Current Time in Chicago, United States
Live local time in Chicago with its UTC offset, daylight saving status and the time difference from your location.
Chicago America/Chicago
About time in Chicago
Chicago uses Central Standard Time (CST, UTC−6) as its standard time. During daylight saving time it switches to Central Daylight Time (CDT, UTC−5). Daylight saving time starts on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November.
Chicago is on US Central Time, one hour behind New York and two hours ahead of Los Angeles. Many US companies with national teams use Central Time as a middle point.
Chicago runs on Central Time: UTC−6 (CST) in winter and UTC−5 (CDT) from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November. The 2026 change back to standard time is at 2 a.m. on November 1.
The Central zone does not stop at the Illinois state line. Most of Indiana is on Eastern Time, but Lake, Porter, LaPorte and the other northwestern Indiana counties around Gary keep Chicago's clock, so the short drive from the Loop to Gary does not change the time. Keep going east into Michigan, or deeper into Indiana, and the clock moves forward an hour.
London is six hours ahead of Chicago for most of the year, so 8 a.m. in Chicago is 2 p.m. in London and calls between the two cities fit into the Chicago morning. From October 31 to November 6, 2027 the gap is five hours, because the UK has already moved its clocks back and the US has not. The same thing happens for two or three weeks every March.
When do the clocks change in Chicago?
Daylight saving dates for 2026 and 2027, taken from the IANA time zone database. Times are local time in Chicago.
| Date | Clock change | New offset |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday, March 8, 2026 | 02:00 → 03:00 · forward 1 hour | CDT, UTC−5 |
| Sunday, November 1, 2026 | 02:00 → 01:00 · back 1 hour | CST, UTC−6 |
| Sunday, March 14, 2027 | 02:00 → 03:00 · forward 1 hour | CDT, UTC−5 |
| Sunday, November 7, 2027 | 02:00 → 01:00 · back 1 hour | CST, UTC−6 |
Other countries change on other dates, so the gap to Chicago can move for a week or more. See when the clocks change around the world and what happens to recurring meetings.
Time difference between Chicago and other cities
The table below is calculated live from your browser's time zone data, so it already includes today's daylight saving rules.
| City | Time there now | Compared with Chicago |
|---|
Need a specific date? Use Time Compare to convert a future time with the right daylight saving offset.
Sunrise and sunset in Chicago
Local times in Chicago, calculated for its coordinates (41.88° N, 87.63° W). They can differ by a minute or two from official tables.
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Today | |||
| March equinox (Mar 20, 2026) | 06:53 | 19:02 | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21, 2026) | 05:15 | 20:29 | 15h 14m |
| September equinox (Sep 22, 2026) | 06:37 | 18:48 | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21, 2026) | 07:14 | 16:22 | 9h 08m |
Working hours in Chicago converted to UTC
| Local time in Chicago | UTC (standard time) | UTC (daylight saving) |
|---|---|---|
| 09:00 | 15:00 | 14:00 |
| 12:00 | 18:00 | 17:00 |
| 17:00 | 23:00 | 22:00 |
Convert Chicago time
Frequently asked questions about time in Chicago
When do the clocks change in Chicago in 2026?
In 2026, clocks in Chicago go forward 1 hour on Sunday, March 8 at 02:00, and go back 1 hour on Sunday, November 1 at 02:00 (local time).
What time zone is Chicago in?
Chicago is in the Central Standard Time zone (America/Chicago). Its standard UTC offset is UTC−6, and it is UTC−5 during daylight saving time (Central Daylight Time).
Does Chicago observe daylight saving time?
Yes. Daylight saving time starts on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November. During that period clocks in Chicago are set to UTC−5.
When is the longest day of the year in Chicago?
Around Jun 21, at the June solstice. The sun rises at 05:15 and sets at 20:29 local time, about 15h 14m of daylight. The shortest day is around Dec 21, with about 9h 08m.
What does a 09:00–17:00 working day in Chicago look like in UTC?
A 09:00–17:00 working day in Chicago is 15:00–23:00 UTC in standard time and 14:00–22:00 UTC during daylight saving time.