The North American Central Time Zone (CT) is a

time zone A time zone is an area which observes a uniform standard time for legal, Commerce, commercial and social purposes. Time zones tend to follow the boundaries between Country, countries and their Administrative division, subdivisions instead of ...

in parts of

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

, the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

, Central America, and a few Caribbean islands. In parts of that zone (20 states in the US, three provinces or territories in Canada, and several border municipalities in Mexico), the Central Time Zone is affected by two time designations yearly: Central Standard Time (CST) is observed from the first Sunday in November to the second Sunday in March. It is six hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and designated internationally as UTC−6. From the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November the same areas observe daylight saving time (DST), creating the designation of Central Daylight Time (CDT), which is five hours behind UTC and known internationally as UTC−5.

Regions using Central Time

Canada

The province of

Manitoba Manitoba is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population ...

is the only province or territory in Canada that observes Central Time in all areas. The following Canadian provinces and territories observe Central Time in the areas noted, while their other areas observe

Eastern Time The Eastern Time Zone (ET) is a time zone encompassing part or all of 23 states in the eastern part of the United States, parts of eastern Canada, and the state of Quintana Roo in Mexico. * Eastern Standard Time (EST) is five hours behi ...

: * Nunavut (territory): western areas (most of Kivalliq Region and part of Qikiqtaaluk Region) *

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

(province): a portion of the northwest bordering southeastern Manitoba, in and around Kenora. Also, most of the province of

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada. It is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and to the south by the ...

is on Central Standard Time year-round, never adjusting for Daylight Saving Time. One major exception includes Lloydminster, a city whose borders overlap both

Alberta Alberta is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Canada. It is a part of Western Canada and is one of the three Canadian Prairies, prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to its west, Saskatchewan to its east, t ...

and Saskatchewan. The city charter stipulates that it shall observe Mountain Time and DST, putting the community on the same time as all of Alberta (UTC−7) in the winter, and in time with Saskatchewan (UTC−6) during the summer.

United States

Ten states are contained entirely in the Central Time Zone: * Alabama * Arkansas * Illinois * Iowa * Louisiana * Minnesota * Mississippi * Missouri * Oklahoma * Wisconsin Five states are split between the Central Time Zone and the

Mountain Time Zone The Mountain Time Zone of North America keeps time by subtracting seven hours from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) when standard time ( UTC−07:00) is in effect, and by subtracting six hours during daylight saving time ( UTC−06:00). The ...

: *

Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...

: all except for Sherman, Wallace, Greeley, and Hamilton counties *

Nebraska Nebraska ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Ka ...

: eastern two thirds including the east part of Cherry County * North Dakota: all except for southwest regions, south part of McKenzie County, and the majority of Dunn County and far western Sioux County * South Dakota: eastern half including part of Stanley County * Texas: all except for El Paso, Hudspeth, and northwestern Culberson counties Five states are split between the Central Time Zone and the

Eastern Time Zone The Eastern Time Zone (ET) is a time zone encompassing part or all of 23 U.S. states, states in the eastern part of the United States, parts of eastern Canada, and the state of Quintana Roo in Mexico. * Eastern Standard Time (EST) is five ...

: * Florida: Florida panhandle west of the Apalachicola River; Franklin County west of the Apalachicola River and the northern parts of Gulf County are in the Central Time Zone * Indiana: Northwest Indiana and most of Southwestern Indiana, including the Evansville metropolitan area *

Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...

: the western portion of the state, including its three major cities: Bowling Green, Owensboro and Paducah *

Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...

: The four Upper Peninsula counties bordering Wisconsin: Gogebic, Iron, Dickinson, and Menominee counties * Tennessee: West Tennessee and Middle Tennessee, including the major cities of Nashville, Memphis, and Clarksville Additionally, Phenix City, Alabama, and several nearby communities in Russell County, Alabama, unofficially observe Eastern Time. This is due to their close proximity to Columbus, Georgia, which is on Eastern Time. Although legally located within the Central Time Zone, Kenton, Oklahoma—located to the adjacent east of the defined border of the Central and Mountain time zones (at the Oklahoma− New Mexico state line)—unofficially observes Mountain Time. This is reportedly because most people who interact with the town reside in either New Mexico or

Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...

Mexico

Most of Mexico—roughly the eastern three-fourths—lies in the Central Time Zone, except for five northwestern states ( Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sinaloa, Sonora, and most of Nayarit) and one southeastern state ( Quintana Roo). It is known locally as the ''Zona Centro''. The federal entities of

that observe Central Time: * Aguascalientes * Campeche * Chihuahua – Excluding the municipalities of Janos, Ascensión, Juárez, Guadalupe, and Práxedis Gilberto Guerrero, which observe Mountain Time with DST. Additionally, counties east of Guadalupe observe Daylight Savings in Central Time. * Coahuila * Colima – except for the Revillagigedo Islands, in which the inner islands use UTC−7 and the outer island uses UTC−8 * Chiapas * Durango * Guanajuato * Guerrero * Hidalgo * Jalisco *

Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...

* Michoacán * Morelos * Nayarit – *only the municipality of Bahía de Banderas, rest of the state uses UTC−7 * Nuevo León *

Oaxaca Oaxaca, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Oaxaca, is one of the 32 states that compose the political divisions of Mexico, Federative Entities of the Mexico, United Mexican States. It is divided into municipalities of Oaxaca, 570 munici ...

* Puebla *

Querétaro Querétaro, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Querétaro, is one of the Political divisions of Mexico, 32 federal entities of Mexico. It is divided into Municipalities of Querétaro, 18 municipalities. Its capital city is Querétaro Cit ...

* San Luis Potosí * State of Mexico * Tabasco * Tamaulipas * Tlaxcala * Veracruz * Yucatán * Zacatecas

Central America

Out of the seven countries comprising Central America, all but one use Central Standard Time year-round: * Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Panama, which recognizes Eastern Standard Time (UTC−5) year round, is the exception.

Central Daylight Time

Daylight saving time (DST) is in effect in much of the Central time zone between mid-March and early November. The modified time is called "Central Daylight Time" (CDT) and is UTC−05:00. In the United States, all time zones that observe DST were effectively changed by the

Energy Policy Act of 2005 The Energy Policy Act of 2005 () is a federal law signed by President George W. Bush on August 8, 2005, at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The act, described by proponents as an attempt to combat growing energy problems ...

. Beginning in 2007, DST would now begin at 2 a.m. (02:00) on the second Sunday in March instead of the first Sunday in April, moving the time from 2 to 3 a.m. (i.e., from 02:00 to 03:00). Additionally, DST would end at 2 a.m. (02:00) on the first Sunday in November instead of the last Sunday in October, moving the time from 2 to 1 a.m. (i.e., from 02:00 to 01:00). At the time, Mexico decided not to go along with this change and observed their '' horario de verano'' ("summer schedule") from the first Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October. In December 2009, the Mexican Congress allowed ten border cities, eight of which are in states that observe Central Time, to adopt the US daylight time schedule effective in 2010. In October 2022, however, CDT was used in Mexico for the last time after DST was abolished. The US is also seeing traction in the same direction, with the Sunshine Protection Act that proposes legislation that would permanently end the switching of times and make daylight saving time permanent.

Alphabetical list of major Central Time Zone metropolitan areas

* Acapulco, Guerrero * Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes * Amarillo, Texas * Antigua Guatemala *

Austin, Texas Austin ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat and most populous city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and W ...

Baton Rouge, Louisiana Baton Rouge ( ; , ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It had a population of 227,470 at the 2020 United States census, making it List of municipalities in Louisiana, Louisiana's second-m ...

* Beaumont/Port Arthur, Texas * Belize City, Belize * Belmopan, Belize * Birmingham, Alabama * Bismarck, North Dakota * Bloomington, Illinois * Bowling Green, Kentucky * Brandon, Manitoba *

Cedar Rapids, Iowa Cedar Rapids is a city in Linn County, Iowa, United States, and its county seat. The population was 137,710 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in Iowa, second-most populous city in Iowa. The city lies o ...

* Champaign, Illinois *

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

, Illinois * Clarksville, Tennessee * Comarca Lagunera ( Torreón, Gómez Palacio, Lerdo) * Columbia, Missouri * Cuernavaca, Morelos * Dallas–Fort Worth, Texas *

Davenport, Iowa Davenport ( ) is a city in Scott County, Iowa, United States, and its county seat. It is situated along the Mississippi River on the eastern border of the state. Davenport had a population of 101,724 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 cen ...

* Des Moines, Iowa * Enid, Oklahoma * Evansville, Indiana *

Fargo, North Dakota Fargo is the List of cities in North Dakota, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Cass County, North Dakota, Cass County. The population was 125,990 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, which was e ...

* Fort Smith, Arkansas * Fort Walton Beach, Florida * Grand Forks, North Dakota * Grand Rapids, Manitoba * Green Bay, Wisconsin * Guadalajara, Jalisco * Guatemala City, Guatemala *

Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...

, Texas * Huntsville, Alabama * Iowa City, Iowa * Jackson, Mississippi * Jackson, Tennessee * Janesville, Wisconsin * Jonesboro, Arkansas * Joplin, Missouri * Kansas City, Missouri/

* Killeen–Temple–Fort Hood, Texas * Lafayette, Louisiana * Lawrence, Kansas * León, Guanajuato * Lincoln, Nebraska *

Little Rock, Arkansas Little Rock is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Arkansas, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The city's population was 202,591 as of the 2020 census. The six-county Central Arkan ...

* Lubbock, Texas * Madison, Wisconsin *

Managua Managua () is the capital city, capital and largest city of Nicaragua, and one of the List of largest cities in Central America, largest cities in Central America. Located on the shores of Lake Managua, the city had an estimated population of 1, ...

, Nicaragua * Memphis, Tennessee * Mérida, Yucatán *

* Midland/Odessa, Texas * Milwaukee, Wisconsin * Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Minnesota * Mobile, Alabama * Monroe, Louisiana * Monterrey, Nuevo León *

Montgomery, Alabama Montgomery is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Alabama. Named for Continental Army major general Richard Montgomery, it stands beside the Alabama River on the Gulf Coastal Plain. The population was 2 ...

* Morelia, Michoacán * Nashville, Tennessee *

New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...

, Louisiana * Normal, Illinois * Northwest Arkansas *

Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Oklahoma, most populous city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat ...

, Oklahoma * Omaha, Nebraska * Owensboro, Kentucky * Paducah, Kentucky * Panama City, Florida * Pensacola, Florida * Peoria, Illinois * Puebla, Puebla * Quad Cities, Iowa/ Illinois * Racine, Wisconsin * Red Lake, Ontario * Regina, Saskatchewan * Rockford, Illinois * Rochester, Minnesota * Sioux City, Iowa * Sioux Falls, South Dakota * St. Louis, Missouri * San Antonio, Texas * San José, Costa Rica * San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí * San Pedro Sula, Honduras * San Salvador, El Salvador * Santiago de Querétaro, Querétaro *

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Hig ...

* Shreveport–Bossier City, Louisiana *

Springfield, Illinois Springfield is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Illinois. Its population was 114,394 at the 2020 United States census, which makes it the state's List of cities in Illinois, seventh-most populous cit ...

* Springfield, Missouri * Tampico, Tamaulipas * Tegucigalpa, Honduras * Thompson, Manitoba * Toluca, Estado de México * Topeka, Kansas * Tuscaloosa, Alabama *

Tulsa, Oklahoma Tulsa ( ) is the List of municipalities in Oklahoma, second-most-populous city in the U.S. state, state of Oklahoma, after Oklahoma City, and the List of United States cities by population, 48th-most-populous city in the United States. The po ...

* Wichita, Kansas * Wichita Falls, Texas * Winnipeg, Manitoba * Zacatecas, Zacatecas

References

External links

* {{North American time zones Time zones Time in Canada Time in Mexico Time zones in the United States