Time Difference Between Ottawa and Chicago

The time difference between Ottawa and Chicago is 1 hour. When it is 12:00 noon in Ottawa, it is 11:00 in Chicago. Ottawa uses the America/Toronto time zone (UTC-5), while Chicago uses America/Chicago (UTC-6).

Chicago is 1 hour behind Ottawa — 1 hour
Ottawa, Canada
11:12:49
Saturday, November 7, 2026
UTC-5 · EST
↔
Chicago, United States
10:12:49
Saturday, November 7, 2026
UTC-6 · CST

Time Zone Details: Ottawa vs Chicago

Detail Ottawa Chicago
Time Zone IDAmerica/TorontoAmerica/Chicago
UTC OffsetUTC-5UTC-6
AbbreviationESTCST
DST ActiveNoNo
CountryCanadaUnited States
RegionNorth AmericaNorth America

Best Time to Schedule a Call

There are 7 overlapping business hours between Ottawa and Chicago (assuming 9:00–17:00 in each city). The ideal window for calls and meetings is:

10:00–17:00 in Ottawa  =  09:00–16:00 in Chicago

Hour-by-Hour Time Conversion

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

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

Daylight Saving Time (DST) Impact

Neither Ottawa nor Chicago 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 Ottawa–Chicago Scheduling

Compare Ottawa and Chicago with Other Cities

From Ottawa

From Chicago

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the time difference between Ottawa and Chicago?

The time difference is 1 hour. Chicago is 1 hour behind Ottawa.

Does the time difference change during the year?

It can. If either Ottawa or Chicago 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 Ottawa to Chicago?

The best window is between 10:00 and 17:00 Ottawa time, which corresponds to 09:00–16:00 in Chicago. Both sides fall within normal business hours.

How do I convert Ottawa time to Chicago time?

Subtract 1 hour from Ottawa time to get Chicago 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.