What time is it in Chicago?
The clock below shows the exact local time in Chicago, USA, ticking live in your browser. Chicago is the Midwest's biggest city, on Central Time.
🔥 Trending today
- Sunday, October 25: clocks go back one hour in London, Dublin, Lisbon, Paris, Berlin, Madrid and more (13 days away).
- Friday, October 30: clocks go back one hour in Cairo (18 days away).
- Sunday, November 1: clocks go back one hour in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Denver, Anchorage and more (20 days away).
- “What time is it” is searched over a million times a month in the US alone, mostly right before calls and flights.
Time zone & daylight saving
Chicago uses the America/Chicago time zone, which is currently UTC−5. Chicago changes its clocks next on Sunday, November 1, 2026, moving from UTC−5 to UTC−6.
If you have a call or flight around a clock change, double-check the time a few days before. Most mix-ups happen on the weekend the clocks move.
Time difference from major cities
Planning a call
Here is how common business hours in Chicago line up elsewhere today:
| Chicago | New York | London | Tokyo |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08:00 in Chicago | 09:00 | 14:00 | 22:00 |
| 10:00 in Chicago | 11:00 | 16:00 | 00:00 |
| 12:00 in Chicago | 13:00 | 18:00 | 02:00 |
| 14:00 in Chicago | 15:00 | 20:00 | 04:00 |
| 16:00 in Chicago | 17:00 | 22:00 | 06:00 |
| 18:00 in Chicago | 19:00 | 00:00 | 08:00 |
| 20:00 in Chicago | 21:00 | 02:00 | 10:00 |
A rough rule: anything between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. in the earlier city usually lands inside working hours for both sides, unless they are more than 8 hours apart.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is Chicago in?
Chicago is in the America/Chicago time zone, currently UTC−5.
Does Chicago have daylight saving time?
Yes. Chicago changes its clocks next on Sunday, November 1, 2026, moving from UTC−5 to UTC−6.
How do I know the time difference between me and Chicago?
The live line under the clock compares your device's time zone with Chicago and updates automatically.