See the current Central Time right now. Live CST/CDT clock with date, UTC offset, and city comparison tool. Covers all US states in the Central Time Zone. Central Standard Time (CST) is the second easternmost time zone in the United States and is also used in Canada. It covers all or parts of 20 states in the US and three provinces or territories in Canada. When scheduling meetings or coordinating with people in the CST timezone, it's important to account for the time difference. Our live clock above shows you the exact current time in CST, updating every second. View current time for CST (Central Standard Time) time zone [Updated live]. Other countries and time zones with the same UTC listed too. In North America, Central Time observes standard time at six hours behind UTC (UTC-6), shifting to five hours behind (UTC-5) during daylight saving time. Standard time in the zone is based on the mean solar time of the 90th meridian west of Greenwich. NIST promotes U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life. Exact time now, time zone, time difference, sunrise/sunset time and key facts for Central Time (CT). View current time for CST (Central Standard Time) time zone [Updated live]. Other countries and time zones with the same UTC listed too. Exact time now, time zone, time difference, sunrise/sunset time and key facts for Central Standard Time (CST). Arizona, Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands remain on Standard Time year-round. Quick links to convert between mainland U.S. time zones. Opens each pair page (or the live time zone converter). See layover windows, flight times, and your body clock at each stop.