Current Time in Indiana

Eastern Time (EST/EDT) · Indianapolis · NW Indiana on Central Time

Current Time in Indiana
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EST · UTC-5 / CST · UTC-62 Time Zones

Indiana Time Facts

Primary Zone
ET — Eastern Time (most of state)
Western Counties
CT — near Chicago & Evansville
DST History
Adopted statewide DST only in 2006!
IANA Identifiers
5 zones! Indianapolis, Knox, Marengo, etc.
Population
~6.8 million
Famous For
Indy 500, basketball, corn, Eli Lilly

America's Most Confusing Timezone State

Indiana has the most complicated timezone history in the US. Until 2006, most of Indiana did NOT observe DST — making it one of only two US states (with Arizona) to skip it. This meant Indiana's time relationship with neighboring states changed twice a year, causing massive confusion.

Indiana has 5 separate IANA timezone entries: America/Indiana/Indianapolis, America/Indiana/Knox, America/Indiana/Marengo, America/Indiana/Petersburg, and America/Indiana/Vevay. This is because different counties switched between ET and CT — and adopted or rejected DST — at different times throughout history.

The Indy 500 (the world's largest single-day sporting event, 300,000+ attendees) starts at 12:45 PM ET on Memorial Day weekend. The race has been held annually since 1911 — making it older than most timezone standardizations.

Major Indiana Cities

Indianapolis
Pop. 890K
ET · State capital, Indy 500, Eli Lilly
Fort Wayne
Pop. 270K
ET · 2nd largest, manufacturing
Evansville
Pop. 120K
CT · SW Indiana, Ohio River
South Bend
Pop. 103K
ET · Notre Dame University
Gary
Pop. 70K
CT · Near Chicago, steel industry
Bloomington
Pop. 80K
ET · Indiana University, tech

Frequently Asked Questions

What time is it in Indiana right now?
Most of Indiana uses Eastern Time (EST/EDT). Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, South Bend, Evansville, and most Indiana cities are on EST (UTC−5) in winter and EDT (UTC−4) in summer. However, northwest Indiana — including Gary, Hammond, and Merrillville — uses Central Time (CST/CDT), which is 1 hour behind Indianapolis. The live clock above shows Indianapolis (Eastern) time.
What time zone is Indianapolis in?
Indianapolis uses Eastern Time (America/Indiana/Indianapolis). Indianapolis is on EST (UTC−5) in winter and EDT (UTC−4) during Daylight Saving Time. Indianapolis is on the same time as New York, Atlanta, and Detroit. Indiana was historically notable for not observing DST until 2006, when the state uniformly adopted the Eastern Time DST schedule.
Why does northwest Indiana use Central Time?
Northwest Indiana (Lake County and Porter County, including Gary and Hammond) uses Central Time because the region has strong economic and commuter ties to Chicago, which is on Central Time. Switching to Eastern Time would create an inconvenient 1-hour gap from their primary business hub. These counties use America/Indiana/Knox (CST/CDT).
Does Indiana observe Daylight Saving Time?
Yes. Indiana observes Daylight Saving Time. Before 2006, most Indiana counties did not observe DST. Since 2006, all of Indiana observes DST — Eastern counties spring forward to EDT (UTC−4) and northwest counties spring forward to CDT (UTC−5), both on the second Sunday in March.
What is the time difference between Indiana and New York?
Most of Indiana (Eastern Time) is on the same time as New York year-round. Northwest Indiana (Central Time) is always 1 hour behind New York. Both zones observe DST on the same schedule as New York.
What is the time difference between Indiana and Chicago?
Most of Indiana (Eastern Time) is 1 hour ahead of Chicago (Central Time). When it is noon in Chicago, it is 1:00 PM in Indianapolis. Northwest Indiana is on the same time as Chicago year-round.

Indiana City Times & Converters

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Time zone data powered by the IANA Time Zone Database. Indiana: America/Indiana/Indianapolis (EST/EDT) for most; America/Indiana/Knox (CST/CDT) for northwest counties.