Current Time in CDT
Central Daylight Time
About CDT Central Daylight Time
The daylight saving time for the Central Time Zone in North America. Used in parts of Canada, the United States, and Mexico. It is one hour ahead of Central Standard Time (CST, UTC-06:00). Active from March to November.
UTC Offset: -05:00
CDT at a glance
| Right now | 12:45 on Tuesday |
|---|---|
| UTC offset | UTC-05:00 (5 hours behind UTC) |
| Full name | Central Daylight Time |
| Countries | 3 |
| IANA zones | 18 |
What is CDT?
CDT is a time zone that is currently UTC-05:00 - that's 5 hours behind UTC. Its full name is Central Daylight Time. Right now the local time on CDT is 12:45. Today 3 countries (including Canada, Mexico and United States) and 18 IANA database zones sit at this offset, which is why CDT is a useful shorthand even though the exact local rules differ from place to place.
How to convert CDT to UTC
For quick planning, use today's offset as a rule of thumb: 12:00 UTC = 07:00 local time, and 09:00 local time = 14:00 UTC. The live clock above is the safest reference when daylight saving or regional rules may apply.
Which countries use CDT?
CDT is used across Canada, Mexico and United States. Open a country to see all of its cities and their local time.
IANA time zones in CDT
CDT maps to the IANA database zones America/Chicago, America/Indiana/Knox, America/Indiana/Tell_City, America/Knox_IN, America/Matamoros and America/Menominee, among 18 in total. Each zone page shows its exact rules, including any daylight saving changes.
💡 Tip: Comparing times? CDT is 5 hours behind UTC. Use the IANA links and country links on this page when you need the exact local rule for a real place, not just the offset.
CDT - Frequently asked questions
What is CDT?
CDT is a time zone currently UTC-05:00 (5 hours behind UTC). Its full name is Central Daylight Time.
What is the UTC offset of CDT?
CDT is UTC-05:00 right now - 5 hours behind UTC.
Which countries are on CDT?
CDT is used in Canada, Mexico and United States.
What time is it in CDT now?
The current time on CDT is 12:45 on Tuesday. The clock above updates every second.
How Alarm.now explains CDT
Abbreviation, offset, and IANA zones
CDT is shown as a time-zone group for Central Daylight Time with offset -05:00. The page links the abbreviation to the IANA zones and countries that use it, so users and search engines can distinguish a short label from an exact time-zone rule set.
When to use a specific IANA page
Use this group page for an overview of the abbreviation and offset. Use a linked IANA time-zone page when you need exact daylight-saving rules for a calendar, app, or future-date comparison.