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Texas • Live Time-Zone Reference

Texas Time Zone

Texas has two time zones. Most of Texas is in Central Time (CT), while far West Texas—including El Paso and Hudspeth County—is in Mountain Time (MT). Both parts of Texas currently follow the U.S. daylight-saving schedule.

Quick answer: Houston, Dallas, Austin and San Antonio use Central Time. El Paso uses Mountain Time. During daylight saving time those areas use CDT (UTC−05:00) and MDT (UTC−06:00); during standard time they use CST (UTC−06:00) and MST (UTC−07:00).
Time zones2Central + Mountain
Most of TexasCentral TimeCST / CDT
Far West TexasMountain TimeMST / MDT
Texas Time Zones at a Glance Texas Time Zone Map Current Time in Texas
Search a Texas city, nearby state, time-zone name, abbreviation or UTC offset.
Popular: U.S. Time Zones Central Time Mountain Time CST CDT MST MDT Daylight Saving Time

Texas Time Zone at a Glance

Use the statewide references below to understand the two-zone split, current offsets, daylight-saving changes and the major Texas locations that use each clock.

CT

Central Time in Texas

Most of the state follows Central Time, including Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio.

Central Time details → MT

Mountain Time in Texas

Far West Texas uses Mountain Time, including El Paso and Hudspeth County.

Mountain Time details → DST

Texas Daylight Saving Time

Both Texas time zones move forward in March and return to standard time in November under current rules.

See DST rules → ⌖

Texas Time Zone Map

See the Central–Mountain boundary and understand why far West Texas uses a different clock.

View Texas map → ◷

Current Time in Texas

Open the statewide current-time page when your main question is what time it is in Texas right now.

See Texas time now → ⇄

Texas Time Converter

Convert Central or Mountain Time to another U.S. or world location for a specific date and time.

Convert Texas time →

Texas Time Zones by Major City

Most large Texas cities share Central Time. El Paso is the major high-signal exception and uses Mountain Time. The live abbreviation and UTC offset below change automatically with the date.

Current time across Texas →
Texas LocationCurrent TimeCurrent AbbreviationCurrent UTC OffsetTime-Zone Guide
HoustonLive——Houston Time Zone
DallasLive——Dallas Time Zone
AustinLive——Austin Time Zone
San AntonioLive——San Antonio Time Zone
Fort WorthLive——Central Texas reference
El PasoLive——El Paso Time Zone
Central Time Zone Mountain Time Zone Texas Time Zone Map

Texas Time-Zone Guides & Nearby References

Go deeper by city, compare the two time-zone families used in Texas, or continue to neighboring states where Central and Mountain Time also matter.

All U.S. time zones →
Texas cityHoustonCentral Time · CST/CDT.→ Texas cityDallasCentral Time · CST/CDT.→ Texas cityAustinCentral Time · CST/CDT.→ Texas citySan AntonioCentral Time · CST/CDT.→ Texas cityEl PasoMountain Time · MST/MDT.→ Zone familyCentral TimeThe time zone used by most of Texas.→ Zone familyMountain TimeThe time zone used in far West Texas.→ Neighboring stateOklahomaCentral Time reference north of Texas.→ Neighboring stateNew MexicoMountain Time reference west of Texas.→ Live statewide timeCurrent Time in TexasLive local clocks when current time is your main task.→ Visual referenceTexas Time Zone MapSee the Central–Mountain boundary visually.→ U.S. directoryU.S. Time ZonesAll 50 states, major zones and exceptions.→
Two Texas Clocks

Central & Mountain Time in Texas Now

The two Texas time zones move together under the same daylight-saving schedule, so Mountain Time remains one hour behind Central Time. Current abbreviations and offsets are calculated from the date rather than permanently hardcoded.

Central Time CST CDT Mountain Time MST MDT
Most of Texas · CentralLive timeAmerica/Chicago · current abbreviation and offset
El Paso · MountainLive timeAmerica/Denver · current abbreviation and offset
UTC ReferenceLive timeCoordinated Universal Time · UTC+00:00
Texas Zone Difference1 hourMountain Time is one hour behind Central Time.

Texas UTC Offsets: Central vs Mountain

Texas does not have one fixed UTC offset for the entire state or the entire year. The correct offset depends on both location and date.

Explore UTC offsets →
Texas AreaIANA ZoneCurrent TimeCurrent UTC OffsetSeasonal Rule
Houston / Gulf CoastAmerica/ChicagoLive—CST UTC−06 → CDT UTC−05
Dallas–Fort Worth / North TexasAmerica/ChicagoLive—CST UTC−06 → CDT UTC−05
Austin / Central TexasAmerica/ChicagoLive—CST UTC−06 → CDT UTC−05
San Antonio / South-Central TexasAmerica/ChicagoLive—CST UTC−06 → CDT UTC−05
El Paso CountyAmerica/DenverLive—MST UTC−07 → MDT UTC−06
Hudspeth CountyAmerica/DenverLive—MST UTC−07 → MDT UTC−06
Guadalupe Mountains National ParkAmerica/DenverLive—Park operations observe Mountain Time

Texas Standard Time vs Daylight Time

Texas observes the federal daylight-saving schedule in both of its time zones. Each spring the clocks move forward one hour; each fall they move back one hour.

Daylight Saving Time guide →
Texas ZoneStandard TimeStandard OffsetDaylight TimeDaylight Offset
Central Time (most of Texas)CSTUTC−06:00CDTUTC−05:00
Mountain Time (far West Texas)MSTUTC−07:00MDTUTC−06:00
Texas DST Rules When DST Starts When DST Ends DST by State

Compare Texas Central & Mountain Time

Compare the current moment in the two Texas time zones or switch either side to another major U.S. or world location. For a specific date and clock time, open the full converter.

Live time
Current abbreviation and UTC offset
Live time
Current abbreviation and UTC offset
Open Full Converter Time Zone Difference

How Texas Time Zones Work

Six facts explain almost every Texas time-zone question, from why the state has two clocks to why the abbreviations change during the year.

01 · Majority

Most of Texas Uses Central Time

Central Time covers the major population centers in North, Central, East, South and Gulf Coast Texas, including Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio.

02 · Far West

El Paso Uses Mountain Time

El Paso and Hudspeth County sit on the Mountain Time side of the federal Central–Mountain boundary, one hour behind most of Texas.

03 · Boundary

The Line Follows County Geography

The federal boundary reaches Texas along the New Mexico border and follows the east line of Hudspeth County south to the international border.

04 · Seasonal Change

Texas Observes DST

Both Texas time zones advance one hour under the current U.S. daylight-saving schedule and return to standard time in November.

05 · IANA Rules

Use Date-Aware Civil Zones

America/Chicago represents the Central Time rules used by most of Texas, while America/Denver represents the Mountain Time rules used around El Paso.

06 · Local Exception

Guadalupe Mountains Uses Mountain Time

The National Park Service observes Mountain Time throughout Guadalupe Mountains National Park for operations, even though most park land lies just east of the federal zone line.

Where Does Mountain Time Begin in Texas?

The legal Central–Mountain boundary is more precise than a simple “West Texas” label. Under 49 CFR Part 71, the boundary comes south along the Texas–New Mexico line, then follows the east line of Hudspeth County to the U.S.–Mexico border. That places El Paso County and Hudspeth County on the Mountain Time side.

El Paso CountyMountain Time. El Paso follows MST in standard time and MDT during daylight saving time.
Hudspeth CountyMountain Time under the federal boundary description.
Guadalupe Mountains National ParkThe National Park Service states that the park observes Mountain Time. Its 2026 Superintendent's Compendium notes that most of the park is just east of the formal time-zone line, but the park uses Mountain Time because of its connections to El Paso and Carlsbad.
See the Texas Time Zone MapEl Paso Time Zone

Is Texas Switching to Permanent “Texas Time”?

Not under the current operating rules. Texas HB 1393 provides that the state would observe daylight saving time year-round and call the standard time “Texas Time,” but the law explicitly takes effect only if federal legislation becomes law authorizing Texas to observe DST year-round.

Until that federal condition is satisfied, Texas continues to use its Central and Mountain Time areas with the regular seasonal DST changes. CalendarHours therefore calculates the live abbreviation and UTC offset from date-aware time-zone rules rather than assuming permanent CDT or MDT.

Current Daylight Saving Time Rules Daylight Saving Time by State Is Daylight Saving Time Ending? Time Zone Chart
Visual Geography

Texas Time Zone Map

Texas is overwhelmingly Central Time, with Mountain Time concentrated in the far western edge around El Paso and Hudspeth County. Open the dedicated map to see the boundary visually without reducing the state to a single clock.

Texas Time Zone Map U.S. Time Zone Map Central Time Zone Map

Looking for the Current Time in Texas?

This page explains Texas time zones, UTC offsets, abbreviations, boundaries and DST. If your main question is what time it is in Texas right now, open the statewide current-time page or a city clock below.

Statewide current timeCurrent Time in Texas
Central Texas clockCurrent Time in Dallas
Gulf Coast clockCurrent Time in Houston
Mountain Time clockCurrent Time in El Paso

Sources & Methodology

CalendarHours uses location-aware, date-aware time-zone logic rather than permanently hardcoding a single Texas offset. America/Chicago is used as the representative IANA zone for most of Texas and America/Denver for the Mountain Time rules used around El Paso.

The IANA Time Zone Database is the primary rules source for civil offsets and transitions. The latest IANA release verified for this page is tzdb 2026c, released July 8, 2026. U.S. daylight-saving dates are checked against NIST; federal zone boundaries are checked against 49 CFR Part 71; Guadalupe Mountains National Park operating time is checked against the National Park Service; and the contingent “Texas Time” law is checked against the enrolled text of Texas HB 1393.

IANA — Time Zone Database eCFR — 49 CFR Part 71, Standard Time Zone Boundaries NIST — Daylight Saving Time Rules National Park Service — Guadalupe Mountains Superintendent's Compendium Texas Legislature — HB 1393 Enrolled Text Time.gov — Official U.S. Time

Reviewed August 19, 2026. This URL is evergreen; live clocks, current abbreviations and UTC offsets update automatically from supported browser time-zone data.

Texas Time Zone FAQ

What time zone is Texas in?

Texas uses two time zones. Most of the state is in Central Time, while far West Texas, including El Paso and Hudspeth County, is in Mountain Time.

How many time zones are in Texas?

Texas has two standard time zones: Central Time and Mountain Time. Central Time covers most of the state, while Mountain Time is used in far West Texas.

Is Texas Central Time or Mountain Time?

Both. Houston, Dallas, Austin and San Antonio use Central Time. El Paso and Hudspeth County use Mountain Time.

What is the UTC offset in Texas?

The offset depends on location and date. Central Texas uses UTC−06:00 in standard time and UTC−05:00 during daylight saving time. Mountain Time areas use UTC−07:00 in standard time and UTC−06:00 during daylight saving time.

Does Texas observe daylight saving time?

Yes. Under the current federal schedule, both Texas time zones observe DST. In 2026, daylight saving time runs from March 8 at 2:00 a.m. local time to November 1 at 2:00 a.m. local time.

What time zone is El Paso, Texas in?

El Paso is in Mountain Time. It uses MST (UTC−07:00) during standard time and MDT (UTC−06:00) during daylight saving time. See the El Paso Time Zone guide.

What time zone are Dallas, Houston and Austin in?

Dallas, Houston and Austin are in Central Time. They use CST (UTC−06:00) during standard time and CDT (UTC−05:00) during daylight saving time.

Where is the Central and Mountain Time boundary in Texas?

The federal boundary follows the Texas–New Mexico line and then the east line of Hudspeth County to the Mexico border, placing El Paso and Hudspeth County on the Mountain Time side. See the Texas Time Zone Map for the visual boundary.

Does Guadalupe Mountains National Park use Mountain Time?

Yes. The National Park Service states that Guadalupe Mountains National Park observes Mountain Time. Its 2026 operating guidance also notes that most of the park lies just east of the formal federal time-zone line.

What is Texas Time?

Texas HB 1393 provides for year-round daylight saving time and the name “Texas Time” only if federal law authorizes Texas to observe DST year-round. Until that condition is satisfied, the regular Central and Mountain Time rules and seasonal changes continue to apply.