Central Time Zone (CT) - Current Time, DST, and Key Facts
The Central Time Zone (CT) covers a large swath of the United States, including major cities such as Chicago, Houston, Dallas, and New Orleans. The live clock above shows the current time in Chicago, the largest city in the zone. Central Time is 6 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC-6) during Standard Time (CST) and 5 hours behind (UTC-5) during Daylight Saving Time (CDT). DST begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November. Several states are split between Central and Eastern time, notably parts of Texas (the western portion), Tennessee (the western and middle parts), and Florida (the Panhandle west of the Apalachicola River). For a world clock view of other time zones, visit Time.now.
UTC Offsets and Daylight Saving Time
Central Standard Time (CST) is UTC-6, used from early November to mid-March. Central Daylight Time (CDT) is UTC-5, used from mid-March to early November. The table below shows the offset for each season and the corresponding time in Chicago compared to UTC.
| Season | Abbreviation | UTC Offset | Example Time in Chicago |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter (Standard Time) | CST | UTC-6 | 12:00 PM CST = 18:00 UTC |
| Summer (Daylight Time) | CDT | UTC-5 | 12:00 PM CDT = 17:00 UTC |
During the spring-forward transition, clocks advance from 2:00 AM CST to 3:00 AM CDT; in the fall-back, clocks revert from 2:00 AM CDT to 1:00 AM CST.
States and Major Cities in the Central Time Zone
The Central Time Zone includes all or parts of 20 states. The entire states of Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin are in CT. Major cities include Chicago (IL), Houston (TX), Dallas (TX), San Antonio (TX), Austin (TX), New Orleans (LA), Oklahoma City (OK), Memphis (TN), Nashville (TN), and Minneapolis (MN). Parts of several states observe Central Time while other parts observe a different zone:
- Texas: Most of Texas is Central, but the far western counties (e.g., El Paso) use Mountain Time.
- Tennessee: The western and middle portions are Central; the eastern part (including Knoxville and Chattanooga) uses Eastern Time (ET).
- Florida: The Panhandle west of the Apalachicola River is Central; the rest of the state is Eastern.
- Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas: These states are split between Central and Mountain Time.
- Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan: Some counties in these states observe Central Time while most are Eastern.
Time Differences Between Central and Other US Time Zones
Central Time is one hour ahead of Mountain Time (MT) and two hours ahead of Pacific Time (PT). It is one hour behind Eastern Time (ET). For example, when it is 12:00 PM CST, it is 1:00 PM EST, 11:00 AM MST, and 10:00 AM PST. Use the EST to CST Converter to quickly convert between Eastern and Central times, or the EST to PST Converter and PST to EST Converter for other conversions.
History and Interesting Facts
The Central Time Zone was established by the Standard Time Act of 1918, which created the current system of time zones in the United States. The zone roughly follows the 90th meridian west. Chicago, a major railroad hub, helped standardize time across the country. Today, over one-third of the US population lives in the Central Time Zone. For readers interested in non-US cities, TimeRight.Now provides worldwide times, and CurrentTime.now offers a multi-city world clock view.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current time in the Central Time Zone?
The live clock at the top of this page shows the current time in Chicago, which is in the Central Time Zone. The time displayed reflects either CST (UTC-6) or CDT (UTC-5) depending on the season.
Which states are entirely in the Central Time Zone?
Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin are entirely in the Central Time Zone.
What is the difference between CST and CDT?
CST stands for Central Standard Time (UTC-6), used during fall and winter. CDT stands for Central Daylight Time (UTC-5), used during spring and summer when Daylight Saving Time is in effect.
Does Texas observe Central Time?
Most of Texas uses Central Time, but the far western part (including El Paso) observes Mountain Time.
How do I convert Central Time to Eastern Time?
Central Time is one hour behind Eastern Time. For example, 12:00 PM CST is 1:00 PM EST. Use the EST to CST Converter for quick conversions.
What parts of Florida are in the Central Time Zone?
The Florida Panhandle west of the Apalachicola River, including cities like Pensacola and Panama City, observes Central Time. The rest of Florida uses Eastern Time.