Time Difference Between Chicago and Los Angeles

The time difference between Chicago and Los Angeles is 2 hours. When it is 12:00 noon in Chicago, it is 10:00 in Los Angeles. Chicago uses the America/Chicago time zone (UTC-5), while Los Angeles uses America/Los_Angeles (UTC-7).

Los Angeles is 2 hours behind Chicago — 2 hours
Chicago, United States
17:22:30
Thursday, March 26, 2026
UTC-5 · CDT (DST)
Los Angeles, United States
15:22:30
Thursday, March 26, 2026
UTC-7 · PDT (DST)

Time Zone Details: Chicago vs Los Angeles

Detail Chicago Los Angeles
Time Zone IDAmerica/ChicagoAmerica/Los_Angeles
UTC OffsetUTC-5UTC-7
AbbreviationCDTPDT
DST ActiveYes — currently observingYes — currently observing
CountryUnited StatesUnited States
RegionNorth AmericaNorth America

Best Time to Schedule a Call

There are 6 overlapping business hours between Chicago and Los Angeles (assuming 9:00–17:00 in each city). The ideal window for calls and meetings is:

11:00–17:00 in Chicago  =  09:00–15:00 in Los Angeles

Hour-by-Hour Time Conversion

Use this table to quickly convert any hour from Chicago time to Los Angeles time. Rows highlighted in green indicate overlapping business hours in both cities.

Chicago Los Angeles
00:00 22:00 (-1 day) Night
01:00 23:00 (-1 day) Night
02:00 00:00 Night
03:00 01:00 Night
04:00 02:00 Night
05:00 03:00 Night
06:00 04:00
07:00 05:00
08:00 06:00
09:00 07:00
10:00 08:00
11:00 09:00 Overlap
12:00 10:00 Overlap
13:00 11:00 Overlap
14:00 12:00 Overlap
15:00 13:00 Overlap
16:00 14:00 Overlap
17:00 15:00
18:00 16:00
19:00 17:00
20:00 18:00
21:00 19:00
22:00 20:00 Night
23:00 21:00 Night

Daylight Saving Time (DST) Impact

Both Chicago and Los Angeles are currently observing daylight saving time. The current 2 hours difference reflects both cities' DST offsets. When one city switches back to standard time before the other, the gap will temporarily change by 1 hour.

Practical Tips for Chicago–Los Angeles Scheduling

Compare Chicago and Los Angeles with Other Cities

From Chicago

From Los Angeles

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the time difference between Chicago and Los Angeles?

The time difference is 2 hours. Los Angeles is 2 hours behind Chicago.

Does the time difference change during the year?

Yes. Both cities observe daylight saving time, but they may switch on different dates, causing the gap to shift by 1 hour temporarily.

When is the best time to call from Chicago to Los Angeles?

The best window is between 11:00 and 17:00 Chicago time, which corresponds to 09:00–15:00 in Los Angeles. Both sides fall within normal business hours.

How do I convert Chicago time to Los Angeles time?

Subtract 2 hours from Chicago time to get Los Angeles time. Use the hour-by-hour table above for a quick reference.

Related Pages

For sunrise and sunset data, visit TheSunsetTimes.com. For detailed DST schedules, see DaylightSavingTime.info.