Current time in Charleston, WV
Eastern Time UTC−5 · IANA zone America/New_York
Time zone details
| Time zone | Eastern Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Standard time | EST, UTC−5 (early Nov – mid Mar) |
| Daylight time | EDT, UTC−4 (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 | 38.35° N, 81.63° W |
Time difference from Charleston
| City | Local time now |
|---|---|
| Chicago | −1 h |
| Denver | −2 h |
| Phoenix | −2 / −3 h |
| Los Angeles | −3 h |
| Anchorage | −4 h |
| Honolulu | −5 / −6 h |
Charleston observes the same hour as Pittsburgh, Richmond, and every city in the Eastern Time Zone.
About time in Charleston
Charleston, at the junction of the Elk and Kanawha rivers, is the seat of Kanawha County and West Virginia's capital. The state lies entirely within the Eastern zone, so no West Virginia county ever differs from the capital's clock.
Neighboring states tell a different story: Kentucky to the southwest and Ohio to the northwest each border Central Time farther on, but the zone line never touches West Virginia itself.
At 81.6° W, Charleston's solar noon falls about 27 minutes after 12:00 EST, and its 38° N latitude yields daylight ranging from roughly 9 hours 30 minutes in December to nearly 15 hours in June, with solstice sunsets close to 8:50 PM.
Time in cities near Charleston
| City | Distance | Local time now |
|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | 133 mi | Eastern Time |
| Lexington, KY | 157 mi | Eastern Time |
| Cincinnati, OH | 164 mi | Eastern Time |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 169 mi | Eastern Time |
| Greensboro, NC | 187 mi | Eastern Time |
| Akron, OH | 189 mi | Eastern Time |
| Knoxville, TN | 208 mi | Eastern Time |
| Cleveland, OH | 218 mi | Eastern Time |
More places: all West Virginia cities · Eastern Time Zone · every US city
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is Charleston, WV in?
Charleston is on Eastern Time — EST (UTC−5) in winter, EDT (UTC−4) in summer. West Virginia lies entirely within the Eastern zone, so every county in the state keeps the capital's clock.
How far ahead of Los Angeles is Charleston, WV?
Charleston runs 3 hours ahead of Los Angeles in all months; the Eastern and Pacific zones enter and leave daylight saving time together. See the EST to PST chart.
Does Charleston, WV observe daylight saving time?
Yes. Charleston puts clocks forward at 2:00 AM on the second Sunday of March and back at 2:00 AM on the first Sunday of November — in 2026, March 8 and November 1. Full dates on the DST page.