Missouri time zone and daylight saving time

Central Time Next clock change: Nov 1

Kansas City, UTC−5Sunrise 7:43 a.m. · Sunset 6:21 p.m. · 10 h 38 min of daylight

Missouri at a glance

Time zone
Central
Daylight saving time
Observed. UTC−5 in summer, UTC−6 in winter.
Upcoming clock changes
  • Sunday, November 1, 2026: clocks fall back
  • Sunday, March 14, 2027: clocks spring forward
  • Sunday, November 7, 2027: clocks fall back
  • Sunday, March 12, 2028: clocks spring forward
Each change happens at 2:00 a.m. local time.
Permanent daylight time law
None. Missouri is not among the 19 states the Congressional Research Service lists as having enacted one.

All of Missouri uses Central Time and observes daylight saving time: UTC−5 in summer and UTC−6 in winter.

Time zones in bordering states

Missouri borders eight states, and all of them use Central Time where they meet it, so the time is the same across every border, all year.

Select a state on the map to see its time zone details.

Time zone map of Missouri and surrounding states. Each state is a link to its page.Counties are shaded by time zone. Hatched counties are split between two zones; dotted areas do not observe daylight saving time.AlabamaIndianaKansasOklahomaSouth DakotaTexasIllinoisArkansasIowaKentuckyMichiganMississippiOhioTennesseeNebraska

Current time in each zone

  • Eastern
  • Central
  • Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska: same time all along the border.

What permanent time would mean for Missouri

Ending clock changes would mean keeping one time all year: either permanent daylight time or permanent standard time. Here’s how each would shift sunrise and sunset in Kansas City.

Permanent daylight time

Later winter mornings

8:34 a.m.

Sunrise on the shortest day, December 21 (now 7:34 a.m.).

Winter sunset: 5:59 p.m. (now 4:59 p.m.).

Permanent standard time

Earlier summer evenings

7:48 p.m.

Sunset on the longest day, June 21 (now 8:48 p.m.).

Summer sunrise: 4:53 a.m. (now 5:53 a.m.).

Times for Kansas City, calculated for 2026. Actual sunrise and sunset can differ by a few minutes with terrain and weather.

Missouri and permanent daylight time

Missouri has not enacted a law to adopt permanent daylight time; it is not among the 19 states the Congressional Research Service lists as having done so.

Lawmakers have tried both directions. A 2021 proposal would have adopted permanent daylight time if enough neighbouring states did the same. In 2025, five bills to stop observing daylight saving time unless federal law changes all failed, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Any switch to permanent daylight time would need Congress to act first. The U.S. House passed the Sunshine Protection Act in July 2026, and it is now with the Senate.

Common questions

What time zone is Missouri in?

All of Missouri uses Central Time and observes daylight saving time.

Is Kansas City, Missouri on the same time as Kansas City, Kansas?

Yes. Both use Central Time and change their clocks on the same dates.

Is St. Louis on the same time as Chicago?

Yes. Both use Central Time.

Sources: U.S. Department of Transportation (49 CFR Part 71); Congressional Research Service; Congress.gov; National Conference of State Legislatures.

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