California and New York are often used as the two ends of US time planning: Pacific vs Eastern time.

Instead of guessing, use timezone names and a live clock so you don’t get caught by daylight saving changes.

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.

California time zone notes

California follows Pacific Time (PT). Major cities on the same clock include Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento. Use the live page for second‑by‑second updates: California time.

New York time zone notes

New York follows Eastern Time (ET). Common reference cities include New York City, Buffalo, Rochester, Albany. Use the live page: New York time.

A simple conversion method

1) Identify the source timezone (for example, ET for New York).

2) Identify the target timezone (for example, PT for California).

3) Convert using a live clock or a trusted converter—especially during daylight saving transitions.

Quick examples

  • If it’s 9:00 AM in New York (ET), it’s usually 6:00 AM in California (PT).
  • If it’s 3:00 PM in Chicago (CT), it’s usually 1:00 PM in Denver (MT).

These are common relationships, but confirm on the day you need it.

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.