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-6), while Los Angeles uses America/Los_Angeles (UTC-8).

Los Angeles is 2 hours behind Chicago — 2 hours
Chicago, United States
10:09:21
Saturday, November 7, 2026
UTC-6 · CST
↔
Los Angeles, United States
08:09:21
Saturday, November 7, 2026
UTC-8 · PST

Time Zone Details: Chicago vs Los Angeles

Detail Chicago Los Angeles
Time Zone IDAmerica/ChicagoAmerica/Los_Angeles
UTC OffsetUTC-6UTC-8
AbbreviationCSTPST
DST ActiveNoNo
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

Neither Chicago nor Los Angeles is currently observing daylight saving time. If either city observes DST, the time difference will change by 1 hour when DST begins or ends. Always double-check before scheduling across these time zones during March–April and October–November.

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?

It can. If either Chicago or Los Angeles observes daylight saving time, the gap will shift by 1 hour during the transition periods (typically March–April and October–November).

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.