ET to WAT Time Converter
WAT is 5 hours ahead of ET. The US East Coast is currently on EDT (UTC-4:00), and WAT is UTC+1:00.
Best Time to Call Between ET and WAT
Both zones are inside normal business hours between 9:00 AM and 12:00 PM ET — that's 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM WAT. That's a 3-hour window.
both at work ET only WAT only neither — hours along the strip are ET.
Common Times Converted
ET on the left, WAT on the right.
ET to WAT: Full 24-Hour Conversion Table
Shaded rows are working hours; the darker shade marks the hours when both zones are at work.
| ET | WAT | Working hours |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 5:00 AM | — |
| 1:00 AM | 6:00 AM | — |
| 2:00 AM | 7:00 AM | — |
| 3:00 AM | 8:00 AM | — |
| 4:00 AM | 9:00 AM | WAT only |
| 5:00 AM | 10:00 AM | WAT only |
| 6:00 AM | 11:00 AM | WAT only |
| 7:00 AM | 12:00 PM | WAT only |
| 8:00 AM | 1:00 PM | WAT only |
| 9:00 AM | 2:00 PM | Both zones |
| 10:00 AM | 3:00 PM | Both zones |
| 11:00 AM | 4:00 PM | Both zones |
| 12:00 PM | 5:00 PM | ET only |
| 1:00 PM | 6:00 PM | ET only |
| 2:00 PM | 7:00 PM | ET only |
| 3:00 PM | 8:00 PM | ET only |
| 4:00 PM | 9:00 PM | ET only |
| 5:00 PM | 10:00 PM | — |
| 6:00 PM | 11:00 PM | — |
| 7:00 PM | 12:00 AM next day | — |
| 8:00 PM | 1:00 AM next day | — |
| 9:00 PM | 2:00 AM next day | — |
| 10:00 PM | 3:00 AM next day | — |
| 11:00 PM | 4:00 AM next day | — |
What ET and WAT Actually Are
ET — Eastern Time
New York, Toronto, Washington DC, Atlanta, Miami, Boston. Standing at UTC-5:00 as written, and the region does change its clocks, so its live offset moves by an hour twice a year. The next change is on Sunday, November 1, 2026, to EST.
Eastern Time covers roughly half the US population and, because of that, is the zone most American business defaults to when nobody specifies one.
WAT — West Africa Time
Lagos, Abuja, Kinshasa, Luanda, Douala. Standing at UTC+1:00 as written, and the region does not change its clocks, so that offset holds all year.
West Africa Time covers a long north-south strip of the continent, and because it sits near the equator its daylight hours barely shift across the year.
What This Means in Practice
This gap is not fixed
ET changes its clocks and WAT does not, so the difference between them moves by an hour twice a year. A recurring meeting set now will drift for one side from Sunday, November 1, 2026 unless someone resets it.
Major Cities in Each Zone
Cities on ET
Cities on WAT
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the time difference between ET and WAT?
WAT is 5 hours ahead of ET. That is the live figure. Taken strictly as written, the gap between ET and WAT is 6 hours — the two differ because at least one of these regions is currently on daylight saving.
What is 9:00 AM ET in WAT?
9:00 AM ET is 2:00 PM WAT.
What are the best hours to schedule a call between ET and WAT?
Between 9:00 AM and 12:00 PM ET, which is 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM WAT. Both sides are inside normal business hours through that window.
Does the difference between ET and WAT change during the year?
Yes. ET observes daylight saving and WAT does not, so the gap shifts by an hour at least twice a year. The next clock change is on Sunday, November 1, 2026.