Chicago / Central Time
Live local time in Chicago (America/Chicago). See CST UTC−6, CDT UTC−5, U.S. DST dates, and how Central Time compares to Eastern, Mountain, and Pacific.
Trust summary Engine tested · Specification checked · v1.0.1
- Input interpretation
- Enter values to calculate.
- Result
- —
- Model
- Current local date and time in the America/Chicago time zone (Chicago / U.S. Central Time).
- Scope
- Device clock and OS timezone database are reasonably correct.
- Verification
- Engine tested · Specification checked · v1.0.1
- Named expert review
- Optional · Not performed
- Specification basis
- IANA time zone database — America/Chicago
- U.S. Energy Policy Act DST schedule (second Sunday in March / first Sunday in November)
- Central Time Zone offsets UTC−6 / UTC−5
Formulas
Core equations used by this calculator.
How to use
Open the live clock
The page shows current date and time for America/Chicago from your browser.
Refresh if needed
Use Refresh to re-read the clock; the display also updates about once per second.
Check the season
In winter expect CST (UTC−6); from mid-March to early November expect CDT (UTC−5).
Example calculations
Common configurations with formula and result.
Noon UTC in winter
CST = UTC−6
Noon UTC in summer
CDT = UTC−5
vs Eastern Time
Same DST rules as New York
vs Pacific Time
Same DST rules as Los Angeles
DST schedule (Chicago local time)
Common values at a glance.
| Year | Spring forward (CST → CDT) | Fall back (CDT → CST) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Sun Mar 9, 02:00 → 03:00 | Sun Nov 2, 02:00 → 01:00 |
| 2026 | Sun Mar 8, 02:00 → 03:00 | Sun Nov 1, 02:00 → 01:00 |
| 2027 | Sun Mar 14, 02:00 → 03:00 | Sun Nov 7, 02:00 → 01:00 |
| 2028 | Sun Mar 12, 02:00 → 03:00 | Sun Nov 5, 02:00 → 01:00 |
Chicago / Central Time specification
Version 1.0.1 · Engine tested
- Engine tested 3 published cases
- Named expert review Not performed
- Calculation version 1.0.1
- Definition
- Central Time (CT) is the civil time used in Chicago and much of the central United States. On the IANA zone America/Chicago it is Central Standard Time (CST, UTC−06:00) in winter and Central Daylight Time (CDT, UTC−05:00) in summer when Daylight Saving Time is in effect.
- What it calculates
- Current local date and time in the America/Chicago time zone (Chicago / U.S. Central Time).
- Inputs
- None — uses the device clock and the IANA zone America/Chicago
- Outputs
- Local time (24-hour style from the browser formatter)
- Local calendar date
- Formula
Display = Intl.DateTimeFormat with timeZone America/Chicago- Assumptions
- Device clock and OS timezone database are reasonably correct.
- Covers Chicago and other America/Chicago locales (e.g. Houston Central Time); not every Central Time city uses this exact IANA id.
- Runs locally in the browser; no server round-trip for the clock.
- Units
- Civil local time (hours, minutes, seconds)
- UTC offset CST −6 / CDT −5
- Boundary conditions
- On DST spring-forward, 02:00–02:59 CST does not occur
- On DST fall-back, 01:00–01:59 CST occurs twice
- Example
- 12:00 UTC in CST → 06:00; in CDT → 07:00
- Validation cases
3 published on this page
- UTC 12:00 during CST → 06:00 America/Chicago
- UTC 12:00 during CDT → 07:00 America/Chicago
- Same instant as America/New_York → Chicago is 1 hour earlier
- Specification basis
- IANA time zone database — America/Chicago
- U.S. Energy Policy Act DST schedule (second Sunday in March / first Sunday in November)
- Central Time Zone offsets UTC−6 / UTC−5
- Calculation version
- 1.0.1
Background
Interpretation and common distinctions.
Current time in Chicago, Illinois
This page shows a live local clock for Chicago, using the IANA zone America/Chicago. Time is read from your browser with that zone applied — the same Central Time used across much of the U.S. Midwest and South (including Houston on Central Time).
Central Time (CST / CDT)
| Season | Name | Abbreviation | UTC offset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter (standard) | Central Standard Time | CST | UTC−6 |
| Summer (daylight) | Central Daylight Time | CDT | UTC−5 |
Together these are often labeled Central Time (CT). Prefer UTC offsets or the IANA id when accuracy matters: “CST” also means China Standard Time and Cuba Standard Time.
Daylight Saving Time
Chicago observes U.S. Daylight Saving Time (same calendar rule as most of the Lower 48):
- Spring forward — second Sunday in March at 02:00 CST → clocks jump to 03:00 CDT (UTC−6 → UTC−5).
- Fall back — first Sunday in November at 02:00 CDT → clocks return to 01:00 CST (UTC−5 → UTC−6).
For 2026, Chicago moved to CDT on 8 March and returns to CST on 1 November (see the schedule table in the specification). Not every U.S. place observes DST — Hawaii and most of Arizona (Phoenix) stay on one offset all year.
How Central Time compares
When both sides share the same DST status:
- Eastern Time (New York): Chicago is 1 hour behind.
- Mountain Time (Denver): Chicago is 1 hour ahead.
- Pacific Time (Los Angeles): Chicago is 2 hours ahead.
- Alaska Time (Anchorage): Chicago is 3 hours ahead.
- UTC: Chicago is 6 hours behind in winter, 5 hours behind in summer.
Versus year-round zones:
- Phoenix (MST, UTC−7): Chicago is 1 hour ahead in winter, 2 hours ahead in summer.
- Hawaii (HST, UTC−10): Chicago is 4 hours ahead in winter, 5 hours ahead in summer.
Who else uses this clock?
America/Chicago is the standard IANA id for Chicago and many other Central Time cities. This site’s legacy Houston and CST URLs also point here. A few Central Time places use a different IANA id with the same offsets and DST rules — if you need a specific town near a zone border, confirm its zone.
UTC vs GMT
For everyday scheduling, UTC and GMT both mean offset +0. UTC is the modern atomic-clock standard; this clock is defined relative to UTC. Example: noon UTC is 06:00 CST or 07:00 CDT.
Related tools
Other calculators in this family: New York Time, Denver Time, Los Angeles Time, Phoenix Time, Alaska / Anchorage Time, UTC Time .
Frequently asked questions
Key distinctions behind the calculation.
What time zone is Chicago in?
Chicago uses Central Time. The IANA identifier is America/Chicago. Winter is CST (UTC−6); summer daylight time is CDT (UTC−5).
What is the difference between CST and CDT?
CST (Central Standard Time) is UTC−6 and is used in winter. CDT (Central Daylight Time) is UTC−5 and is used when Daylight Saving Time is in effect. Together they are often called Central Time (CT).
Does Chicago observe Daylight Saving Time?
Yes. Clocks spring forward on the second Sunday in March (02:00 CST → 03:00 CDT) and fall back on the first Sunday in November (02:00 CDT → 01:00 CST). Hawaii and most of Arizona do not observe DST.
Is Houston on the same time as Chicago?
Yes for civil time. Houston and most of Texas (except the far-west El Paso area on Mountain Time) use Central Time with the same CST/CDT rules. This page’s legacy Houston URL maps to America/Chicago.
How does Chicago time compare to New York or Los Angeles?
Central Time is one hour behind Eastern Time and two hours ahead of Pacific Time whenever both regions are on standard time or both are on daylight time (they share the same U.S. DST change dates).
How does Chicago compare to Denver or Phoenix?
Mountain Time (Denver) is one hour behind Central when both observe DST the same way. Phoenix stays on MST (UTC−7) year-round, so Chicago is 1 hour ahead of Phoenix in winter and 2 hours ahead in summer.
Why use America/Chicago instead of “CST”?
IANA zone IDs encode the correct UTC offset and DST rules for computers. “CST” is ambiguous — it can mean U.S. Central Standard Time, China Standard Time, or Cuba Standard Time. This clock uses America/Chicago so the browser applies the official transition table.
What is UTC?
Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is the global time standard. Zone offsets are written as hours ahead of (+) or behind (−) UTC. Chicago is UTC−6 in winter and UTC−5 in summer.