Texas time zone and daylight saving time

Central and Mountain Time Next clock change: Nov 1

Houston, UTC−5Sunrise 7:33 a.m. · Sunset 6:37 p.m. · 11 h 4 min of daylight

Texas at a glance

Time zone
Central; Mountain (far west, including El Paso)
Daylight saving time
Observed. UTC−5 in summer, UTC−6 in winter (Central Time areas).
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 2025. It needs federal approval before it can take effect.

Almost all of Texas uses Central Time. Two counties in the far west, El Paso and Hudspeth, use Mountain Time. The whole state observes daylight saving time.

Which parts of Texas use which time

Mountain Time: El Paso and Hudspeth counties, including the city of El Paso.

Central Time: the rest of the state, including Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, Fort Worth, Lubbock and Amarillo.

Time zones in bordering states

Texas borders four states. Only one of its borders crosses a time zone line.

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

Time zone map of Texas 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, except the Navajo Nation in northeastern Arizona, which does observe it and is not drawn separately.AlabamaArizonaColoradoFloridaGeorgiaIndianaKansasOklahomaMissouriIllinoisNew MexicoArkansasCaliforniaIowaKentuckyMississippiOhioTennesseeUtahNebraskaNevadaLouisiana

Current time in each zone

  • Eastern
  • Central
  • MountainArizona
  • Pacific

No daylight saving time. The Navajo Nation in Arizona, which does observe it, isn't drawn separately.

  • Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana: same time; they share Central Time.
  • New Mexico: El Paso and Hudspeth counties share New Mexico’s Mountain Time. Everywhere else along the border, Texas is on Central Time and 1 hour ahead of New Mexico.

What permanent time would mean for Texas

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 Houston.

Permanent daylight time

Later winter mornings

8:13 a.m.

Sunrise on the shortest day, December 21 (now 7:13 a.m.).

Winter sunset: 6:27 p.m. (now 5:27 p.m.).

Permanent standard time

Earlier summer evenings

7:25 p.m.

Sunset on the longest day, June 21 (now 8:25 p.m.).

Summer sunrise: 5:22 a.m. (now 6:22 a.m.).

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

Texas and permanent daylight time

In 2025, Texas enacted a law to observe daylight saving time year-round (House Bill 1393, signed by Governor Greg Abbott on June 20, 2025). It covers both the Central and Mountain Time parts of the state, names the result “Texas Time,” and takes effect only if Congress allows states to adopt permanent daylight time. Texas is the most recent of the 19 states the Congressional Research Service lists as having enacted such a law.

Until Congress acts, Texas keeps changing its clocks. The U.S. House passed the federal Sunshine Protection Act in July 2026, and it is now with the Senate.

Common questions

What time zone is Texas in?

Almost all of Texas uses Central Time. El Paso and Hudspeth counties, in the far west, use Mountain Time.

Is El Paso on Mountain Time?

Yes. El Paso County uses Mountain Time, one hour behind most of Texas.

What is “Texas Time”?

It is the name a 2025 state law gives to year-round daylight saving time in Texas. The law takes effect only if Congress allows permanent daylight time; until then, Texas keeps changing its clocks.

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

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