Central Time Zone

<p>The Central Time Zone is a <a href="/facts/Time_zone/x5JzdlX8">time zone</a> in parts of <a href="/facts/Canada/D5P9yqs6">Canada</a>, the <a href="/facts/United_States/P0sCdLe5">United States</a>, <a href="/facts/Mexico/IT5bwhdh">Mexico</a>, <a href="/facts/Central_America/CXKgTuxC">Central America</a>, and a few <a href="/facts/Caribbean_Islands/uAbI7fSV">Caribbean islands</a>. It is one hour behind the <a href="/facts/Eastern_Time_Zone/jP4S8j1V">Eastern Time Zone</a>.
</p><p>Daylight saving time is observed in most parts of that zone (20 states in the US, three provinces or territories in Canada, and several border municipalities in Mexico): Central Standard Time (CST) is observed from the first Sunday in November to the second Sunday in March. It is <a href="/facts/UTC%25E2%2588%259206%3a00/h6pCEezn">six hours</a> behind <a href="/facts/Coordinated_Universal_Time/2EnjfSyu">Coordinated Universal Time</a> (UTC) and designated internationally as UTC−6. From the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November the same areas observe <a href="/facts/Daylight_saving_time/bEWvB1Rt">daylight saving time</a> (DST), creating the designation of Central Daylight Time (CDT), which is <a href="/facts/UTC%25E2%2588%259205%3a00/JcPY8rp7">five hours</a> behind UTC and known internationally as UTC−5.
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Central Time Zone open-in-new

Central Time Zone