Alabama time zone and daylight saving time

Central Time Next clock change: Nov 1

Birmingham, UTC−5Sunrise 7:03 a.m. · Sunset 5:58 p.m. · 10 h 54 min of daylight

Alabama 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
Enacted in 2021. It needs federal approval before it can take effect.

All of Alabama uses Central Time and observes daylight saving time: UTC−5 in summer and UTC−6 in winter. A few communities next to Columbus, Georgia, unofficially keep Eastern Time.

Phenix City and the Georgia line

Officially, all of Alabama is on Central Time. In practice, Phenix City and some nearby communities, across the Chattahoochee River from Columbus, Georgia, keep Eastern Time, the same as their Georgia neighbours.

Time zones in bordering states

Alabama’s eastern border with Georgia is also the line between Central and Eastern Time.

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

Time zone map of Alabama 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.FloridaGeorgiaNorth CarolinaMissouriArkansasKentuckyMississippiTennesseeSouth CarolinaLouisiana

Current time in each zone

  • Eastern
  • Central

County split between two zones; the exact line isn't drawn

  • Mississippi and Tennessee: same time all along the border.
  • Florida: same time; the western Florida Panhandle shares Alabama’s Central Time.
  • Georgia: Georgia uses Eastern Time, so Alabama is 1 hour behind it all along the border, except where communities around Phenix City unofficially keep Eastern Time.

What permanent time would mean for Alabama

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 Birmingham.

Permanent daylight time

Later winter mornings

7:48 a.m.

Sunrise on the shortest day, December 21 (now 6:48 a.m.).

Winter sunset: 5:43 p.m. (now 4:43 p.m.).

Permanent standard time

Earlier summer evenings

7:00 p.m.

Sunset on the longest day, June 21 (now 8:00 p.m.).

Summer sunrise: 4:38 a.m. (now 5:38 a.m.).

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

Alabama and permanent daylight time

In 2021, Alabama enacted a law to observe daylight saving time year-round (Senate Bill 388, signed by Governor Kay Ivey on May 13, 2021). It takes effect only if Congress allows states to adopt permanent daylight time; until then, Alabama keeps changing its clocks. Alabama is among the 19 states the Congressional Research Service lists as having enacted such a law.

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 Alabama in?

Alabama uses Central Time and observes daylight saving time. A few communities next to Columbus, Georgia, unofficially keep Eastern Time.

Is Alabama on the same time as Atlanta?

No. Atlanta uses Eastern Time, so Alabama is 1 hour behind it all year.

What time zone is Phenix City in?

Officially Central Time, like the rest of Alabama. In practice, Phenix City keeps Eastern Time, the same as Columbus, Georgia, across the river.

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

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