Oklahoma time zone and daylight saving time

Central Time Next clock change: Nov 1

Oklahoma City, UTC−5Sunrise 7:49 a.m. · Sunset 6:38 p.m. · 10 h 49 min of daylight

Oklahoma at a glance

Time zone
Central
Daylight saving time
Observed. UTC−5 in summer, UTC−6 in winter.
Upcoming clock changes
  • Sunday, November 1, 2026: clocks fall back
  • Sunday, March 14, 2027: clocks spring forward
  • Sunday, November 7, 2027: clocks fall back
  • Sunday, March 12, 2028: clocks spring forward
Each change happens at 2:00 a.m. local time.
Permanent daylight time law
Enacted in 2024. It needs federal approval before it can take effect.

All of Oklahoma uses Central Time and observes daylight saving time: UTC−5 in summer and UTC−6 in winter.

Time zones in bordering states

Oklahoma’s only time zone line is at the far western tip of its Panhandle.

Select a state on the map to see its time zone details.

Time zone map of Oklahoma and surrounding states. Each state is a link to its page.Counties are shaded by time zone. Hatched counties are split between two zones; dotted areas do not observe daylight saving time.ColoradoKansasTexasMissouriNew MexicoArkansasLouisiana

Current time in each zone

  • Central
  • Mountain
  • Texas, Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas: same time all along the border.
  • Colorado and New Mexico: both use Mountain Time, so at the western end of the Panhandle, Oklahoma is 1 hour ahead of them.

What permanent time would mean for Oklahoma

Ending clock changes would mean keeping one time all year: either permanent daylight time or permanent standard time. Here’s how each would shift sunrise and sunset in Oklahoma City.

Permanent daylight time

Later winter mornings

8:35 a.m.

Sunrise on the shortest day, December 21 (now 7:35 a.m.).

Winter sunset: 6:21 p.m. (now 5:21 p.m.).

Permanent standard time

Earlier summer evenings

7:49 p.m.

Sunset on the longest day, June 21 (now 8:49 p.m.).

Summer sunrise: 5:15 a.m. (now 6:15 a.m.).

Times for Oklahoma City, calculated for 2026. Actual sunrise and sunset can differ by a few minutes with terrain and weather.

Oklahoma and permanent daylight time

In 2024, Oklahoma enacted a law (Senate Bill 1200, signed by Governor Kevin Stitt in April 2024) to observe daylight saving time year-round once federal law allows states to choose. Oklahoma is among the 19 states the Congressional Research Service lists as having enacted such a law.

Lawmakers have also considered the opposite approach: a 2026 bill (House Bill 3593) proposes keeping standard time year-round, and was pending according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Any switch to permanent daylight time would need Congress to act first. The U.S. House passed the Sunshine Protection Act in July 2026, and it is now with the Senate.

Common questions

What time zone is Oklahoma in?

All of Oklahoma uses Central Time and observes daylight saving time.

Is Oklahoma on the same time as Dallas?

Yes. Dallas, Texas uses Central Time, the same as Oklahoma.

Didn’t Oklahoma pass a law to stop changing clocks?

Oklahoma passed a law in 2024 to observe daylight saving time year-round, but it takes effect only once federal law allows it. Until then, clocks keep changing.

Sources: U.S. Department of Transportation (49 CFR Part 71); Congressional Research Service; Congress.gov; National Conference of State Legislatures.

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