Current time in Tennessee
Central Time UTC−6 · Middle and West Tennessee
Tennessee's time zones
Tennessee is split between two zones. Middle and West Tennessee — Nashville and Memphis — keep Central Time (CST, UTC−6 in winter; CDT, UTC−5 in summer), while East Tennessee — Knoxville and Chattanooga — keeps Eastern Time, one hour ahead.
The boundary climbs across the Cumberland Plateau along county lines; near Chattanooga it passes the Marion County area by the Nickajack reservoir, putting the city just inside the Eastern zone. Travelers on I-24 from Nashville gain an hour before reaching Chattanooga, and a Nashville–Knoxville call at 5:00 PM Central lands at 6:00 PM in Knoxville — a detail state offices and broadcasters in Tennessee routinely spell out with "CT" or "ET" suffixes.
| Standard time | CST, UTC−6 (East Tennessee: EST, UTC−5) |
|---|---|
| Daylight time | CDT, UTC−5 (East Tennessee: EDT, UTC−4) |
| IANA zone | America/Chicago |
| vs New York | +1 h |
| vs Denver | −1 h |
| vs Los Angeles | −2 h |
Time in Tennessee cities
Every page below has a live clock plus sunrise, sunset, and DST details for that city.
Frequently asked questions
Is all of Tennessee in the same time zone?
No. Nashville and Memphis are on Central Time; Knoxville and Chattanooga, in East Tennessee, are on Eastern Time, one hour ahead.
What is the time difference between Tennessee and New York?
Nashville and Memphis run 1 hour behind New York year-round, while Knoxville matches New York exactly. Full chart: CST to EST.
Does Tennessee observe daylight saving time?
Yes, statewide in both zones: forward at 2:00 AM on the second Sunday of March, back on the first Sunday of November. See the DST page.