Current time in Illinois
Central Time UTC−6 · one zone statewide
Illinois's time zone
Illinois sits wholly inside Central Time: CST (UTC−6) in winter and CDT (UTC−5) in summer, from Rockford down to Cairo at the state's southern tip.
Chicago anchors the zone — the IANA database labels US Central Time America/Chicago, and the city's clock is the "c" in broadcast listings like "8/7c". Just across the state line the picture gets complicated: Indiana's Gary–Hammond corner stays on Chicago time, while most of the rest of Indiana runs an hour ahead on Eastern.
| Standard time | CST, UTC−6 |
|---|---|
| Daylight time | CDT, UTC−5 |
| IANA zone | America/Chicago |
| vs New York | +1 h |
| vs Denver | −1 h |
| vs Los Angeles | −2 h |
Time in Illinois cities
The page below shows a live clock, today's sunrise and sunset, and DST dates.
Frequently asked questions
Is all of Illinois in the same time zone?
Yes — every county from the Wisconsin border to the Ohio River confluence is on Central Time.
What's the time difference between Illinois and New York?
Illinois is 1 hour behind New York all year. Noon in Chicago is 1:00 PM in New York. Full chart: CST to EST.
Does Illinois observe daylight saving time?
Yes — forward at 2:00 AM on the second Sunday of March, back on the first Sunday of November. Dates through 2030: DST page.