Standard time applies in Chicago right now, at UTC−6. The next change comes on Sunday, March 14, 2027, when clocks move to UTC−5.
Chicago and your time
Chicago at a glance
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Region | Illinois |
| Time zone | America/Chicago |
| Abbreviation now | CST |
| UTC offset now | UTC−6 |
| Daylight saving time | Starts Mar 14, 2027 |
| Next clock change | Sunday, March 14, 2027 |
| Coordinates | 41.85° N, 87.65° W |
Time zone in Chicago
Under the America/Chicago rules, Chicago spends part of each year on UTC−6 (CST) and the rest on UTC−5 (CDT). The coming daylight saving period ends on Sunday, November 7, 2027.
Watch out when booking with the capital: Washington D.C. is 1 hour ahead of Chicago, because the United States spans 6 offsets.
Clock changes in Chicago, 2026 and 2027
| Date | Change | New offset |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday, March 8, 2026 | Clocks go forward 1 hour: 2:00 AM becomes 3:00 AM | UTC−5 |
| Sunday, November 1, 2026 | Clocks go back 1 hour: 2:00 AM becomes 1:00 AM | UTC−6 |
| Sunday, March 14, 2027 | Clocks go forward 1 hour: 2:00 AM becomes 3:00 AM | UTC−5 |
| Sunday, November 7, 2027 | Clocks go back 1 hour: 2:00 AM becomes 1:00 AM | UTC−6 |
How far ahead or behind Chicago is
A 9:00 AM start in Chicago is 3:00 PM in London, 2:00 AM (next day) in Sydney and 7:00 AM in Los Angeles.
| City | Time now | Difference now | In January | In July | Shared office hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington D.C. | --:-- | 1 h ahead | 1 h ahead | 1 h ahead | 7 h |
| Los Angeles | --:-- | 2 h behind | 2 h behind | 2 h behind | 6 h |
| London (United Kingdom) | --:-- | 6 h ahead | 6 h ahead | 6 h ahead | 2 h |
| Paris (France) | --:-- | 7 h ahead | 7 h ahead | 7 h ahead | 1 h |
| Dubai (United Arab Emirates) | --:-- | 10 h ahead | 10 h ahead | 9 h ahead | None |
| Mumbai (India) | --:-- | 11 h 30 min ahead | 11 h 30 min ahead | 10 h 30 min ahead | None |
| Singapore | --:-- | 14 h ahead | 14 h ahead | 13 h ahead | None |
| Tokyo (Japan) | --:-- | 15 h ahead | 15 h ahead | 14 h ahead | None |
| Sydney (Australia) | --:-- | 17 h ahead | 17 h ahead | 15 h ahead | None |
| UTC | --:-- | 6 h ahead | 6 h ahead | 5 h ahead | 2 h |
Some gaps change during the year because Chicago and the other city change clocks on different dates, or only one of them changes at all. The January and July columns show both versions.
Shared office hours counts the time when the clock reads between 9 AM and 5 PM in both cities on the same day.
Sunrise and sunset in Chicago
Today
| Sunrise | --:-- |
|---|---|
| Sunset | --:-- |
| Day length | -- |
| Solar noon | --:-- |
The earliest sunrise in Chicago is at 5:15 AM on June 14, and the latest sunset at 8:30 PM on June 26.
Daylight through the year in Chicago
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | March 20 | 6:54 AM | 7:03 PM | 12 h 9 min |
| June solstice | June 21 | 5:16 AM | 8:29 PM | 15 h 14 min |
| September equinox | September 22 | 6:38 AM | 6:48 PM | 12 h 10 min |
| December solstice | December 21 | 7:15 AM | 4:23 PM | 9 h 8 min |
Sunrise and sunset jump by 1 hour on the days the clocks change, even though the daylight itself changes only by a minute or two.
When the sun is highest in Chicago
Clock time and sun time line up fairly well in Chicago: solar noon falls at about 11:50 AM on standard time and 12:50 PM during daylight saving time.
Places close to Chicago
Distance is not the same as time: South Bend lies just 118 km (73 mi) away, yet its clock is 1 hour ahead of Chicago.
| City | Distance | Time now | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naperville | 42 km (26 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Joliet | 51 km (32 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Elgin | 56 km (35 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Aurora | 56 km (35 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| South Bend | 118 km (73 mi) | --:-- | 1 h ahead |
| Rockford | 128 km (80 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Milwaukee | 134 km (83 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Madison | 198 km (123 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
Other cities on America/Chicago time
Same clock, same changes: these cities use America/Chicago just like Chicago.
Same time now, different rules
These places read the same time as Chicago today but follow different rules, so they can drift apart when clocks change.
- Mexico City (Mexico)
- Calgary (Canada)
- Mérida (Mexico)
- Monterrey (Mexico)
- Guatemala City (Guatemala)
- Managua (Nicaragua)
More cities in United States
- New York
- Los Angeles
- Houston
- Phoenix
- Philadelphia
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- The Bronx
- Dallas
- Jacksonville
- Fort Worth
- San Jose
All time zones and cities in the United States
Tools for time in Chicago
- Convert a time to or from Chicago: pick a date and time and see it in every city on your list.
- Add Chicago to your world clock to keep it next to your own time.
- Find a meeting time that falls inside office hours in Chicago and the other cities you work with.
- Open a full-screen clock for your own time zone.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is Chicago in?
Chicago uses the America/Chicago time zone: UTC−6 (CST) in standard time and UTC−5 (CDT) during daylight saving time.
When do the clocks change in Chicago?
The next change is on Sunday, March 14, 2027 at 2:00 AM, when clocks go forward 1 hour to UTC−5. They go back again on Sunday, November 7, 2027.
What is the time difference between Chicago and London?
Chicago is 6 hours behind London for most of the year. From March 14 to March 27 and October 30 to November 7, the gap is 5 hours, because Chicago and London change their clocks on different dates.
Is Chicago on the same time as Washington D.C.?
No. Washington D.C. is 1 hour ahead of Chicago, because the United States uses more than one offset.
How long is the longest day in Chicago?
About 15 hours 14 minutes, around the June solstice. The shortest day, around the December solstice, has about 9 hours 8 minutes of daylight.
Time zone rules: IANA tz database, version 2026e. Place names and coordinates: GeoNames. Sunrise and sunset are calculated from the coordinates and can differ by a minute or two from local almanacs.