About Central Time
Central Time is used in the central United States, including Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Minneapolis, Nashville and New Orleans, plus Manitoba in Canada. Saskatchewan stays on Central Standard Time all year.
Daylight saving time
Central Time switches between Central Standard Time (CST, UTC−6) and Central Daylight Time (CDT, UTC−5).
- Sunday, March 8, 2026: clocks go forward from 2:00 AM to 3:00 AM (CDT begins)
- Sunday, November 1, 2026: clocks go back from 2:00 AM to 1:00 AM (CST begins)
- Sunday, March 14, 2027: clocks go forward from 2:00 AM to 3:00 AM (CDT begins)
- Sunday, November 7, 2027: clocks go back from 2:00 AM to 1:00 AM (CST begins)
Cities on this clock
- Chicago United States
- Dallas United States
- Houston United States
- New Orleans United States
- Nashville United States
- Memphis United States
- Austin United States
- San Antonio United States
- Kansas City United States
- St. Louis United States
- Minneapolis United States
- Milwaukee United States
- Oklahoma City United States
- Omaha United States
- Des Moines United States
- Little Rock United States
- Winnipeg Canada
CT vs. other time zones
| Time zone | Now | vs. CST | Converter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Time EST/EDT | — | — | CST to EST |
| Mountain Time MST/MDT | — | — | CST to MST |
| Pacific Time PST/PDT | — | — | CST to PST |
| Alaska Time AKST/AKDT | — | — | CST to AKST |
| Hawaii Time HST | — | — | CST to HST |
| Greenwich Mean Time GMT | — | — | CST to GMT |
| Coordinated Universal Time UTC | — | — | CST to UTC |
| Central European Time CET/CEST | — | — | CST to CET |
| Eastern European Time EET/EEST | — | — | CST to EET |
| India Standard Time IST | — | — | CST to IST |
| Japan Standard Time JST | — | — | CST to JST |
| Australian Eastern Time AEST/AEDT | — | — | CST to AEST |
| Singapore Time SGT | — | — | CST to SGT |
| Philippine Time PHT | — | — | CST to PHT |
| Moscow Time MSK | — | — | CST to MSK |
| Gulf Standard Time GST | — | — | CST to GST |
Times update live. Plan a meeting across time zones.
Questions
What is the difference between CST and CDT?
CST (Central Standard Time) is the winter time, UTC−6. CDT (Central Daylight Time) is the daylight saving time used in summer, UTC−5. People often say CST all year, but strictly CDT applies while daylight saving is in effect.
When does Central Time change in 2026?
In 2026, clocks on Central Time go forward on Sunday, March 8, 2026 and back on Sunday, November 1, 2026.
Where is Central Time used?
Central Time is used in the central United States, including Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Minneapolis, Nashville and New Orleans, plus Manitoba in Canada. Saskatchewan stays on Central Standard Time all year.
What is CST in UTC?
CST is UTC−6 and CDT is UTC−5.