Arkansas time zone and daylight saving time

Central Time Next clock change: Nov 1

Little Rock, UTC−5Sunrise 7:28 a.m. · Sunset 6:17 p.m. · 10 h 49 min of daylight

Arkansas 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. Arkansas is not among the 19 states the Congressional Research Service lists as having enacted one.

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

Time zones in bordering states

Arkansas and all six of its neighbours use Central Time, 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 Arkansas 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.AlabamaKansasOklahomaTexasMissouriIllinoisKentuckyMississippiTennesseeLouisiana

Current time in each zone

  • Central
  • Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma: same time all along the border.

What permanent time would mean for Arkansas

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 Little Rock.

Permanent daylight time

Later winter mornings

8:13 a.m.

Sunrise on the shortest day, December 21 (now 7:13 a.m.).

Winter sunset: 6:02 p.m. (now 5:02 p.m.).

Permanent standard time

Earlier summer evenings

7:26 p.m.

Sunset on the longest day, June 21 (now 8:26 p.m.).

Summer sunrise: 4:56 a.m. (now 5:56 a.m.).

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

Arkansas and permanent daylight time

Arkansas 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.

In 2025, a bill to keep standard time year-round and stop observing daylight saving time (House Bill 1069) did not pass, 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 Arkansas in?

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

Is Texarkana on the same time on both sides of the state line?

Yes. Texarkana, Arkansas and Texarkana, Texas both use Central Time.

Is Little Rock on the same time as Memphis?

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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