Chicago zone
CDT (GMT-5)
Washington D.C. zone
EDT (GMT-4)
Difference
1 hour ahead of Chicago
Business overlap
7h (9-5 windows)
Working hours overlap
Each cell is one hour in Chicago. Filled cells mark when 9 AM – 5 PM in Chicago and Washington D.C. both apply.
7 hours per day
- Chicago
- GMT-5
- Washington D.C.
- GMT-4
- Difference
- +1h
- Business overlap
- 7h
Hour-by-hour conversion
Each row shows the matching local time in Washington D.C. for an hour in Chicago.
| Chicago | Washington D.C. | Day | Window |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 1:00 AM | same day | — |
| 1:00 AM | 2:00 AM | same day | — |
| 2:00 AM | 3:00 AM | same day | — |
| 3:00 AM | 4:00 AM | same day | — |
| 4:00 AM | 5:00 AM | same day | — |
| 5:00 AM | 6:00 AM | same day | — |
| 6:00 AM | 7:00 AM | same day | — |
| 7:00 AM | 8:00 AM | same day | — |
| 8:00 AM | 9:00 AM | same day | — |
| 9:00 AM | 10:00 AM | same day | Both 9-5 |
| 10:00 AM | 11:00 AM | same day | Both 9-5 |
| 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | same day | Both 9-5 |
| 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | same day | Both 9-5 |
| 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | same day | Both 9-5 |
| 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | same day | Both 9-5 |
| 3:00 PM | 4:00 PM | same day | Both 9-5 |
| 4:00 PM | 5:00 PM | same day | — |
| 5:00 PM | 6:00 PM | same day | — |
| 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | same day | — |
| 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | same day | — |
| 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM | same day | — |
| 9:00 PM | 10:00 PM | same day | — |
| 10:00 PM | 11:00 PM | same day | — |
| 11:00 PM | 12:00 AM | next day | — |
Best meeting windows
If both teams keep standard 9 AM – 5 PM hours, the overlap window is roughly 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM in Chicago time. That gives you 7 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 Washington D.C. time
Chicago follows the America/Chicago time zone (currently CDT, GMT-5), while Washington D.C. follows America/New_York (currently EDT, GMT-4). Washington D.C. is 1 hour ahead of 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
Washington D.C.
- Spring forward · Sunday, March 8, 2026
- Fall back · Sunday, November 1, 2026
Reverse this conversion
Washington D.C. to Chicago
Open the converter
Plan a meeting between Chicago and Washington D.C.
More conversions from Chicago
Frequently asked questions
- How many hours is Chicago from Washington D.C.?
- Washington D.C. is 1 hour ahead of Chicago right now.
- What time is 9:00 AM Chicago in Washington D.C.?
- 9:00 AM in Chicago is 10:00 AM in Washington D.C..
- What time is 5:00 PM Chicago in Washington D.C.?
- 5:00 PM in Chicago is 6:00 PM in Washington D.C..
- When do Chicago and Washington D.C. business hours overlap?
- Standard 9 AM - 5 PM working hours overlap for about 7 hours, roughly from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM in Chicago time.
- Does daylight saving time change the difference between Chicago and Washington D.C.?
- Both Chicago and Washington D.C. 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 Washington D.C.