Anyone who’s glanced at a clock and wondered why Texas seems to span multiple hours has stumbled onto a quirk of geography that affects millions: Texas operates on two time zones — Central Time for most of the state and Mountain Time for a sliver in the far west. That split means the sun rises an hour later in El Paso than in Houston, a difference that shapes daily life from school schedules to TV programming.
Texas time zones: 2 (Central Time and Mountain Time) ·
UTC offset (summer): Central Daylight Time UTC−5, Mountain Daylight Time UTC−6 ·
Number of locations tracked: 71 on Timeanddate.com ·
Texas size vs. France: Texas ~695,662 km²; France ~551,695 km² — Texas is larger
Quick snapshot
- Texas has two time zones: Central Time (most of the state) and Mountain Time (far west) (time.is – live time tracker)
- El Paso and Hudspeth counties observe Mountain Time year-round, with daylight saving adjustments (24timezones.com – Texas time zone map)
- Most major cities – Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio – use Central Time (time.now – Texas city times)
- Exact current time requires checking a live clock because daylight saving shifts twice a year (WorldTimeServer – live Texas clock)
- Northwestern Culberson County near Guadalupe Mountains National Park unofficially follows Mountain Time, creating a small pocket of ambiguity (Wikipedia – Time in Texas article)
- The informal adoption of Mountain Time in northwestern Culberson County may affect more communities than officially recognized (Wikipedia – Time in Texas article)
- Daylight saving time 2026 begins March 8 at 02:00 AM and ends November 1 at 02:00 AM (24timezones.com – DST schedule)
- After November 1, Texas Central Time shifts to UTC−6 (CST); Mountain Time shifts to UTC−7 (MST) (time.is – Texas time zone info)
- Next time change: clocks spring forward on March 8, 2026 — plan ahead for meetings with international partners (24timezones.com – DST schedule)
A traveler flying from Houston to El Paso loses an hour despite staying inside the same state — that’s a 650-mile trip that crosses a time zone boundary. For anyone scheduling calls or flights across Texas, ignoring the split means real scheduling conflicts.
Five key facts, one pattern: Texas time is consistent across the eastern 95% of the state, but the western edge marches to a different drum.
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| State abbreviation | TX |
| Primary time zone | Central Time (UTC−6/UTC−5) |
| Secondary time zone | Mountain Time (UTC−7/UTC−6) in far west |
| Capital | Austin (Central Time) |
| Largest city | Houston (Central Time) |
| IANA zone (Central) | America/Chicago |
| IANA zone (Mountain) | America/Denver |
| DST start (2026) | March 8 |
| DST end (2026) | November 1 |
The takeaway: Texas is not monolithic. One hour separates El Paso from Houston, and that gap has real effects on commerce, broadcast schedules, and daily routines.
What time is it right now in Texas?
The answer depends on where in the state you ask. Most of Texas is observing Central Daylight Time (CDT), which is UTC−5 during the summer months. The far west — specifically El Paso and Hudspeth counties — is on Mountain Daylight Time (MDT), UTC−6.
Current local time in major Texas cities
- Houston: CDT (UTC−5) — 24timezones.com – Houston time
- Dallas: CDT (UTC−5) — time.is – Dallas time
- Austin: CDT (UTC−5) — WorldTimeServer – Austin time
- San Antonio: CDT (UTC−5) — time.now – San Antonio
- El Paso: MDT (UTC−6) — 24timezones.com – El Paso time
Time with seconds for Texas
For real-time precision — useful for scheduling across time zones — live clocks are available at time.is (live second-by-second clock) and WorldTimeServer (Texas live clock). These update continuously and account for daylight saving automatically.
If you need the exact time in Texas right now, skip the generic search — a dedicated live clock is the only reliable source because DST flips the offset twice a year without warning.
Why it matters: Even a few seconds of inaccuracy can throw off a time-sensitive transaction. Live clocks remove the guesswork.
Does Texas have two time zones?
Yes — Texas is one of the few states that straddles two time zones. The line runs roughly along the 103rd meridian west, splitting the state into Central Time (the vast majority) and Mountain Time (the far western panhandle).
The two time zones: Central and Mountain
- Central Time covers about 95% of Texas, including all major cities — Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Fort Worth, and Corpus Christi (time.is – Texas coverage)
- Mountain Time covers El Paso and Hudspeth counties exclusively, plus an unofficial pocket in northwestern Culberson County (Wikipedia – county boundary details)
Which counties observe Mountain Time?
- El Paso County — includes El Paso, Socorro, San Elizario, Fabens (24timezones.com – Mountain Time cities)
- Hudspeth County — rural, west of the Pecos River
- Northwestern Culberson County — unofficial Mountain Time usage near Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Wikipedia – unofficial area)
The pattern: The time zone line is not a random border — it follows historical county lines and the 103rd meridian, creating a clean split that only surprises people who assume Texas is one contiguous zone.
How far behind is Texas from the UK?
The time difference between Texas and the United Kingdom varies depending on daylight saving in both locations. During most of the year, Texas lags by 5 to 6 hours.
Texas time difference with United Kingdom
- When both are on standard time (November to March): Texas Central Standard Time (UTC−6) is 6 hours behind UK (UTC+0) — e.g., 12:00 PM London = 6:00 AM Central Texas (24timezones.com – offset info)
- When both are on daylight saving (March to October): Texas Central Daylight Time (UTC−5) is 5 hours behind UK (UTC+1) — e.g., 12:00 PM London = 7:00 AM Central Texas
- For El Paso on Mountain Time: add one more hour (6–7 hours behind UK) (time.is – El Paso offset)
Daylight saving adjustments
The UK clocks change on the same weekend as the US (second Sunday in March and first Sunday in November), but at different local times. This means for a brief period each spring and fall, the gap may temporarily shift by an hour before both sides align (WorldTimeServer – DST change details).
The trade-off: Scheduling a call with London? Use 5 hours during US summer and 6 hours during winter — but double-check the specific week because the transition weeks can create a window of 4- or 7-hour difference.
What is the time difference between Texas and Australia?
Australia has multiple time zones, and the difference with Texas can range from 13 to 17 hours — meaning when it’s noon in Texas, it’s already the next morning in parts of Australia.
Texas vs. Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST)
- AEST is UTC+10 during standard time. Texas Central Time (standard, UTC−6) is 16 hours behind AEST. During Texas summer (CDT, UTC−5), the difference is 15 hours (24timezones.com – AEST comparison)
- Example: 10:00 AM Houston (CDT) = 11:00 PM next day Sydney (AEST)
Texas vs. Australian Western Standard Time (AWST)
- AWST is UTC+8 year-round (no DST). Texas Central Standard Time (UTC−6) is 14 hours behind AWST. During Texas summer (CDT, UTC−5), the gap is 13 hours.
- El Paso on Mountain Time adds one more hour to the difference (time.now – El Paso offset)
The pattern: Australia is always “tomorrow” for Texas. Anyone coordinating between the two must account for a day crossing — a common mistake that causes missed deadlines.
What is GMT time now in Texas?
GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) is the same as UTC+0. Texas time expressed in GMT/UTC terms depends on the time zone and daylight saving status.
Current GMT equivalent for Texas time
- Texas Central Daylight Time: UTC−5 → subtract 5 hours from GMT (24timezones.com – GMT offset)
- Texas Central Standard Time: UTC−6 → subtract 6 hours from GMT
- Texas Mountain Daylight Time: UTC−6 → also subtract 6 hours from GMT
- Texas Mountain Standard Time: UTC−7 → subtract 7 hours from GMT
GMT to CST/CDT conversion
Using the IANA time zone America/Chicago (time.is – IANA identifier) for Central Texas, the conversion is straightforward: add 5 or 6 hours to Central Time to get GMT. Real-time converters at WorldTimeServer (conversion tool) handle the arithmetic automatically.
The implication: If someone asks “what is GMT in Texas now?” they probably need a live converter — the number changes twice a year and differs by one hour between El Paso and Houston.
Clarity check
Confirmed facts
- Texas has two official time zones: Central and Mountain
- Major cities (Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio) use Central Time
- El Paso and Hudspeth counties use Mountain Time
- DST begins second Sunday in March and ends first Sunday in November
- IANA zone for Central Texas is America/Chicago
- IANA zone for Mountain Texas is America/Denver
What’s unclear
- The exact current time without a live clock (due to DST)
- Status of unofficial Mountain Time usage in northwestern Culberson County
“Texas covers two time zones, with the western border counties observing Mountain Time. Our live clock updates in real time to reflect the correct offset.”
— time.is editorial team
“We show Texas local time as Central Daylight Time with a UTC/GMT offset of -0500 during the summer. The next clock change is on November 1, 2026.”
— WorldTimeServer.com
For travelers and businesses scheduling across Texas, the choice is clear: know your county, or risk showing up an hour early or late. The split between Central and Mountain Time is small in geography — just two counties — but large in its daily impact.
Related reading: Mother’s Day 2026: Ireland, UK & US Dates Explained · Australian Public Holidays 2025: Complete Calendar
For a broader perspective on how Texas fits into the national picture, you can explore the time zones across the United States including New York and California.
Frequently asked questions
Is Texas in Central Standard Time all year?
No. Texas observes Central Standard Time (UTC−6) only during the winter months (November to March). From March to November, most of Texas uses Central Daylight Time (UTC−5). El Paso and Hudspeth counties follow Mountain Standard Time (UTC−7) in winter and Mountain Daylight Time (UTC−6) in summer.
Does Texas observe Daylight Saving Time?
Yes. Texas follows the US DST schedule: clocks spring forward on the second Sunday in March and fall back on the first Sunday in November. The next schedule: March 8, 2026 to November 1, 2026.
How many hours behind GMT is Texas?
Texas Central Time is 5 hours behind GMT during summer (CDT, UTC−5) and 6 hours behind during winter (CST, UTC−6). For El Paso on Mountain Time, the difference is 6 or 7 hours behind GMT depending on the season.
What time zone is Houston Texas?
Houston is in the Central Time Zone. It observes Central Daylight Time (UTC−5) during summer and Central Standard Time (UTC−6) during winter.
Is Texas the same time as Chicago?
Yes, for most of Texas. Both Houston and Chicago are in the Central Time Zone, so they share the same local time year-round. El Paso, however, is one hour behind Chicago.
What is the time difference between Texas and New York?
New York is in the Eastern Time Zone (UTC−5/UTC−4). Texas Central Time is one hour behind New York year-round. El Paso (Mountain Time) is two hours behind New York.
When does Texas change clocks for daylight saving?
Texas changes clocks on the second Sunday of March (spring forward) and the first Sunday of November (fall back). In 2026: March 8 and November 1, both at 2:00 AM local time.
Does El Paso Texas have a different time zone than Dallas?
Yes. El Paso (and Hudspeth County) is in the Mountain Time Zone, while Dallas is in the Central Time Zone. El Paso is one hour behind Dallas during both standard and daylight saving time.
Ethan Fraser is Senior Reporter at Oz Briefly, covering breaking stories and explainers.