Central Time Zone
Real-Time Display
12
Hours
:
00
Minutes
:
00
Seconds
AM
Monday, June 21, 2025
Central Standard Time (CST)
Daylight Saving Active
24-Hour Format
What Time Is It In Central Time?
Current Central Time
Central Time is currently 6 hours behind UTC.
The Central Time Zone covers a significant portion of North America, including
major cities like Chicago, Dallas, and New Orleans. Whether you're planning
a meeting or checking the time for business purposes, our real-time display
shows exactly what time it is in Central Time right now.
Daylight Saving Time
Central Time observes Daylight Saving Time from the second Sunday in March
to the first Sunday in November. During this period, Central Daylight Time
(CDT) is UTC-5, while Central Standard Time (CST) is UTC-6. Our clock
automatically adjusts to show the correct time based on the current DST status.
Major Cities in Central Time Zone
🏙️
Chicago, Illinois
The Windy City and major business hub
🤠
Dallas, Texas
Major metropolitan area and business center
🎵
New Orleans, Louisiana
Cultural hub and historic city
🎯
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Twin Cities metropolitan area
🌟
Kansas City, Missouri
Heart of America
🎸
Nashville, Tennessee
Music City USA
Central Time vs Other Time Zones
Eastern Time
+1 hour
2:00 PM
New York, Miami, Atlanta
Central Time
Current
1:00 PM
Chicago, Dallas, New Orleans
Mountain Time
-1 hour
12:00 PM
Denver, Phoenix, Salt Lake City
Pacific Time
-2 hours
11:00 AM
Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco
Central Time Business Information
Business Hours
Most Central Time businesses operate from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM CST/CDT.
This makes Central Time ideal for coordinating with both East and West Coast
businesses, as it provides overlap with standard business hours across
multiple time zones.
Meeting Coordination
When scheduling meetings across time zones, Central Time serves as an
excellent middle ground. A 2:00 PM Central meeting translates to 3:00 PM
Eastern and 12:00 PM Pacific, making it convenient for nationwide collaboration.
International Business
For international business, Central Time is 6 hours behind UTC during
standard time and 5 hours behind during daylight saving time. This
positioning allows for reasonable communication windows with European
and Asian markets.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is it right now in Central Time?
The current Central Time is displayed in real-time at the top of this page.
Our clock updates every second to show the exact time in the Central Time Zone,
automatically adjusting for Daylight Saving Time when applicable.
How many hours behind UTC is Central Time?
Central Standard Time (CST) is 6 hours behind UTC, while Central Daylight
Time (CDT) is 5 hours behind UTC. The time zone automatically switches
between these two depending on the date and Daylight Saving Time schedule.
Which states observe Central Time?
Central Time is observed in parts or all of: Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois,
Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska,
North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin.
When does Daylight Saving Time start and end in Central Time?
Daylight Saving Time in Central Time begins on the second Sunday in March
at 2:00 AM CST (clocks "spring forward" to 3:00 AM CDT) and ends on the
first Sunday in November at 2:00 AM CDT (clocks "fall back" to 1:00 AM CST).