Current time in Iowa
Central Time UTC−6 · one zone statewide
Iowa's time zone
Iowa keeps one clock across all 99 counties: Central Time, CST (UTC−6) in winter and CDT (UTC−5) from the second Sunday of March through the first Sunday of November.
Everywhere Iowa touches a neighbor, the neighbor reads the same hour. Nebraska and South Dakota shift to Mountain Time only in their far west, so crossing the Missouri River at Omaha–Council Bluffs or at Sioux City changes nothing on a watch, and the Mississippi crossings into Illinois and Wisconsin are equally uneventful.
| Standard time | CST, UTC−6 |
|---|---|
| Daylight time | CDT, UTC−5 |
| IANA zone | America/Chicago |
| vs New York | +1 h |
| vs Denver | −1 h |
| vs Los Angeles | −2 h |
Time in Iowa cities
The city page below includes a live clock, sunrise, sunset, and DST dates.
Frequently asked questions
Is all of Iowa in the same time zone?
Yes — all 99 counties are Central, with no split anywhere in the state.
What's the time difference between Iowa and New York?
Iowa is 1 hour behind New York year-round. Noon in Des Moines is 1:00 PM in New York. Full chart: CST to EST.
Does Iowa observe daylight saving time?
Yes — clocks change at 2:00 AM on the second Sunday of March and the first Sunday of November. Dates through 2030: DST page.