Current time in Birmingham, AL
Central Time UTC−6 · IANA zone America/Chicago
Time zone details
| Time zone | Central Time (CT) |
|---|---|
| Standard time | CST, UTC−6 (early Nov – mid Mar) |
| Daylight time | CDT, UTC−5 (mid Mar – early Nov) |
| DST clock change | Forward 1 h, 2nd Sunday of March · Back 1 h, 1st Sunday of November |
| Sunrise today | — |
| Sunset today | — |
| Day length | — |
| Coordinates | 33.52° N, 86.81° W |
Time difference from Birmingham
| City | Local time now |
|---|---|
| New York | +1 h |
| Denver | −1 h |
| Phoenix | −1 / −2 h |
| Los Angeles | −2 h |
| Anchorage | −3 h |
| Honolulu | −4 / −5 h |
Birmingham keeps the collective Central Time clock alongside Montgomery, Nashville, Memphis, and Chicago.
About time in Birmingham
Birmingham, the seat of Jefferson County, was founded in 1871 at the planned crossing of two rail lines — a dozen years before those same railroads carved the country into standard time zones in 1883 and fixed the young industrial city firmly in Central Time.
Alabama observes CT statewide, so Birmingham's nearest time boundary is the Georgia line to the east: drivers on I-20 toward Atlanta lose an hour the moment they cross it.
For television, Central Time means the early schedule — network prime time opens at 7:00 PM in Birmingham, and NFL early-window kickoffs land at noon rather than 1:00 PM.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is Birmingham in?
Birmingham is in the Central Time Zone (CT), keeping Central Standard Time (CST, UTC−6) in winter and Central Daylight Time (CDT, UTC−5) from the second Sunday of March to the first Sunday of November.
How far behind New York is Birmingham?
Birmingham is 1 hour behind New York every day of the year, since the Central and Eastern zones observe daylight saving time on identical dates.
Does Birmingham observe daylight saving time?
Yes. Birmingham advances clocks one hour at 2:00 AM on the second Sunday of March and sets them back at 2:00 AM on the first Sunday of November. In 2026 that means March 8 and November 1.