Current time in Columbia, SC
Eastern Time UTC−5 · IANA zone America/New_York
Time zone details
| Time zone | Eastern Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Standard time | EST, UTC−5 (early Nov – mid Mar) |
| Daylight time | EDT, UTC−4 (mid Mar – early Nov) |
| DST clock change | Forward 1 h, 2nd Sunday of March · Back 1 h, 1st Sunday of November |
| Sunrise today | — |
| Sunset today | — |
| Day length | — |
| Coordinates | 34.00° N, 81.03° W |
Time difference from Columbia
| City | Local time now |
|---|---|
| Chicago | −1 h |
| Denver | −2 h |
| Phoenix | −2 / −3 h |
| Los Angeles | −3 h |
| Anchorage | −4 h |
| Honolulu | −5 / −6 h |
Columbia keeps the same hour as Charleston on the coast, Charlotte up I-77, and the rest of the Eastern Time Zone.
About time in Columbia
Columbia, South Carolina's capital, was laid out in 1786 near the geographic center of the state, at the fall line where the Broad and Saluda rivers join to form the Congaree. It is the seat of Richland County, with parts of the metro spilling into Lexington County across the river; the entire state keeps Eastern Time.
In 2020 the South Carolina legislature enacted a law adopting permanent daylight saving time — but only if Congress ever amends federal law to allow it. Until then Columbia continues to switch between EST and EDT on the national dates.
At 81° W the capital's clocks run about 24 minutes ahead of the sun, stretching June evenings past 8:40 PM, while daylight varies from roughly 9 hours 50 minutes in late December to 14 hours 25 minutes at the summer solstice.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is Columbia in?
Columbia, the capital of South Carolina, is in the Eastern Time Zone (ET): EST (UTC−5) in winter and EDT (UTC−4) from the second Sunday of March until the first Sunday of November.
How far ahead is Columbia of Los Angeles?
Columbia remains 3 hours ahead of Los Angeles all twelve months, because the Eastern and Pacific zones follow one and the same DST schedule. See the EST to PST chart.
Does Columbia change clocks for daylight saving time?
Yes. Columbia advances clocks one hour at 2:00 AM on the second Sunday of March and sets them back one hour at 2:00 AM on the first Sunday of November — March 8 and November 1 in 2026. Full dates on the DST page.