CDT — Central Daylight Time
UTC-05:00 · 5 hours behind UTC · DST active
Details
| Abbreviation | CDT |
| Full name | Central Daylight Time |
| UTC offset | UTC-05:00 |
| IANA identifier | America/Chicago |
| DST status | Active |
| Standard offset | UTC-06:00 |
| DST offset | UTC-05:00 |
| Clocks forward | Sunday, March 8, 2026 |
| Clocks back | Sunday, November 1, 2026 |
Countries Using CDT
Time Difference from CDT
| City | Difference |
|---|---|
| New York | -1h |
| Los Angeles | +2h |
| London | -6h |
| Paris | -7h |
| Moscow | -8h |
| Dubai | -9h |
| Mumbai | -10h 30m |
| Bangkok | -12h |
| Shanghai | -13h |
| Tokyo | -14h |
| Sydney | -15h |
| Auckland | -17h |
Using CDT in practice
Planning notes for business hours, handoffs, and recurring meetings in this timezone.
Right now
It is currently morning in CDT, which is near the edge of the workday. Standard business-hour checks should use 9:00 AM-5:00 PM local time.
Best overlap
The best listed workday overlap is with New York: 9:00 AM-4:00 PM CDT equals 10:00 AM-5:00 PM there.
Recurring events
This zone observes daylight saving time, so recurring meetings can shift by one hour for people outside the same DST rule.
| Market | CDT | Their time |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 9:00 AM-4:00 PM | 10:00 AM-5:00 PM |
| Los Angeles | 11:00 AM-5:00 PM | 9:00 AM-3:00 PM |
| London | 9:00 AM-11:00 AM | 3:00 PM-5:00 PM |
| Auckland | 4:00 PM-5:00 PM | 9:00 AM-10:00 AM |
| Paris | 9:00 AM-10:00 AM | 4:00 PM-5:00 PM |
Convert CDT to Other Time Zones
About CDT (Central Daylight Time)
CDT (Central Daylight Time) is a time zone with a UTC offset of -05:00, meaning it is 5 hours behind UTC. The IANA timezone database identifies it as America/Chicago. It is used in 5 countries, including Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and others.
This time zone observes daylight saving time. During standard time, the offset is UTC-06:00. When DST is active, clocks are advanced by one hour to UTC-05:00. In 2026, DST begins on Sunday, March 8, 2026 and ends on Sunday, November 1, 2026. DST is currently active.
Major cities in CDT include Chicago, Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, and 86 more.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CDT?
CDT stands for Central Daylight Time. It is 5 hours behind UTC (UTC-05:00). The IANA timezone identifier is America/Chicago.
What is the current time in CDT?
The current CDT time is shown at the top of this page and updates every second. CDT is UTC-05:00, which is 5 hours behind UTC.
Does CDT observe daylight saving time?
Yes. When DST is active, the offset changes from UTC-06:00 to UTC-05:00. In 2026, clocks spring forward on Sunday, March 8, 2026 and fall back on Sunday, November 1, 2026.
What countries use CDT?
Countries and regions using CDT include Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, United States.
How do I convert CDT to my local time?
Use our time zone converter to convert CDT to any other time zone. You can also check the time difference table on this page which shows the offset between CDT and 13 major world cities.