Current time in Baton Rouge, LA
Central Time UTC−6 · IANA zone America/Chicago
Time zone details
| Time zone | Central Time (CT) |
|---|---|
| Standard time | CST, UTC−6 (early Nov – mid Mar) |
| Daylight time | CDT, UTC−5 (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 | 30.45° N, 91.19° W |
Time difference from Baton Rouge
| City | Local time now |
|---|---|
| New York | +1 h |
| Denver | −1 h |
| Phoenix | −1 / −2 h |
| Los Angeles | −2 h |
| Anchorage | −3 h |
| Honolulu | −4 / −5 h |
Baton Rouge shares every tick of the Central Time Zone with New Orleans, Jackson, Houston, and Chicago.
About time in Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, the capital of Louisiana, sits in East Baton Rouge Parish — the state measures its local government in parishes, a legacy of its French and Spanish colonial law.
It is the farthest-inland deepwater port on the Mississippi River, about 230 river miles above the Gulf; ocean-going tankers and bulk carriers work its docks on schedules kept in Central Time.
Louisiana observes CT statewide, and so do neighboring Mississippi and Alabama, which means a driver leaving Baton Rouge eastbound does not touch a time zone boundary until the Georgia state line, several hundred miles away.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is Baton Rouge in?
Baton Rouge is in the Central Time Zone (CT). It observes Central Standard Time (CST, UTC−6) in winter and Central Daylight Time (CDT, UTC−5) from the second Sunday of March until the first Sunday of November.
How many hours ahead of Los Angeles is Baton Rouge?
Baton Rouge is 2 hours ahead of Los Angeles all year long, since the Central and Pacific zones begin and end daylight saving time on the same dates.
Does Baton Rouge change clocks for daylight saving time?
Yes. Baton Rouge sets clocks forward one hour at 2:00 AM on the second Sunday of March and back one hour at 2:00 AM on the first Sunday of November — in 2026, March 8 and November 1.