South Carolina operates on Eastern Standard Time (EST) during winter months, which is 5 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC-5). During daylight saving time, observed from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November, South Carolina switches to Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), which is UTC-4.
All of South Carolina follows the same time zone. Major cities including Charleston, Columbia, North Charleston, Mount Pleasant, and Rock Hill all observe Eastern Time. This makes scheduling across South Carolina straightforward, as there's no time difference within the state.
South Carolina's coastal position in Eastern Time makes it strategic for international shipping. When it's 9 AM in Charleston, it's 2 PM in London and 10 PM in Singapore, coordinating port operations across multiple continents.