What time is it in Chicago right now?

It is 21:25 in Chicago as this page was generated, and the clock above keeps ticking in your browser. Chicago uses the IANA zone America/Chicago, currently -05:00.

Which time zone is Chicago in?

Chicago is in the CDT time zone (America/Chicago), currently -05:00. Always store the identifier rather than the offset — the offset changes with daylight saving, the identifier does not.

Does Chicago observe daylight saving time?

Yes. Chicago shifts its clocks during the year, so the difference to cities that do not change moves by an hour twice a year.

Is Chicago ahead of or behind UTC?

Chicago is currently at -05:00. When it is 12:00 UTC, the local time in Chicago is 07:00.

Time in Chicago

21:25:55

It is 21:25 on Wednesday, 16 September 2026 in Chicago. Chicago is in United States. Civil time uses the IANA zone America/Chicago at -05:00 from UTC (in effect). Use the live clock below for the current local time, then jump to a difference or conversion when you need meeting math.

Chicago runs on America/Chicago (Central Time), one hour behind New York: UTC−06:00 in winter and UTC−05:00 during US daylight saving (roughly March–November).

Futures and commodities pits still set a Midwest clock for much of US trading. London mornings overlap Chicago’s early office hours; California mornings land in Chicago’s late morning.

CME and CBOT hours are America/Chicago. Equities in New York are one hour ahead; overnight globex sessions are quoted on this Central clock, not Eastern.

Chicago time zone

UTC offset: UTC-05:00
Abbreviation: CDT
IANA: America/Chicago
DST: in effect

Daylight saving in Chicago

Daylight saving is currently in effect, so Chicago is running one step ahead of its standard offset. Clocks in Chicago next go back on 1 November 2026 at 01:00 local time, moving from UTC-05:00 to UTC-06:00.

Daylight in Chicago today

The sun rises at 06:32 and sets at 18:58, giving 12 h 26 m of daylight. Solar noon falls at 12:45, 45 minutes after the clock reads twelve, because Chicago sits west of the 75° W meridian its current offset is built on.

Sunrise: 06:32
Sunset: 18:58
Daylight: 12 h 26 m
Solar noon: 12:45Solar noon is when the sun sits highest in the sky. It drifts from clock noon across a time zone, which is why one clock can span very different days.

Best time to call Chicago

Overlap between a 09:00–17:00 working day in Chicago and the same hours in other major cities.

City	Local now	Working overlap
Tokyo	11:25	No overlap
Delhi	07:55	No overlap
Shanghai	10:25	No overlap
Dhaka	08:25	No overlap
São Paulo	23:25	6 h · 09:00–15:00 in Chicago
Cairo	05:25	No overlap

Popular time differences

Related guides

About Chicago

Population: 2,746,388The administrative city figure recorded by Wikidata. The surrounding urban area is larger.
Region: Illinois
Coordinates: 41.8819° N, 87.6278° WLatitude is what drives the sunrise and sunset times above.
Currency: US Dollar (USD)
Calling code: +1Dial this after your international access prefix, and check the overlap table above before you call.
Languages: English
Airports: ORDChicago O'Hare InternationalMDWChicago Midway InternationalArrival and departure boards at these airports quote Chicago local time, not the time where you booked.

Frequently asked questions about time in Chicago

What time is it in Chicago right now?: It is 21:25 in Chicago as this page was generated, and the clock above keeps ticking in your browser. Chicago uses the IANA zone America/Chicago, currently -05:00.
Which time zone is Chicago in?: Chicago is in the CDT time zone (America/Chicago), currently -05:00. Always store the identifier rather than the offset — the offset changes with daylight saving, the identifier does not.
Does Chicago observe daylight saving time?: Yes. Chicago shifts its clocks during the year, so the difference to cities that do not change moves by an hour twice a year.
Is Chicago ahead of or behind UTC?: Chicago is currently at -05:00. When it is 12:00 UTC, the local time in Chicago is 07:00.