Current time in South Carolina
Eastern Time UTC−5 · one zone statewide
South Carolina's time zone
South Carolina uses Eastern Time from the Blue Ridge foothills to the Atlantic coast: EST (UTC−5) in winter and EDT (UTC−4) from the second Sunday of March to the first Sunday of November. No county in the state observes a different zone.
Both neighboring states, North Carolina and Georgia, are also fully Eastern, so crossing the Savannah River into Augusta or heading up I-77 into Charlotte never shifts the clock. Along the coast, the Port of Charleston publishes its vessel and terminal schedules in Eastern Time, the same zone used from Maine down to Florida's Atlantic seaboard.
| Standard time | EST, UTC−5 |
|---|---|
| Daylight time | EDT, UTC−4 |
| IANA zone | America/New_York |
| vs Chicago | −1 h |
| vs Denver | −2 h |
| vs Los Angeles | −3 h |
Time in South Carolina cities
Every page below has a live clock plus sunrise, sunset, and DST details for that city.
Frequently asked questions
Is all of South Carolina in the same time zone?
Yes — every county from the Upstate to the Lowcountry is on Eastern Time.
What is the time difference between South Carolina and Los Angeles?
South Carolina is 3 hours ahead of Los Angeles all year: noon in Columbia is 9:00 AM in LA. Full chart: EST to PST.
Does South Carolina observe daylight saving time?
Yes. Clocks spring forward at 2:00 AM on the second Sunday of March and fall back on the first Sunday of November. Exact dates are on the DST page.