Wisconsin time zone and daylight saving time

Central Time Next clock change: Nov 1

Milwaukee, UTC−5Sunrise 7:24 a.m. · Sunset 5:46 p.m. · 10 h 22 min of daylight

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

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

Time zones in bordering states

Wisconsin matches all its neighbours, including the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

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

Time zone map of Wisconsin 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.IndianaMinnesotaNorth DakotaSouth DakotaIllinoisIowaMichiganOhioNebraska

Current time in each zone

  • Eastern
  • Central
  • Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois: same time all along the border.
  • Michigan: same time along the land border; the Upper Peninsula counties next to Wisconsin use Central Time. Across Lake Michigan, Michigan’s Lower Peninsula uses Eastern Time, 1 hour ahead.

What permanent time would mean for Wisconsin

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 Milwaukee.

Permanent daylight time

Later winter mornings

8:20 a.m.

Sunrise on the shortest day, December 21 (now 7:20 a.m.).

Winter sunset: 5:20 p.m. (now 4:20 p.m.).

Permanent standard time

Earlier summer evenings

7:35 p.m.

Sunset on the longest day, June 21 (now 8:35 p.m.).

Summer sunrise: 4:12 a.m. (now 5:12 a.m.).

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

Wisconsin and permanent daylight time

Wisconsin 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, companion bills to stop observing daylight saving time, keeping Wisconsin on standard time year-round (Senate Bill 165 and Assembly Bill 160), were introduced. Senate Bill 165 failed to pass when the legislative session ended in March 2026.

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 Wisconsin in?

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

Is Milwaukee on the same time as Chicago?

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

Is Wisconsin on the same time as Michigan?

Partly. The western Upper Peninsula, next to Wisconsin, uses Central Time. The rest of Michigan uses Eastern Time, 1 hour ahead.

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

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