There is no single time in Mexico: it spans 4 offsets, and daylight saving time applies only in some regions.
Mexico at a glance
| Capital | Mexico City |
|---|---|
| UTC offsets | UTC−8 … UTC−5 |
| IANA time zones | 12 |
| Daylight saving time | Some regions only |
| Abbreviations in use | CST, PST, PDT, MST, MDT, EST, CDT |
Time zones in Mexico
Across Mexico, the tz database lists 12 zones. They differ in two ways: the base offset, and whether daylight saving time applies. A trip or call between regions can cross either difference.
| Time zone | Time now | UTC offset | Daylight saving time | Main cities |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| America/Tijuana | --:-- | UTC−8 | Observed | Tijuana, Mexicali, Ensenada |
| America/Ciudad_Juarez | --:-- | UTC−7 | Observed | Ciudad Juárez |
| America/Hermosillo | --:-- | UTC−7 | Not observed | Hermosillo, Ciudad Obregón, Nogales |
| America/Mazatlan | --:-- | UTC−7 | Not observed | Culiacán, Mazatlán, Tepic |
| America/Bahia_Banderas | --:-- | UTC−6 | Not observed | |
| America/Chihuahua | --:-- | UTC−6 | Not observed | Chihuahua, Cuauhtémoc, Delicias |
| America/Matamoros | --:-- | UTC−6 | Observed | Reynosa, Matamoros, Nuevo Laredo |
| America/Merida | --:-- | UTC−6 | Not observed | Mérida, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Tapachula |
| America/Mexico_City | --:-- | UTC−6 | Not observed | Mexico City, Iztapalapa, Puebla |
| America/Monterrey | --:-- | UTC−6 | Not observed | Monterrey, Torreón, San Luis Potosí |
| America/Ojinaga | --:-- | UTC−6 | Observed | |
| America/Cancun | --:-- | UTC−5 | Not observed | Cancún, Chetumal, Playa del Carmen |
Daylight saving time in Mexico
Daylight saving time applies in some parts of Mexico only. The table shows which zones change and when, so check the exact region before you fix a time.
Clock changes in Mexico, 2026 and 2027
| Date | Change | Zones that change |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday, March 8, 2026 | Clocks go forward 1 hour in every zone that uses daylight saving time (CST→CDT, MST→MDT and PST→PDT) | Reynosa, Ciudad Juárez, Tijuana |
| Sunday, November 1, 2026 | Clocks go back 1 hour in every zone that uses daylight saving time (CDT→CST, MDT→MST and PDT→PST) | Reynosa, Ciudad Juárez, Tijuana |
| Sunday, March 14, 2027 | Clocks go forward 1 hour in every zone that uses daylight saving time (CST→CDT, MST→MDT and PST→PDT) | Reynosa, Ciudad Juárez, Tijuana |
| Sunday, November 7, 2027 | Clocks go back 1 hour in every zone that uses daylight saving time (CDT→CST, MDT→MST and PDT→PST) | Reynosa, Ciudad Juárez, Tijuana |
Local time in the largest cities of Mexico
| City | Region | Time now | Time zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico City | Mexico City | --:-- | America/Mexico_City |
| Tijuana | Baja California | --:-- | America/Tijuana |
| Puebla | Puebla | --:-- | America/Mexico_City |
| Ecatepec | México | --:-- | America/Mexico_City |
| Querétaro | Querétaro | --:-- | America/Mexico_City |
| León | Guanajuato | --:-- | America/Mexico_City |
| Ciudad Juárez | Chihuahua | --:-- | America/Ciudad_Juarez |
| Zapopan | Jalisco | --:-- | America/Mexico_City |
| Mérida | Yucatán | --:-- | America/Merida |
| Monterrey | Nuevo León | --:-- | America/Monterrey |
| Mexicali | Baja California | --:-- | America/Tijuana |
| Chihuahua | Chihuahua | --:-- | America/Chihuahua |
| Cancún | Quintana Roo | --:-- | America/Cancun |
| Hermosillo | Sonora | --:-- | America/Hermosillo |
| Culiacán | Sinaloa | --:-- | America/Mazatlan |
| Morelia | Michoacán | --:-- | America/Mexico_City |
| Torreón | Coahuila | --:-- | America/Monterrey |
| San Luis Potosí | San Luis Potosí | --:-- | America/Monterrey |
| Aguascalientes | Aguascalientes | --:-- | America/Mexico_City |
| Saltillo | Coahuila | --:-- | America/Monterrey |
| Acapulco de Juárez | Guerrero | --:-- | America/Mexico_City |
| Tuxtla Gutiérrez | Chiapas | --:-- | America/Merida |
| Reynosa | Tamaulipas | --:-- | America/Matamoros |
| Cuautitlán Izcalli | México | --:-- | America/Mexico_City |
Show all 27 cities
Time difference between Mexico and other countries
Differences below use the time in the capital, Mexico City. Other regions of Mexico differ by up to 3 hours.
| City | Time now | Difference now | In January | In July |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York (United States) | --:-- | 1 h ahead | 1 h ahead | 2 h ahead |
| Los Angeles (United States) | --:-- | 2 h behind | 2 h behind | 1 h behind |
| London (United Kingdom) | --:-- | 6 h ahead | 6 h ahead | 7 h ahead |
| Paris (France) | --:-- | 7 h ahead | 7 h ahead | 8 h ahead |
| Dubai (United Arab Emirates) | --:-- | 10 h ahead | 10 h ahead | 10 h ahead |
| Mumbai (India) | --:-- | 11 h 30 min ahead | 11 h 30 min ahead | 11 h 30 min ahead |
| Singapore | --:-- | 14 h ahead | 14 h ahead | 14 h ahead |
| Tokyo (Japan) | --:-- | 15 h ahead | 15 h ahead | 15 h ahead |
| Sydney (Australia) | --:-- | 17 h ahead | 17 h ahead | 16 h ahead |
| UTC | --:-- | 6 h ahead | 6 h ahead | 6 h ahead |
Daylight across Mexico
Mexico stretches far from north to south, so daylight differs a lot between regions. Around the June solstice, Mexicali gets 14 hours 18 minutes of daylight and Tuxtla Gutiérrez 13 hours 8 minutes.
Countries on the same time as Mexico
These countries read the same time as Mexico City right now.
Tools for time in Mexico
- Convert a time to or from Mexico: pick a date and time and see it in every city on your list.
- Add Mexico City to your world clock to keep it next to your own time.
- Find a meeting time that falls inside office hours in Mexico and the other cities you work with.
- Open a full-screen clock for your own time zone.
Frequently asked questions
How many time zones does Mexico have?
4 offsets, from UTC−8 to UTC−5. The tz database splits them into 12 named zones.
Does Mexico use daylight saving time?
Only in some regions. Clocks change in places such as Tijuana, Ciudad Juárez and Reynosa, while Mexico City, Mérida, Monterrey and Chihuahua keep the same offset all year.
What is the time difference between Mexico and London?
It depends on the region. The capital, Mexico City, is 6 hours behind London in January and 7 hours behind London in July.
What time is it in the capital of Mexico?
The capital, Mexico City, uses America/Mexico_City (UTC−6 right now). The live clock for Mexico City is on its own page.
Time zone rules: IANA tz database, version 2026e. Place names and coordinates: GeoNames. Sunrise and sunset are calculated from the coordinates and can differ by a minute or two from local almanacs.