CST Time Now

The current Central Standard Time (CST) time is . Central Standard Time is the time zone for the central United States, central Canada and most of Mexico. It is 6 hours behind UTC, and places that observe daylight saving switch to CDT (UTC-5) in summer.

Current time
UTC offset UTC-05:00
Abbreviation CDT
Daylight saving In force now
Next clock change November 1, 2026 — clocks go back 1 hour

Major cities in this zone

  • Chicago
  • Dallas
  • Houston
  • New Orleans
  • Minneapolis
  • Winnipeg

Convert CST to other zones

Open the time zone converter with CST pre-selected, or see the world clock for live times everywhere.

Frequently asked questions

What is the time in CST right now?

The live clock above shows the current Central Time, updating every second. When daylight saving is in force (March to November), Chicago and most of the zone are on CDT, one hour ahead of CST.

Is Chicago on CST or CDT right now?

Chicago observes daylight saving, so it uses CDT (UTC-5) from the second Sunday of March to the first Sunday of November, and CST (UTC-6) the rest of the year. The badge above shows which one is in force now.

What is the difference between CST and CDT?

CST is Central Standard Time (UTC-6) and CDT is Central Daylight Time (UTC-5). They are the same zone in winter and summer dress — CDT is simply CST moved one hour forward.

Which states are in the Central Time Zone?

The Central zone covers states including Texas, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky (western part), and parts of several others, plus central Canada and most of Mexico.