DST in Central Time (CT)
Daylight Saving Time schedule, clock change dates, and UTC offsets for Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Winnipeg, and more.
Current Status
DST ActiveCDT (UTC-05:00)
Next change: Sunday, November 1, 2026 — clocks move back 1 hour (to CST, UTC-06:00)
2026 DST Schedule
Spring Forward
March 8
CST (UTC-06:00) → CDT (UTC-05:00)
Clocks move forward 1 hour
Fall Back
November 1
CDT (UTC-05:00) → CST (UTC-06:00)
Clocks move back 1 hour
2027 DST Schedule
Spring Forward
March 14, 2027
CST (UTC-06:00) → CDT (UTC-05:00)
Fall Back
November 7, 2027
CDT (UTC-05:00) → CST (UTC-06:00)
Historical DST Dates
| Year | Spring Forward | Fall Back |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Mar 12 | Nov 5 |
| 2024 | Mar 10 | Nov 3 |
| 2025 | Mar 9 | Nov 2 |
| 2026 | Mar 8 | Nov 1 |
Tips for the DST Transition
- 1Gradually adjust your sleep schedule by 15-20 minutes per day in the days leading up to the change.
- 2Set your clocks before going to bed the night before the transition.
- 3Use the extra hour in fall to catch up on rest — avoid staying up late.
- 4Check battery-powered clocks and manual devices, as they may not auto-update.
- 5Be cautious driving the Monday after spring forward, as fatigue-related accidents increase.
- 6Update any scheduled events, alarms, and reminders that may be affected.
UTC Offsets
- Standard
- UTC-06:00 (CST)
- Daylight
- UTC-05:00 (CDT)
- IANA ID
- America/Chicago
DST Quick Facts
- Last clock change
- March 8, 2026
- Clocks moved forward 1 hour — 29 days ago
- Next clock change
- November 1, 2026
- Clocks move back 1 hour — in 207 days
- DST duration 2026
- 238 days
- 65% of the year in summer time
- Current UTC offset
- UTC-05:00 (CDT)
- 1 hour ahead of standard (UTC-06:00)
Countries
- United States
- Canada
Major Cities
- Chicago
- Houston
- Dallas
- Winnipeg
- Minneapolis
- San Antonio