What time is it in Chicago?
The clock below shows the current local time in Chicago, straight from your device's clock and the official timezone database, with the difference from your own timezone worked out automatically.
5:17:42 AM
Wednesday, October 7, 2026
- Timezone
- America/Chicago
- UTC offset
- UTC-5
- 5 h behind your time
Need to convert a specific date and time between zones? Use the timezone converter.
How it works
Chicago uses the America/Chicago timezone, UTC-6 in standard time and UTC-5 when daylight saving is active. The clock is computed by your browser from your device's clock plus the IANA timezone database it ships with, the same source operating systems use, so daylight saving switches apply automatically on the correct dates.
Frequently asked questions
What timezone is Chicago in?
Chicago is in the America/Chicago timezone, UTC-6 in standard time and UTC-5 when daylight saving is active.
Does Chicago change its clocks for daylight saving?
Yes. Chicago shifts between UTC-6 and UTC-5 each year; the exact switch dates come from the timezone database and this page applies them automatically.
How accurate is this clock?
As accurate as your device's clock: the page adds no server time. If your phone or computer syncs its clock automatically (nearly all do), the display is accurate to within a second.