Current time in Kentucky
Eastern Time UTC−5 · two zones (ET & CT)
Kentucky's time zones
Kentucky splits nearly down the middle. The eastern half — Louisville, Lexington, Frankfort, and Covington — observes Eastern Time, while the western half, including Bowling Green, Owensboro, and Paducah, keeps Central Time.
The dividing line runs irregularly from the Indiana border south to Tennessee, passing well west of Louisville, and in the south-central lake country it crosses Lake Cumberland — opposite shores there can read different hours. Neither half of the state is small: the zone boundary is a fact of daily scheduling for Kentucky broadcasters and courts alike.
| Standard time | EST, UTC−5 (western half: CST, UTC−6) |
|---|---|
| Daylight time | EDT, UTC−4 (western half: CDT, UTC−5) |
| IANA zone | America/New_York |
| Western Kentucky (CT) | −1 h |
| vs Los Angeles | −3 h |
| vs Honolulu | −5 / −6 h |
Time in Kentucky cities
Each city below has its own live clock with sunrise, sunset, and DST dates.
Frequently asked questions
Is all of Kentucky in the same time zone?
No. The east, with Louisville and Lexington, is Eastern; the west, with Bowling Green and Paducah, is Central — an hour earlier.
Is Louisville on Eastern or Central Time?
Eastern — Louisville matches New York year-round, while Bowling Green, an hour southwest, runs on Chicago's clock. Compare zones: EST to CST.
Does Kentucky observe daylight saving time?
Yes, in both zones — forward the second Sunday of March, back the first Sunday of November. Dates through 2030: DST page.