| Country: | Mexico |
|---|---|
| Long Name: | United Mexican States |
| Abbreviations: | MX, MEX |
| Capital: | Mexico City |
| Time Zones: | 4 |
| Dial Code: | +52 |
Time Zones Currently Being Used in Mexico
| Offset | Time Zone Abbreviation & Name | Example City | Current Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UTC -8 | PST | Pacific Standard Time | Tijuana | Tue, 9:12:54 pm |
| UTC -7 | MST | Mountain Standard Time | Hermosillo | Tue, 10:12:54 pm |
| UTC -6 | CST | Central Standard Time | Mexico City | Tue, 11:12:54 pm |
| UTC -5 | EST | Eastern Standard Time | Cancún | Wed, 12:12:54 am |
How Many Time Zones Are There in Mexico?
Mexico has four standard time zones, which mirror the time zones in the contiguous United States.
The central and most of the eastern parts of the country, including its capital Mexico City and most of Chihuahua observe Central Standard Time (Zona Centro). Most of western Mexico, including Baja California Sur, Nayarit, Sinaloa, and Sonora, use Mountain Standard Time (Zona Pacífico).
These two areas, covering nearly all of Mexico, are flanked by much smaller time zones in the country's far east and far west. Baja California, bordering California and the Pacific Ocean, is on Pacific Standard Time (Zona Noroeste); Quintana Roo, Mexico's easternmost state, observes Eastern Standard Time (Zona Sureste).
Mexico abolished Daylight Saving Time (DST) in most of the country on October 30, 2022. However, most municipalities near the country's northern border follow the DST schedule of the United States.
Generalized Time Zones in Mexico
| Time Zone Abbreviation & Name | Offset | Current Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| PT | Pacific Time | UTC -8:00 / -7:00 | Tue, 9:12:54 pm |
| MT | Mountain Time | UTC -7:00 / -6:00 | Tue, 10:12:54 pm |
| CT | Central Time | UTC -6:00 / -5:00 | Tue, 11:12:54 pm |
Note: Local time in these time zones changes when Daylight Saving Time begins and ends.
Time Zones Not Currently Being Observed in Mexico
| Offset | Time Zone Abbreviation & Name | Commences | |
|---|---|---|---|
| UTC -7 | PDT | Pacific Daylight Time | Mar 9, 2025 |
| UTC -6 | MDT | Mountain Daylight Time | Mar 9, 2025 |
| UTC -5 | CDT | Central Daylight Time | Mar 9, 2025 |
The above time zones are used during other parts of the year. They will become active again after the next clock change as Daylight Saving Time begins or ends.
Time Zone History of Mexico
Mexico introduced standard time in 1922. Until then, each location in the country had been using solar mean time based on its longitude. In Mexico City, it was 6 hours, 36 minutes, and 36 seconds behind GMT—the world's time standard back then.
In 1922, Mexico turned its clocks back by 23 minutes and 24 seconds, so the local time was precisely 7 hours behind GMT. In 1928, clocks in Mexico's capital city were advanced by 1 hour to CST, the time zone it still observes as standard time today.
At first, Mexico was divided into only two time zones. The number increased over the years. Quintana Roo switched to Eastern Standard Time (EST) in 2015.
Time Zone News
- 11/30/2022 – Time Zone Confusion in Mexico
More Information
- Time Zone Converter
- Meeting Planner
- Event Time Announcer/Fixed Time
- Time Zone Abbreviations
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- Daylight Saving Time
Time Zone Map
