Chicago zone
CDT (GMT-5)
San Francisco zone
PDT (GMT-7)
Difference
2 hours behind Chicago
Business overlap
6h (9-5 windows)
Working hours overlap
Each cell is one hour in Chicago. Filled cells mark when 9 AM – 5 PM in Chicago and San Francisco both apply.
6 hours per day
- Chicago
- GMT-5
- San Francisco
- GMT-7
- Difference
- -2h
- Business overlap
- 6h
Hour-by-hour conversion
Each row shows the matching local time in San Francisco for an hour in Chicago.
| Chicago | San Francisco | Day | Window |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 10:00 PM | previous day | — |
| 1:00 AM | 11:00 PM | previous day | — |
| 2:00 AM | 12:00 AM | same day | — |
| 3:00 AM | 1:00 AM | same day | — |
| 4:00 AM | 2:00 AM | same day | — |
| 5:00 AM | 3:00 AM | same day | — |
| 6:00 AM | 4:00 AM | same day | — |
| 7:00 AM | 5:00 AM | same day | — |
| 8:00 AM | 6:00 AM | same day | — |
| 9:00 AM | 7:00 AM | same day | — |
| 10:00 AM | 8:00 AM | same day | — |
| 11:00 AM | 9:00 AM | same day | Both 9-5 |
| 12:00 PM | 10:00 AM | same day | Both 9-5 |
| 1:00 PM | 11:00 AM | same day | Both 9-5 |
| 2:00 PM | 12:00 PM | same day | Both 9-5 |
| 3:00 PM | 1:00 PM | same day | Both 9-5 |
| 4:00 PM | 2:00 PM | same day | Both 9-5 |
| 5:00 PM | 3:00 PM | same day | — |
| 6:00 PM | 4:00 PM | same day | — |
| 7:00 PM | 5:00 PM | same day | — |
| 8:00 PM | 6:00 PM | same day | — |
| 9:00 PM | 7:00 PM | same day | — |
| 10:00 PM | 8:00 PM | same day | — |
| 11:00 PM | 9:00 PM | same day | — |
Best meeting windows
If both teams keep standard 9 AM – 5 PM hours, the overlap window is roughly 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM in Chicago time. That gives you 6 hours per workday for live meetings.
Tighter overlap is achievable by having the side with later working hours start earlier, or by treating the first and last hours of each side as flexible. The bar above marks every hour where both cities sit inside a 9 AM – 5 PM window.
About converting Chicago time to San Francisco time
Chicago follows the America/Chicago time zone (currently CDT, GMT-5), while San Francisco follows America/Los_Angeles (currently PDT, GMT-7). San Francisco is 2 hours behind Chicago right now.
Both cities observe daylight saving time. If their transition weekends differ, the offset shifts by one hour for a few weeks each spring and autumn.
Daylight saving transitions in 2026
Chicago
- Spring forward · Sunday, March 8, 2026
- Fall back · Sunday, November 1, 2026
San Francisco
- Spring forward · Sunday, March 8, 2026
- Fall back · Sunday, November 1, 2026
Reverse this conversion
San Francisco to Chicago
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Plan a meeting between Chicago and San Francisco
More conversions from Chicago
Frequently asked questions
- How many hours is Chicago from San Francisco?
- San Francisco is 2 hours behind Chicago right now.
- What time is 9:00 AM Chicago in San Francisco?
- 9:00 AM in Chicago is 7:00 AM in San Francisco.
- What time is 5:00 PM Chicago in San Francisco?
- 5:00 PM in Chicago is 3:00 PM in San Francisco.
- When do Chicago and San Francisco business hours overlap?
- Standard 9 AM - 5 PM working hours overlap for about 6 hours, roughly from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM in Chicago time.
- Does daylight saving time change the difference between Chicago and San Francisco?
- Both Chicago and San Francisco observe daylight saving time. If their transition dates differ, the offset between them shifts by an hour for a few weeks each year.
Local time page
Time in Chicago
Local time page
Time in San Francisco