistakes when daylight saving rules change.

Daylight saving time: what to watch

Daylight saving transitions can cause meetings to appear one hour “off” when two regions switch on different dates. When scheduling, include both the time and the timezone (for example: 10:00 AM ET).

How to stay safe on time-change weeks

  • Confirm both sides (your timezone and the US timezone).
  • Use calendar invites that store timezone information.
  • Avoid scheduling critical events during the hour when clocks shift.

Frequently asked questions

How accurate is the time shown on UsInTimes?

We use official timezone identifiers so the clock follows the correct rules for daylight saving changes.

What should I include when scheduling across time zones?

Include the time and the timezone (ET/CT/MT/PT), or use an IANA name like America/New_York.

Where can I check a specific state?

Open the state page from the homepage, for example: /state/california or /state/new-york.