About the time in Chicago
Chicago is in the United States and uses the America/Chicago time zone. Right now it is CDT there, which is UTC−05:00. Clocks in Chicago change for daylight saving time, so the offset is different in summer and winter.
- Time zones
- Central Standard Time (CST), UTC−06:00
Central Daylight Time (CDT), UTC−05:00
- UTC offset
- UTC−06:00 / UTC−05:00 (changes during the year)
- Daylight saving
- Yes
- Clock changes 2026
- Forward 1 hour on Sunday 8 March at 02:00 local time (to 03:00)
Back 1 hour on Sunday 1 November at 02:00 local time (to 01:00)
- Clock changes 2027
- Forward 1 hour on Sunday 14 March at 02:00 local time (to 03:00)
Back 1 hour on Sunday 7 November at 02:00 local time (to 01:00)
- Difference from you
- shown when the page loads
- IANA time zone
America/Chicago- Country
- United States
Time difference from Chicago
How far ahead or behind Chicago other major cities are right now.
Questions about the time in Chicago
What time zone is Chicago in?
Chicago uses the America/Chicago time zone. It switches between Central Standard Time (UTC−06:00) and Central Daylight Time (UTC−05:00) for daylight saving time.
Does Chicago observe daylight saving time?
Yes. In 2026, clocks go forward 1 hour on Sunday 8 March at 02:00 local time (to 03:00), and go back 1 hour on Sunday 1 November at 02:00 local time (to 01:00). In 2027, clocks go forward 1 hour on Sunday 14 March at 02:00 local time (to 03:00), and go back 1 hour on Sunday 7 November at 02:00 local time (to 01:00).
What is the UTC offset in Chicago?
Chicago is at UTC−06:00 or UTC−05:00, depending on the time of year.
What is the time difference between Chicago and London?
Chicago is currently 6 hours behind London. The difference can change by an hour for a few weeks a year, when one place starts or ends daylight saving time and the other does not.
Is Chicago on the same time as the rest of the United States?
Not everywhere. The United States has 8 time zone regions, so the time in Chicago can differ from other parts of the country.