What Time Is It

Area and Indiana Counties -----------------------	Winter Time Zone Last Sunday October	Time When Noon at Capital STATUS	Summer Time Zone First Sunday April	Time When Noon at Capital
What Time Is It? Indiana is one of three states which do not Spring ahead from "standard" to "daylight saving" time or Fall back from daylight to standard six months later. Arizona* and Hawaii are the others. The US Uniform Time Act of 1966 established current time zones. States may determine participation in Daylight Saving Time. The US Uniform Time Act of 1966 places Indiana in the Eastern time zone. In 1969, 10 counties in the Chicago and Evansville corners of the state were moved to the Central time zone. Indiana State law, however, keeps 77 of the remaining 82 (all but five near Cincinnati and Louisville) counties on Eastern Standard Time (EST) all year long.
US and Indiana law create three different time arrangements in the Hoosier State: 77 counties (including state capital Indianapolis) are in the Eastern Time Zone but *do not change* to Daylight time in April; instead they remain on Standard Time all year long; [clear on map and chart] 10 counties -- five near Chicago, IL, and five near Evansville, IN, are in the Central Time Zone and use both Central Standard and Central Daylight; [red on map and chart] and five other counties -- two near Cincinnati, OH, and three near Louisville, KY -- are in the Eastern Time Zone but use both Eastern Standard and Eastern Daylight. [teal on map and chart]
1 Indianapolis, and most of Indiana, (77 Counties)	Eastern Standard EST	Noon	Eastern Standard EST	Noon
2 Chicago, IL and Jasper, Lake, LaPorte, Newton, and Porter counties (5) and	Central Standard CST	11:00 AM	Central Daylight CDT	Noon
Evansville, IN and Gibson, Posey, Spencer, Vanderburgh, and Warrick counties (5)	Central Standard CST	11:00 AM	Central Daylight CDT	Noon
3 Cincinnati, OH and Dearborn and Ohio counties (2) and	Eastern Standard EST	Noon	Eastern Daylight EDT	1:00 PM
Louisville, KY and Clark, Floyd and Harrison counties (3)	Eastern Standard EST (Slow Time)	Noon	Eastern Daylight EDT (Fast Time)	1:00 PM
What is 'Indiana Time?' 'Indiana Time' is Eastern Standard Time [EST], with some exceptions. Many believe that Indiana changes time zones in the Summer. Part of the confusion stems from the fact that in the Winter, most of Indiana is the same time as New York (which is also Eastern), and in the Summer, Indiana is the same time as Chicago (which is Central). Actually, by going to Daylight time in April, the Central Zone Springs ahead from Standard to CDT, which is the same as Eastern Standard (Indiana time). By switching from Eastern Daylight (EDT) to Standard in October, the rest of the Eastern Zone Falls back to EST (Indiana time). Indiana and Hawaii are constants -- always Standard time. From 1942-1945, Indiana and the US were on Daylight time to conserve wartime electricity. In 1949, the Indiana State Legislature placed Indiana in the Central zone. From 1949 to 1957, the state was riddled with both Central and Eastern areas, some practicing Daylight time, some not. In 1957, the legislature put the entire state on Central Standard Time -- but made only Indianapolis a participant in Daylight Saving Time. Interestingly, the 1966 Uniform Time Act now reserves establishing which time zone to the Federal government but still allows the State to determine participation in Daylight Saving Time. The US Uniform Time Act of 1966 places Indiana in the Eastern time zone. In 1969, 10 counties in the Chicago and Evansville corners of the state were moved to the Central time zone. Indiana State law, however, keeps 77 of the remaining 82 (all but five near Cincinnati and Louisville) counties on Eastern Standard Time (EST) all year long. From 1973-1975, Indiana and the US observed Daylight time following the Arab Oil Embargo of 1973.

HoosierLand