Time Zone History

Detroit time zone history

Detroit kept local mean time (UTC−5:32:11) until 1905, the latest switch of the 29 zones in the United States. On standard time, clocks in Detroit run 32 minutes ahead of local mean solar time.

UTC−5

Standard time is UTC−5 (EDT/EST); clocks go forward to UTC−4 on the second Sunday in March and back on the first Sunday in November.

Covers: Michigan (most areas) · tz database name America/Detroit

Convert a time from Detroit

Summer time in 54 of 57 years since 1970

UTC−6: 1 hour behind today’s standard timeUTC−5:32:11: 32 minutes behind today’s standard timeUTC−5: today’s standard timeUTC−4: 1 hour ahead of today’s standard timeUTC−6: 1 hour behind today’sstandard timeUTC−5:32:11: 32 minutes behindtoday’s standard timeUTC−5: today’s standard timeUTC−4: 1 hour ahead of today’sstandard time

How to read this chart

Before 1970

190019201940196019001940
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec1970198019902000201020202028JFMAMJJASOND1970198019902000201020202028

Standard time changes

DateChangeNew standard timeClock label
Before 1970
January 1, 1905Local mean time (UTC−5:32:11) replacedUTC−6CST
May 15, 1915Standard time forward 1 hourUTC−5EST

Daylight saving periods

YearsClocks go forwardClocks go backShift and labels
Before 1970
1942February 9not that year1 hour, EST to EWT
1945not that yearSeptember 301 hour
1948April 25September 261 hour, EST to EDT
1967June 14October 291 hour, EST to EDT
1968April 28October 271 hour, EST to EDT
Since 1970
1973April 29October 281 hour, EST to EDT
1974January 6October 271 hour, EST to EDT
1975–1986last Sunday in April, 02:00last Sunday in October, 02:001 hour, EST to EDT
1987–2006first Sunday in April, 02:00last Sunday in October, 02:001 hour, EST to EDT
2007–2037second Sunday in March, 02:00first Sunday in November, 02:001 hour, EST to EDT

Clock changes in 2026, 2027 and 2028

The clocks go forward 1 hour (EST to EDT) on March 8, 2026, March 14, 2027 and March 12, 2028 at 02:00 and back 1 hour (EDT to EST) on November 1, 2026, November 7, 2027 and November 5, 2028 at 02:00, local time.

Also on UTC−5

Winamac, Indiana (United States), Toronto (Canada), Indianapolis, Indiana (United States), Vevay, Indiana (United States), Louisville, Kentucky (United States), Marengo, Indiana (United States), Vincennes, Indiana (United States), Petersburg, Indiana (United States), Monticello, Kentucky (United States) and New York (United States) (nearest first; 13 more on the list of offsets).

Clocks next door since 1970

  • Knox, Indiana (318 km): usually 1 hour behind; different on 2,993 days in 1970–2026.
  • Winamac, Indiana (328 km): same time except 7,146 days in 1970 and 1973–2007.
  • Toronto (Canada) (332 km): same time except 665 days in 1970–1972 and 1974.
  • Chicago (384 km): usually 1 hour behind; different on 620 days in 1970–2026.
  • Indianapolis, Indiana (386 km): same time except 6,803 days in 1970 and 1973–2005.

How it compares

Standard time has stayed at UTC−5 since 1915.