Kentucky time zone and daylight saving time

Eastern and Central Time Next clock change: Nov 1

Louisville, UTC−4Sunrise 8:06 a.m. · Sunset 6:47 p.m. · 10 h 41 min of daylight

Kentucky at a glance

Time zone
Eastern; Central (west)
Daylight saving time
Observed. UTC−4 in summer, UTC−5 in winter (Eastern Time areas).
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. Kentucky is not among the 19 states the Congressional Research Service lists as having enacted one.

Kentucky is split between two time zones: the eastern part of the state, including Louisville and Lexington, uses Eastern Time, and 41 counties in the west and south-central part of the state use Central Time. The whole state observes daylight saving time.

Which parts of Kentucky use which time

Central Time: Adair, Allen, Ballard, Barren, Breckinridge, Butler, Caldwell, Calloway, Carlisle, Christian, Clinton, Crittenden, Cumberland, Daviess, Edmonson, Fulton, Graves, Grayson, Green, Hancock, Hart, Henderson, Hickman, Hopkins, Livingston, Logan, Lyon, Marshall, McCracken, McLean, Metcalfe, Monroe, Muhlenberg, Ohio, Russell, Simpson, Todd, Trigg, Union, Warren and Webster counties. These include Bowling Green, Owensboro and Paducah.

Eastern Time: the rest of the state, including Louisville, Lexington, Frankfort and the northern Kentucky cities near Cincinnati.

Time zones in bordering states

Kentucky’s time zone line runs north to south through the middle of the state, so most of its borders match whichever zone they meet.

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

Time zone map of Kentucky 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.AlabamaGeorgiaIndianaNorth CarolinaPennsylvaniaMissouriWest VirginiaIllinoisArkansasIowaMarylandMississippiOhioTennesseeVirginiaSouth Carolina

Current time in each zone

  • Eastern
  • Central
  • Ohio, West Virginia and Virginia: same time all along the border.
  • Illinois and Missouri: same time; western Kentucky shares their Central Time.
  • Indiana: across the Ohio River, western Kentucky and southwestern Indiana share Central Time, and the Louisville and northern Kentucky areas share Eastern Time with southeastern Indiana. One exception: Meade County, Kentucky (Eastern) faces Perry County, Indiana (Central), 1 hour apart.
  • Tennessee: same time along almost the entire border. The exception is where Wayne County, Kentucky (Eastern) meets Pickett County, Tennessee (Central), 1 hour apart.

What permanent time would mean for Kentucky

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 Louisville.

Permanent daylight time

Later winter mornings

8:56 a.m.

Sunrise on the shortest day, December 21 (now 7:56 a.m.).

Winter sunset: 6:26 p.m. (now 5:26 p.m.).

Permanent standard time

Earlier summer evenings

8:10 p.m.

Sunset on the longest day, June 21 (now 9:10 p.m.).

Summer sunrise: 5:20 a.m. (now 6:20 a.m.).

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

Kentucky and permanent daylight time

Kentucky 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. A 2020 bill to make the change if Congress allowed it (House Bill 19) did not advance beyond committee.

The Kentucky House has, however, urged Congress to act. In 2020, it passed House Concurrent Resolution 53, 92–2, asking Congress to let states adopt permanent daylight time; the resolution then needed the Senate’s approval. In 2022, it adopted House Resolution 141 by voice vote, urging passage of the federal Sunshine Protection Act. Resolutions express a chamber’s view but don’t change the law. In 2026, a bill to keep standard time year-round instead (House Bill 368) was introduced.

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 Kentucky in?

Both. The east, including Louisville and Lexington, uses Eastern Time; 41 counties in the west and south-central part of the state use Central Time.

Is Bowling Green on Central Time?

Yes. Warren County, home to Bowling Green, uses Central Time.

Does Kentucky observe daylight saving time?

Yes. All of Kentucky springs forward in March and falls back in November.

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

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