diff --git a/esphome/components/time/real_time_clock.h b/esphome/components/time/real_time_clock.h
index a17168ae6f..d842e0a8c4 100644
--- a/esphome/components/time/real_time_clock.h
+++ b/esphome/components/time/real_time_clock.h
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ class RealTimeClock : public PollingComponent {
   time_t timestamp_now() { return ::time(nullptr); }
 
   void call_setup() override;
+  void apply_timezone_();
 
   void add_on_time_sync_callback(std::function<void()> callback) {
     this->time_sync_callback_.add(std::move(callback));
@@ -46,7 +47,6 @@ class RealTimeClock : public PollingComponent {
   void synchronize_epoch_(uint32_t epoch);
 
   std::string timezone_{};
-  void apply_timezone_();
 
   CallbackManager<void()> time_sync_callback_;
 };