Current time in Kentucky
World time board
Kentucky · United StatesUTC-04:00
01:30 AMFRI 02.10.2026
Now 01:30 AM|Live
Drag or scroll · click an hour · ◀ ▶ by hour · 3 days of range
Work–
daydawn / dusknight
- Time zone
- America/New_York
- UTC offset
- UTC-04:00
- Abbreviation
- EDT
- Daylight saving time
- Observed
- Next clock change
- November 1, 2026
- Country
- United States
- Also uses
- America/Chicago — the western third of the state (Louisville is Eastern, but Bowling Green and Paducah are Central)
Kentucky time difference
How far Kentucky is ahead of or behind the world's main business hubs right now. Daylight saving time is already applied where it is in effect.
Clock changes in Kentucky
| Date | Local time | UTC offset |
|---|---|---|
| November 1, 2026 | 2:00 AM → 1:00 AM | UTC-04:00 → UTC-05:00 |
| March 14, 2027 | 2:00 AM → 3:00 AM | UTC-05:00 → UTC-04:00 |
Time zone history since 1970
Clocks have changed twice a year throughout the period since 1970.
Changes outside the seasonal pattern:
- January 6, 1974: UTC-05:00 → UTC-04:00
- October 27, 1974: UTC-04:00 → UTC-05:00
Source: IANA time zone database, version 2025b.
Worth knowing
Kentucky is split between Eastern and Central Time. Louisville, Lexington and the eastern half of the state are on Eastern; the western part, including Bowling Green, Owensboro and Paducah, is on Central.
Sources: IANA tz database: northamerica · 49 CFR Part 71 (US time zone boundaries)
Frequently asked questions
- What time zone is Kentucky in?
- Kentucky uses the America/New_York (EDT) time zone and is currently on UTC-04:00. Part of the state uses a different zone: America/Chicago.
- Does Kentucky observe daylight saving time?
- Yes. The next clock change is on November 1, 2026; after it, UTC-05:00 applies.