Time zone
America/Chicago
Abbreviation
CDT (GMT-5)
Daylight saving
Observed
Location
Illinois, United States
About time in Chicago
Chicago is located in Illinois, United States and follows the America/Chicago time zone, currently abbreviated as CDT with a UTC offset of GMT-5. Like most of United States, Chicago adjusts its clocks twice a year to account for daylight saving time, so the offset varies by season. If you are scheduling a call, planning travel, or coordinating a remote team, the sections below show the current local time, the time difference to major cities, and quick links to convert Chicago time to and from common time zones.
Chicago observes daylight saving time. In 2026, clocks spring forward on Sunday, March 8, 2026 and fall back on Sunday, November 1, 2026.
Daylight saving in Chicago, 2026
The clocks in Chicago change on the dates below. The exact moment of change is shown in Chicago local time.
Spring forward
Sunday, March 8, 2026
Clocks shift +1 hour at 2:00 local time.
Fall back
Sunday, November 1, 2026
Clocks shift −1 hour at 2:00 local time.
Chicago vs major cities right now
Live local time and offset relative to Chicago. Click any card for that city's page.
- --:--
New York
United States
EDT1 hour ahead - --:--
Los Angeles
United States
PDT2 hours behind - --:--
London
United Kingdom
GMT+16 hours ahead - --:--
Berlin
Germany
GMT+27 hours ahead - --:--
Dubai
United Arab Emirates
GMT+49 hours ahead - --:--
Kolkata
India
GMT+5:3010h 30m ahead - --:--
Singapore
Singapore
GMT+813 hours ahead - --:--
Tokyo
Japan
GMT+914 hours ahead
Common Chicago conversions
When it's a given hour in Chicago, here is the matching local time in other major cities.
| Chicago | New York | Los Angeles | London | Berlin | Dubai | Kolkata | Singapore | Tokyo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 AM | 7:00 AM | 4:00 AM | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 4:30 PM | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM |
| 9 AM | 10:00 AM | 7:00 AM | 3:00 PM | 4:00 PM | 6:00 PM | 7:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 11:00 PM |
| 12 PM | 1:00 PM | 10:00 AM | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | 9:00 PM | 10:30 PM | 1:00 AM | 2:00 AM |
| 3 PM | 4:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 9:00 PM | 10:00 PM | 12:00 AM | 1:30 AM | 4:00 AM | 5:00 AM |
| 6 PM | 7:00 PM | 4:00 PM | 12:00 AM | 1:00 AM | 3:00 AM | 4:30 AM | 7:00 AM | 8:00 AM |
| 9 PM | 10:00 PM | 7:00 PM | 3:00 AM | 4:00 AM | 6:00 AM | 7:30 AM | 10:00 AM | 11:00 AM |
Convert Chicago to other time zones
Pre-loaded converters for the most-searched pairings.
- Chicago to PSTPacific Time
- PST to ChicagoPacific Time → Chicago
- Chicago to ESTEastern Time
- EST to ChicagoEastern Time → Chicago
- Chicago to MSTMountain Time
- MST to ChicagoMountain Time → Chicago
- Chicago to GMTGMT / UTC
- GMT to ChicagoGMT / UTC → Chicago
- Chicago to CETCentral European Time
- CET to ChicagoCentral European Time → Chicago
- Chicago to ISTIndia Standard Time
- IST to ChicagoIndia Standard Time → Chicago
- Chicago to JSTJapan Standard Time
- JST to ChicagoJapan Standard Time → Chicago
- Chicago to AESTAustralia Eastern
- AEST to ChicagoAustralia Eastern → Chicago
- Chicago to SGTSingapore Time
- SGT to ChicagoSingapore Time → Chicago
Frequently asked questions
- What time zone is Chicago in?
- Chicago is in the America/Chicago time zone, currently shown as CDT with a UTC offset of GMT-5.
- Does Chicago observe daylight saving time?
- Chicago observes daylight saving time. In 2026, clocks spring forward on Sunday, March 8, 2026 and fall back on Sunday, November 1, 2026.
- What is the current local time in Chicago?
- As of the most recent page load, the local date in Chicago is Sunday, May 3, 2026. The clock at the top of this page updates every second.
- How many hours is Chicago ahead of GMT?
- Chicago is currently at GMT-5. The exact value can change by one hour during the daylight saving transition window.
- What is the time difference between Chicago and New York?
- New York is currently 1 hour ahead of Chicago.
- What is the time difference between Chicago and Los Angeles?
- Los Angeles is currently 2 hours behind of Chicago.