US time zones
The six time zones of the 50 states with the live local time in each. Colours show each state's main zone; the list below covers the states that are split.
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Times update every second from your device clock. Tap a zone to highlight it.
States in two time zones
- Alaska: Alaska + Hawaii-Aleutian (western Aleutians)
- Florida: Eastern + Central (western Panhandle)
- Idaho: Mountain + Pacific (northern panhandle)
- Indiana: Eastern + Central (NW and SW corners)
- Kansas: Central + Mountain (four western counties)
- Kentucky: Eastern + Central (western half)
- Michigan: Eastern + Central (four UP counties)
- Nebraska: Central + Mountain (western Panhandle)
- North Dakota: Central + Mountain (southwest)
- Oregon: Pacific + Mountain (most of Malheur County)
- South Dakota: Central + Mountain (western half)
- Tennessee: Central + Eastern (East Tennessee)
- Texas: Central + Mountain (El Paso area)
How US time zones came about
Before 1883 every town kept its own solar time, and neighbouring cities could be minutes apart: when it was noon in Chicago, it was about 11:50 in St. Louis. Railroads needed timetables that made sense, and on November 18, 1883 ("the day of two noons") they switched to four standard zones. Congress made the zones law in the Standard Time Act of 1918, which also introduced daylight saving time.
Zones are spaced roughly 15° of longitude apart because Earth turns 15° an hour. You can see the meridians behind the zones on our latitude and longitude explainer.
Frequently asked questions
How many time zones does the US have?
Six cover the 50 states: Eastern, Central, Mountain, Pacific, Alaska and Hawaii-Aleutian. Counting territories there are nine, adding Atlantic (Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands), Samoa and Chamorro (Guam, Northern Mariana Islands).
Which states are split between two time zones?
Thirteen: Alaska, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee and Texas.
Which states do not observe daylight saving time?
Hawaii and most of Arizona stay on standard time all year. The Navajo Nation in northeastern Arizona does observe daylight saving time.
When does daylight saving time start and end?
Since 2007 it starts at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday in March and ends at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday in November (Energy Policy Act of 2005).
Who sets US time zone boundaries?
The U.S. Department of Transportation, under the Standard Time Act of 1918 and the Uniform Time Act of 1966. Railroads created the first standard zones in 1883.