What timezone does Chicago use?

Chicago observes Central Time. It is Central Daylight Time (CDT, UTC-5) from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November, and Central Standard Time (CST, UTC-6) for the rest of the year.

Is this clock accurate?

The clock reads your device's system clock and converts it to America/Chicago time. Accuracy depends on your device clock being synchronized correctly, which most devices do automatically via NTP.

Does this account for Daylight Saving Time?

Yes. The tool uses the IANA timezone database built into modern browsers, which handles all past and future DST transitions for Chicago automatically.

What is the difference between CST and CDT?

CST (Central Standard Time) is UTC-6 and is observed in winter. CDT (Central Daylight Time) is UTC-5 and is observed in summer. The tool always shows the correct abbreviation for the current date.

What is the UTC offset for Chicago right now?

The current UTC offset is shown on the clock display. It is either UTC-6 (CST) or UTC-5 (CDT) depending on whether Daylight Saving Time is currently in effect.

Current Time in Chicago

Name: Current Time in Chicago
Availability: InStock
Author: Nham Vu

See the live current time and date in Chicago with DST awareness, UTC offset, and a side-by-side comparison with your local time.

Chicago, Illinois

--:--:--

-- UTC--

Checking DST...

Your Local Time

--:--:--

Detecting timezone...

Calculating time difference...

Chicago Timezone Quick Reference

Standard Time (CST) UTC -6:00

Daylight Time (CDT) UTC -5:00

DST Starts 2nd Sunday in March at 2:00 AM

DST Ends 1st Sunday in November at 2:00 AM

IANA Identifier America/Chicago

US Region Central Time Zone

Summary

See the live current time and date in Chicago with DST awareness, UTC offset, and a side-by-side comparison with your local time.

How it works

The tool reads your device clock using JavaScript's built-in Date API.
It converts the current moment to the America/Chicago timezone using Intl.DateTimeFormat with the IANA timezone identifier.
The display updates every second so the clock stays live and accurate.
DST transitions are handled automatically — the tool shows CDT (UTC-5) in summer and CST (UTC-6) in winter.
Your local time and UTC offset are shown alongside Chicago time for easy comparison.

Use cases

Scheduling calls or meetings with colleagues or clients in Chicago.
Checking whether Chicago business hours or markets are currently active.
Converting your local time to Chicago time for live events, sports, or broadcasts.
Travelers planning departures or arrivals in the US Central Time zone.
Verifying whether Daylight Saving Time is currently in effect in Chicago.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-06-09 · Reviewed by Nham Vu