Current Time in GMT − 6 Zone
About GMT-6
GMT-6 is six hours behind Greenwich Mean Time. It is known as Central Standard Time (CST) in North America (e.g., Chicago, Mexico City) and is also used by most of Central America (e.g., Costa Rica, Guatemala) year-round. The Galapagos Islands also use this offset. It is heavily affected by DST in the US, Canada, and Mexico.
UTC Offset: GMT-6
What is GMT-6?
GMT-6 means Greenwich Mean Time 6 hours behind the Greenwich meridian, the historical reference line running through the Royal Observatory in London. GMT offsets are the everyday way many countries, broadcasters, and travel timetables describe their local time relative to the UK.
Note that some of the countries listed below sit on GMT-6 for only part of the year: when daylight saving time starts or ends they move one hour, so always check the live local times shown on this page or on each country's own page.
GMT-6 vs UTC-6
For everyday purposes GMT-6 and UTC-6 are the same wall-clock time. GMT is the traditional name based on mean solar time at Greenwich, while UTC is the modern atomic-time standard used by computers and aviation. If you are setting a meeting or catching a flight, either works; if you are configuring a server, use UTC-6.
Time & Daylight in GMT-6
Time Difference Between GMT-6 and Major Cities
Live local time and the difference from GMT-6 right now.
Current time shown is based on the representative IANA zone: Chile/EasterIsland
GMT-6: The Fixed Offset and Its Real-World Geography
GMT-6 (also written as UTC-6) is a fixed time offset six hours behind Coordinated Universal Time. Unlike named time zones such as Central Standard Time (CST) or Mountain Standard Time (MST), GMT-6 itself does not observe daylight saving time. However, many regions that use this offset during standard time shift to GMT-5 when DST is in effect, meaning the list of places at GMT-6 changes with the seasons. This article explains what GMT-6 means, where it applies year-round, and how to schedule across it.
Fixed Offset vs. Named Time Zone
A fixed UTC offset like GMT-6 is simply a number: clocks are set to UTC minus 6 hours. A named time zone, such as America/Chicago, includes rules for daylight saving time, historical changes, and political boundaries. Because DST is not observed uniformly, the set of countries and cities at GMT-6 is not static. For example, Chicago is at GMT-6 during winter (CST) but switches to GMT-5 in summer (CDT). Meanwhile, Belize and Costa Rica remain at GMT-6 all year because they do not observe DST.
Countries and Regions at GMT-6 (Year-Round or Seasonally)
The following countries have regions that use GMT-6 as their standard time (winter in the Northern Hemisphere). Those marked with an asterisk (*) observe DST and therefore move to GMT-5 during summer.
- Belize – No DST. All year at GMT-6.
- Canada – Parts of Saskatchewan (America/Regina, America/Swift_Current) stay on GMT-6 year-round. Other areas like Winnipeg (America/Winnipeg) and Rankin Inlet (America/Rankin_Inlet) observe DST and shift to GMT-5 in summer.*
- Costa Rica – No DST. All year at GMT-6.
- Ecuador – The Galápagos Islands are at GMT-6 year-round (no DST). Mainland Ecuador is at GMT-5.
- El Salvador – No DST. All year at GMT-6.
- Guatemala – No DST. All year at GMT-6.
- Honduras – No DST. All year at GMT-6.
- Mexico – Most of the country, including Mexico City (America/Mexico_City), observes DST and moves to GMT-5 in summer.* However, some border cities (e.g., Matamoros) follow US DST rules. Quintana Roo (Cancún) is at GMT-5 year-round. The state of Sonora is at GMT-7.
- Nicaragua – No DST. All year at GMT-6.
- United States – The Central Time Zone (e.g., Chicago, America/Chicago) uses GMT-6 in winter and GMT-5 in summer.* Several Indiana zones (America/Indiana/Knox, America/Indiana/Tell_City) and North Dakota zones (America/North_Dakota/Beulah, Center, New_Salem) also follow DST. The entire US observes DST except for Hawaii and most of Arizona.
Representative Cities and IANA Zones
The IANA time zone database assigns specific zones to locations that share the same UTC offset and DST rules. Key zones at GMT-6 include:
- America/Belize – Belize City, Belmopan
- America/Chicago – Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Minneapolis
- America/Costa_Rica – San José
- America/El_Salvador – San Salvador
- America/Guatemala – Guatemala City
- America/Managua – Managua
- America/Mexico_City – Mexico City, Monterrey
- America/Regina – Regina, Saskatchewan (no DST)
- America/Tegucigalpa – Tegucigalpa
- America/Winnipeg – Winnipeg (DST)
Practical Scheduling Notes
When scheduling across GMT-6, remember that locations observing DST will be at GMT-5 during their summer (typically March to November in the Northern Hemisphere). For example, a meeting at 10:00 GMT-6 in winter is at 11:00 GMT-5 in summer for Chicago. Year-round GMT-6 locations like Belize and Costa Rica do not change. Military time uses the letter "S" (Sierra) for GMT-6. UTC and GMT are functionally identical for timekeeping, so UTC-6 and GMT-6 read the same on a clock.
Daylight Saving Time Impact
In the US and Canada, DST begins on the second Sunday of March and ends on the first Sunday of November. Mexico's DST typically runs from the first Sunday of April to the last Sunday of October, though border cities may follow US dates. Saskatchewan (Canada) and most of Central America do not observe DST. Always check local DST rules before scheduling.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between GMT-6 and Central Standard Time (CST)?
GMT-6 is a fixed offset from UTC. CST is a named time zone that uses GMT-6 during standard time but switches to GMT-5 (CDT) when daylight saving time is in effect. So CST is only at GMT-6 for part of the year.
Which countries stay on GMT-6 all year without DST?
Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and the Galápagos Islands of Ecuador stay on GMT-6 year-round. Most of Saskatchewan, Canada also does not observe DST.
If I have a meeting at 3 PM GMT-6, what time is that in Chicago in July?
In July, Chicago observes Central Daylight Time (CDT), which is GMT-5. So 3 PM GMT-6 is 4 PM CDT in Chicago. Always check whether DST is active.
What is the military letter for GMT-6?
The military time zone letter for GMT-6 is 'S' (Sierra). It is used in aviation and military operations to denote the offset.
Is UTC-6 the same as GMT-6?
Yes, UTC and GMT are essentially the same for civil timekeeping. UTC-6 and GMT-6 refer to the same offset and read identically on a clock.
Why does the list of countries at GMT-6 change?
Because some regions observe daylight saving time. During DST, they shift to GMT-5, so they are only at GMT-6 during standard time. Countries that do not observe DST remain at GMT-6 all year.