Updated Mar 2026

Current Time in Des Moines, United States

Name: Des Moines
Address: Des Moines, United States

Check the current local time in Des Moines, United States. Des Moines uses the America/Chicago time zone, with CST (UTC -6:00) during standard time and CDT (UTC -5:00) during daylight saving time.

Des Moines, United States — Live Clock

4:46:27 PM

CDT Live timezone

Wednesday, June 3, 2026

DST ends: November 1, 2026

Des Moines Time Zone

Time Zone

America/Chicago

Des Moines, United States

Current zone: CDT

Source: IANA Time Zone Database

Standard Time

CST

UTC -6:00

Used outside daylight saving time

Daylight Time

CDT

UTC -5:00

Observed during daylight saving time

Next DST Change

DST ends

November 1, 2026

Based on Second Sunday in March / First Sunday in November

About Des Moines Time: CST & CDT

Check the live current time in Des Moines, United States. Des Moines follows CST (UTC -6:00) and does not observe daylight saving time. Use this page to confirm local business hours, travel timing, and call scheduling without timezone.

Des Moines vs Major Cities

UTC UTC -5:00

--:-- 5 hours behind

London UTC +1:00

--:-- 6 hours behind

New York UTC -4:00

--:-- 1 hour behind

Singapore UTC +8:00

--:-- 13 hours behind

Dubai UTC +4:00

--:-- 9 hours behind

Tokyo UTC +9:00

--:-- 14 hours behind

Mumbai UTC +5:30

--:-- 10 hours and 30 minutes behind

Daylight Saving Time

Clocks change in Des Moines in 150 days

DST ends on November 1, 2026. Clocks fall back — sunrise and sunset shift one hour earlier in Des Moines.

Other Cities in America/Chicago

These cities share the same time zone as Des Moines — when it's 4:46:27 PM here, it's the same local time there.

Chicago United States Houston United States San Antonio United States Dallas United States Austin United States Fort Worth United States Nashville United States Oklahoma City United States Memphis United States Milwaukee United States Kansas City United States Omaha United States

Other Cities in United States

Major cities in United States — some may be in a different time zone than Des Moines if the country spans multiple zones.

New York EST Los Angeles PST Chicago CST Las Vegas PST Honolulu HST Houston CST Washington EST Yosemite PST Phoenix MST Orlando EST Lake Tahoe PST Miami EST

Browse all cities in United States

Need to Schedule a Call to Des Moines?

Find the perfect overlap time between your timezone and Des Moines. Our calculator shows when business hours align.

Calculate Best Calling Time

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about Des Moines time

What time is it in Des Moines right now?

The live clock at the top of this page shows the exact current local time in Des Moines, United States, updated every second. Right now, Des Moines is on CDT with a UTC offset of UTC -5:00. The time updates automatically — no need to refresh the page.

What timezone is Des Moines in?

Des Moines uses the America/Chicago timezone. Standard time is CST (UTC -6:00). During daylight saving time it switches to CDT (UTC -5:00). Currently Des Moines is on CDT (UTC -5:00). The live clock above reflects whichever timezone is active right now.

How many hours ahead or behind is Des Moines?

Des Moines is currently UTC -5:00 from UTC. This offset can shift by one hour when daylight saving time starts or ends — always check the live clock above for the current difference.

Does Des Moines observe daylight saving time?

Yes. Des Moines observes daylight saving time, switching between CST (UTC -6:00) and CDT (UTC -5:00) each year. Clocks advance on Second Sunday in March and fall back on First Sunday in November. Right now Des Moines is using CDT.

Is Des Moines on CST or CDT right now?

Right now Des Moines is using CDT (UTC -5:00). It switches to CDT in summer and back to CST in winter. The timezone badge in the live clock above updates automatically when clocks change — no need to check a calendar.

What is the best time to call Des Moines from New York?

The best call window from New York to Des Moines depends on the current offset. Des Moines is currently UTC -5:00 from UTC. Aim for a time when both cities are comfortably within 9:00 AM–5:00 PM — use the time difference table on this page to find the current gap.