Current Time in Chicago
The exact Central Time in Chicago right now, with today's date, whether daylight saving (CDT) is in effect, how far Chicago is from your time, and sunrise and sunset for the Loop, O'Hare and the suburbs. Use the converter to plan calls, flights and game times.
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Today hour by hour: Chicago vs. you
| Chicago | Your time | UTC |
|---|
9 AM–5 PM in Chicago 9 AM–5 PM for you both
Times come from your device clock and your browser's built-in time zone database (America/Chicago), which includes official daylight saving rules. Sunrise and sunset use the NOAA solar equations and are accurate to about a minute.
How to use the Current Time in Chicago
- Read the live clock: the big display shows the current time in Chicago, today's date there and the time zone abbreviation with its UTC offset.
- Check the difference: the first card tells you how many hours Chicago is ahead of or behind the time zone set on your device, and what your time is now.
- See sunrise and sunset: pick a location in the sunrise card to see today's sunrise, sunset, day length and twilight there.
- Convert a time: choose a direction, date, time and the other zone, then press Convert time to see the matching time and date.
- Plan a call: scroll the hour-by-hour table to find hours that fall inside 9 AM to 5 PM both in Chicago and for you.
Chicago time zone explained
Chicago uses Central Time: Central Standard Time (CST, UTC−06:00) from early November to mid-March and Central Daylight Time (CDT, UTC−05:00) for the rest of the year. The world's time zone database even names the US Central zone after the city: America/Chicago. Milwaukee, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Kansas City, Dallas, Houston and New Orleans all show the same time.
Chicago sits near the eastern edge of the Central zone, so solar noon arrives a little before 12:00 on the clock in winter (about 11:48 AM CST at the December solstice). That makes winter afternoons dark: at the December solstice the sun sets at about 4:22 PM.
When it is 9:00 AM in Chicago
Times below are for mid-January 2027 (CST) and mid-July 2027 (CDT).
| When it is 9:00 AM in Chicago | Mid-January | Mid-July |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | 9:00 AM CST UTC−06:00 | 9:00 AM CDT UTC−05:00 |
| Honolulu | 5:00 AM | 4:00 AM |
| Anchorage | 6:00 AM | 6:00 AM |
| Los Angeles | 7:00 AM | 7:00 AM |
| Phoenix | 8:00 AM | 7:00 AM |
| Denver | 8:00 AM | 8:00 AM |
| New York, Indianapolis | 10:00 AM | 10:00 AM |
| London | 3:00 PM | 3:00 PM |
| Paris | 4:00 PM | 4:00 PM |
| Dubai | 7:00 PM | 6:00 PM |
| New Delhi | 8:30 PM | 7:30 PM |
| Hong Kong, Singapore | 11:00 PM | 10:00 PM |
| Tokyo | 12:00 AM (next day) | 11:00 PM |
| Sydney | 2:00 AM (next day) | 12:00 AM (next day) |
Daylight saving dates in Chicago
| Year | Daylight saving starts (clocks forward) | Daylight saving ends (clocks back) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Sun, Mar 8: 2:00 AM → 3:00 AM (CDT) | Sun, Nov 1: 2:00 AM → 1:00 AM (CST) |
| 2027 | Sun, Mar 14: 2:00 AM → 3:00 AM (CDT) | Sun, Nov 7: 2:00 AM → 1:00 AM (CST) |
| 2028 | Sun, Mar 12: 2:00 AM → 3:00 AM (CDT) | Sun, Nov 5: 2:00 AM → 1:00 AM (CST) |
Sunrise and sunset in Chicago through the year
Calculated for the Loop (41.88° N, 87.63° W). The difference between the longest and shortest day is over 6 hours.
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | Clock time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20, 2027) | 6:54 AM | 7:02 PM | 12 h 08 min | CDT |
| June solstice (Jun 21, 2027) | 5:15 AM | 8:29 PM | 15 h 14 min | CDT |
| September equinox (Sep 23, 2027) | 6:38 AM | 6:46 PM | 12 h 07 min | CDT |
| December solstice (Dec 21, 2027) | 7:14 AM | 4:22 PM | 9 h 08 min | CST |
Tips for scheduling with Chicago
- Both coasts: 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM in Chicago is 11 to 5 in New York and 8 to 2 in California, so most national calls fit easily.
- Indiana: a short drive east of Chicago takes you to Eastern Time; Gary and the far northwest corner of Indiana stay on Chicago time, but Indianapolis and South Bend are 1 hour ahead.
- Europe: 7:00 to 10:00 AM in Chicago is 1:00 to 4:00 PM in London, the best overlap for transatlantic calls.
- Asia: 7:00 to 9:00 PM in Chicago reaches the next morning in Hong Kong, Singapore and Manila in summer (one hour later there in winter).
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is Chicago in?
Chicago is in the Central Time Zone. In fact, America/Chicago is the official IANA name for US Central Time. Chicago uses Central Standard Time, CST (UTC−6), in winter and Central Daylight Time, CDT (UTC−5), from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November.
Is all of Illinois on Chicago time?
Yes. The whole state of Illinois uses Central Time, so Springfield, Peoria and Rockford always match Chicago. Northwest Indiana near Chicago (Gary and Hammond) also uses Central Time, while most of Indiana, including Indianapolis, is on Eastern Time.
When do the clocks change in Chicago?
Clocks spring forward from 2:00 AM to 3:00 AM on the second Sunday in March and fall back from 2:00 AM to 1:00 AM on the first Sunday in November. In 2026 that was March 8 and November 1; in 2027 it is March 14 and November 7.
What is the time difference between Chicago and New York?
Chicago is 1 hour behind New York all year. 9:00 AM in Chicago is 10:00 AM in New York, because both cities change to and from daylight saving time on the same dates.
What is the time difference between Chicago and London?
Chicago is usually 6 hours behind London. For about three weeks in March and one week around the end of October the gap is 5 hours, because the US and the UK change clocks on different weekends.
What is the time difference between Chicago and Los Angeles?
Chicago is 2 hours ahead of Los Angeles all year. A 7:00 PM game in Chicago starts at 5:00 PM Pacific Time.
How long is the shortest day in Chicago?
Around the December solstice the sun rises near 7:14 AM and sets near 4:22 PM CST, giving about 9 hours of daylight. At the June solstice Chicago gets about 15 h 14 min, with sunset close to 8:30 PM CDT.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.