Current Time in Texas

Central Time (CT) · CST (UTC−6) in winter · CDT (UTC−5) during Daylight Saving Time · El Paso uses Mountain Time

Most of Texas (CT)
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Far West TX (MT)
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CST · UTC-6 / MST · UTC-72 Time Zones

Quick Facts

Primary Zone
CT — Central Time (UTC-6/UTC-5)
Far West Texas
MT — Mountain Time (El Paso area)
DST Rule
2nd Sunday Mar → 1st Sunday Nov
Population
~30 million — 2nd largest US state
Area
696,241 km² — bigger than France!
Famous For
Oil, NASA, BBQ, tech (Austin), cowboys

Texas's Two Time Zones \u2014 The El Paso Split

Most of Texas is on Central Time, but El Paso and Hudspeth County in far west Texas use Mountain Time. El Paso is geographically closer to Los Angeles than to Houston \u2014 and is closer to three state capitals (Santa Fe, NM; Phoenix, AZ; Chihuahua, MX) than to Austin.

Texas's energy industry runs the state like a country: if Texas were independent, it would have the 9th largest economy in the world. The Texas power grid (ERCOT) is unique \u2014 it's not connected to the rest of the US grid, operating independently across both Central and Mountain time zones.

NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston operates on CT \u2014 “Houston, we have a problem” was transmitted at CST. Austin's tech boom (Tesla, Oracle, Samsung, SpaceX) has made it “Silicon Hills” \u2014 attracting workers from California who gain 2 extra hours relative to Pacific Time colleagues.

Major Texas Cities

Houston
Pop. 2.3M · CT · Energy capital, NASA, diverse
San Antonio
Pop. 1.5M · CT · Alamo, River Walk, military
Dallas
Pop. 1.3M · CT · Finance, Cowboys, DFW airport
Austin
Pop. 1M · CT · State capital, tech, live music
Fort Worth
Pop. 960K · CT · Stockyards, "where West begins"
El Paso
Pop. 680K · MT · Border city, bilingual, desert

Frequently Asked Questions

What time is it in Texas right now?
Most of Texas uses Central Time — CST (UTC−6) in winter and CDT (UTC−5) during Daylight Saving Time. This includes Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, and Fort Worth. El Paso and Hudspeth County use Mountain Time (MST/MDT, UTC−7/−6). The live clock at the top shows the current Central Time in Texas.
What time zone is Texas in?
The vast majority of Texas uses the Central Time Zone (CT): CST (UTC−6) in winter and CDT (UTC−5) during Daylight Saving Time. The IANA identifier is America/Chicago. Exception: El Paso and Hudspeth County in far west Texas use Mountain Time (America/Denver), aligning with New Mexico rather than the rest of Texas.
Does Texas observe Daylight Saving Time?
Yes. Texas observes Daylight Saving Time. Clocks spring forward 1 hour on the second Sunday in March and fall back on the first Sunday in November. The Texas legislature has considered proposals to stop observing DST, but as of 2026, Texas continues to change clocks twice a year.
What is the time difference between Texas and New York?
New York (Eastern Time) is always 1 hour ahead of Texas (Central Time). When it is 9:00 AM in Houston, it is 10:00 AM in New York. This 1-hour gap is constant year-round because both states switch to Daylight Saving Time simultaneously.
What is the time difference between Texas and California?
Texas (Central Time) is always 2 hours ahead of California (Pacific Time). When it is 9:00 AM in Los Angeles, it is 11:00 AM in Houston or Dallas. This gap is constant year-round.
What time zone is El Paso, Texas in?
El Paso and the surrounding Hudspeth County use Mountain Time (MST/MDT, UTC−7/−6), not Central Time like the rest of Texas. This is because El Paso is geographically in the western tip of Texas, closer to Albuquerque and Phoenix than to Dallas. The IANA identifier for El Paso is America/Denver.
What is the time difference between Texas and the UK?
Texas (CST, UTC−6) is 6 hours behind London (GMT, UTC+0) in UK winter. During British Summer Time (BST, UTC+1), London is 7 hours ahead of Texas. During US Daylight Saving Time (CDT, UTC−5), Texas is 5 hours behind GMT.

Related Time Pages

New York timeTime in FloridaTime in CaliforniaTime in MexicoHouston timeDallas timeTime in LouisianaTime converter tool
Time zone data powered by the IANA Time Zone Database. Texas (most): America/Chicago (CST UTC−6 / CDT UTC−5). El Paso: America/Denver.