Austin is on standard time, UTC−6 (CST). On Sunday, March 14, 2027, clocks go forward 1 hour to UTC−5.
Austin and your time
Austin at a glance
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Region | Texas |
| Time zone | America/Chicago |
| Abbreviation now | CST |
| UTC offset now | UTC−6 |
| Daylight saving time | Starts Mar 14, 2027 |
| Next clock change | Sunday, March 14, 2027 |
| Coordinates | 30.27° N, 97.74° W |
Which time zone Austin uses
The America/Chicago rules put Austin on standard time (UTC−6 (CST)) since Sunday, November 1, 2026. After the change, daylight saving time runs until Sunday, November 7, 2027.
The United States uses 6 offsets, and Austin is not on the same time as the capital: right now Washington D.C. is 1 hour ahead of Austin.
Clock changes in Austin, 2026 and 2027
| Date | Change | New offset |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday, March 8, 2026 | Clocks go forward 1 hour: 2:00 AM becomes 3:00 AM | UTC−5 |
| Sunday, November 1, 2026 | Clocks go back 1 hour: 2:00 AM becomes 1:00 AM | UTC−6 |
| Sunday, March 14, 2027 | Clocks go forward 1 hour: 2:00 AM becomes 3:00 AM | UTC−5 |
| Sunday, November 7, 2027 | Clocks go back 1 hour: 2:00 AM becomes 1:00 AM | UTC−6 |
How far ahead or behind Austin is
When it is 9:00 AM in Austin, it is 3:00 PM in London, 2:00 AM (next day) in Sydney and 7:00 AM in Los Angeles.
| City | Time now | Difference now | In January | In July | Shared office hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington D.C. | --:-- | 1 h ahead | 1 h ahead | 1 h ahead | 7 h |
| Los Angeles | --:-- | 2 h behind | 2 h behind | 2 h behind | 6 h |
| London (United Kingdom) | --:-- | 6 h ahead | 6 h ahead | 6 h ahead | 2 h |
| Paris (France) | --:-- | 7 h ahead | 7 h ahead | 7 h ahead | 1 h |
| Dubai (United Arab Emirates) | --:-- | 10 h ahead | 10 h ahead | 9 h ahead | None |
| Mumbai (India) | --:-- | 11 h 30 min ahead | 11 h 30 min ahead | 10 h 30 min ahead | None |
| Singapore | --:-- | 14 h ahead | 14 h ahead | 13 h ahead | None |
| Tokyo (Japan) | --:-- | 15 h ahead | 15 h ahead | 14 h ahead | None |
| Sydney (Australia) | --:-- | 17 h ahead | 17 h ahead | 15 h ahead | None |
| UTC | --:-- | 6 h ahead | 6 h ahead | 5 h ahead | 2 h |
The difference is not fixed for every city: where the January and July columns disagree, one side moves its clocks and the other does not, or both move on different dates.
Shared office hours is the part of a 9 AM to 5 PM local working day that both cities have in common. Weekends are not taken into account.
Daylight in Austin
Today
| Sunrise | --:-- |
|---|---|
| Sunset | --:-- |
| Day length | -- |
| Solar noon | --:-- |
Day length in Austin runs from 10 hours 12 minutes at the December solstice to 14 hours 6 minutes at the June solstice. The latest sunset, at 8:37 PM, comes on June 30.
Daylight through the year in Austin
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | March 20 | 7:35 AM | 7:43 PM | 12 h 8 min |
| June solstice | June 21 | 6:30 AM | 8:36 PM | 14 h 6 min |
| September equinox | September 22 | 7:19 AM | 7:27 PM | 12 h 8 min |
| December solstice | December 21 | 7:23 AM | 5:35 PM | 10 h 12 min |
Daylight saving time moves sunrise and sunset 1 hour later by the clock in summer, which is why the latest sunsets fall in the daylight saving months.
When the sun is highest in Austin
Clock time and sun time line up fairly well in Austin: solar noon falls at about 12:30 PM on standard time and 1:30 PM during daylight saving time.
Cities near Austin
Every city below shares Austin’s clock.
| City | Distance | Time now | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round Rock | 28 km (17 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Killeen | 95 km (59 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| San Antonio | 118 km (74 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| College Station | 141 km (88 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Waco | 154 km (95 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Cypress | 200 km (124 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Houston | 236 km (147 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Pearland | 249 km (155 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
Cities that share Austin’s time zone
These cities follow the same time zone rules as Austin, including the same clock changes.
Same time now, different rules
These places read the same time as Austin today but follow different rules, so they can drift apart when clocks change.
- Mexico City (Mexico)
- Calgary (Canada)
- Mérida (Mexico)
- Monterrey (Mexico)
- Guatemala City (Guatemala)
- Managua (Nicaragua)
More cities in United States
- New York
- Los Angeles
- Chicago
- Houston
- Phoenix
- Philadelphia
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- The Bronx
- Dallas
- Jacksonville
- Fort Worth
All time zones and cities in the United States
Tools for time in Austin
- Convert a time to or from Austin: pick a date and time and see it in every city on your list.
- Add Austin to your world clock to keep it next to your own time.
- Find a meeting time that falls inside office hours in Austin and the other cities you work with.
- Open a full-screen clock for your own time zone.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is Austin in?
Austin uses the America/Chicago time zone: UTC−6 (CST) in standard time and UTC−5 (CDT) during daylight saving time.
When do the clocks change in Austin?
The next change is on Sunday, March 14, 2027 at 2:00 AM, when clocks go forward 1 hour to UTC−5. They go back again on Sunday, November 7, 2027.
What is the time difference between Austin and London?
Austin is 6 hours behind London for most of the year. From March 14 to March 27 and October 30 to November 7, the gap is 5 hours, because Austin and London change their clocks on different dates.
Is Austin on the same time as Washington D.C.?
No. Washington D.C. is 1 hour ahead of Austin, because the United States uses more than one offset.
How long is the longest day in Austin?
About 14 hours 6 minutes, around the June solstice. The shortest day, around the December solstice, has about 10 hours 12 minutes of daylight.
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.