Eastern Time (ET)
Miami operates on Eastern Time (ET). Miami observes Daylight Saving Time, springing forward one hour in March and falling back in November. During DST, the abbreviation changes to reflect the shift.
Time Zone: Eastern Time (ET) — Standard Offset: UTC-5 (EST) — DST Offset: UTC-4 (EDT)
Country: United States
This city observes Daylight Saving Time, so the UTC offset changes twice per year. Always verify the current offset when scheduling across time zones.
Miami operates on Eastern Time, the same as New York. But Miami's unique role as the business bridge to Latin America gives its time zone special significance. Most of Central America, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru share or are within 1 hour of Eastern Time, making Miami the natural coordination hub for US-Latin American business. Miami's banking, trade, and logistics industries revolve around this geographic and temporal proximity.
Miami has evolved into a major financial center, particularly for international banking and cryptocurrency. The city's time zone alignment with New York means Miami-based financial professionals operate on Wall Street hours. The influx of hedge funds, tech companies, and crypto firms from New York — accelerated during and after 2020 — has made Miami a dual financial capital operating in the same time zone as the traditional one.
Florida observes DST from the second Sunday in March through the first Sunday in November. The Florida legislature passed the Sunshine Protection Act in 2018 to adopt permanent DST, but like California's proposal, it awaits Congressional action. During EDT, Miami is UTC-4, matching much of the Caribbean and parts of South America.
Miami's ET location and cultural connections make it a scheduling nexus for the Americas. São Paulo is 2 hours ahead (1 during DST), Buenos Aires is 2 hours ahead, and Mexico City is 1 hour behind. For European business, Miami follows New York's pattern — 5-6 hours behind London. The Caribbean islands (many on Atlantic Time, UTC-4) align with EDT during summer months, simplifying travel and business coordination.