Current time in Minnesota
Central Time UTC−6 · one zone statewide
Minnesota's time zone
Minnesota lies entirely within Central Time: CST (UTC−6) in winter and CDT (UTC−5) from the second Sunday of March to the first Sunday of November. From International Falls on the Canadian border to the Iowa line, every county keeps the same clock.
It wasn't always so orderly. In May 1965, St. Paul began daylight saving two weeks before Minneapolis, leaving the two halves of the Twin Cities an hour apart across a city street — confusion of exactly the sort the federal Uniform Time Act of 1966 was written to end. Today Minneapolis and St. Paul change clocks together on the national schedule.
| 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 Minnesota cities
The Twin Cities pages below include live clocks, today's sunrise and sunset, and the DST calendar.
Frequently asked questions
Is Minnesota entirely on Central Time?
Yes. Every Minnesota county keeps Central Time — CST (UTC−6) in winter and CDT (UTC−5) in summer — from International Falls on the Canadian border down to the Iowa line.
How far behind New York is Minnesota?
One hour, in every season. When it's 9:00 AM in Minneapolis it's 10:00 AM in New York. Hourly chart: CST to EST.
When does Minnesota change its clocks?
At 2:00 AM on the second Sunday of March (forward) and the first Sunday of November (back) — March 8 and November 1 in 2026. Future dates on the DST page.