Is There Daylight Savings Time in Mexico?

Mexico Says Goodbye to Daylight Saving Time: What It Means for You

Since 2022, daylight savings time in Mexico is no longer observed in most parts of the country, meaning the majority of it residents and visitors no longer change their clocks in the spring and fall. The only exceptions are some northern border municipalities that synchronize with U.S. time zones. Read on to find out which ones.

Why Did Mexico Abandon Daylight Saving Time?

Daylight saving time (DST) was introduced in Mexico in 1996 to save energy and align business hours with the United States. However, over the years, studies showed that the actual energy savings were minimal. Public opinion also shifted, with many arguing that the time changes disrupted sleep patterns and had negative health effects. In 2022, Mexico’s Congress voted to abolish DST nationwide, citing these concerns.

The Exceptions: Who Still Observes DST in Mexico?

While most of the country now follows standard time year-round, the law allows specific areas to keep DST to stay aligned with the U.S. These include:

• Baja California (which follows Pacific Time, in sync with California)
• Border municipalities in Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas, which continue to adjust their clocks in coordination with neighboring U.S. cities.

Mexico’s Four Time Zones: No More Seasonal Changes

Mexico spans four time zones, and despite the elimination of DST, these time zones remain the same:

• Pacific Time (UTC -8): Baja California
• Mountain Time (UTC -7): Most of Chihuahua, Sonora
• Central Time (UTC -6): Most of Mexico, including Mexico City
• Southeastern Time (UTC -5): Quintana Roo

With no more spring-forward or fall-back shifts, businesses and travelers need to be aware of time differences when dealing with countries that still observe DST.

How the U.S. and Europe’s Time Changes Affect Mexico

Although Mexico won’t adjust its clocks, other countries will. Here’s how the time difference shifts throughout the year:

Spring Forward (March 2025)

• U.S. (March 9, 2025): Clocks move forward one hour.
• Europe (March 30, 2025): Clocks move forward one hour.

When this happens:

• Pacific Time (U.S.) will be 1 hour behind Mexico City (instead of 2 hours).
• Mountain Time (U.S.) will be the same as Mexico City (instead of 1 hour behind).
• Central Time (U.S.) will be 1 hour ahead of Mexico City (instead of aligned).
• Eastern Time (U.S.) will be 2 hours ahead of Mexico City (instead of 1 hour ahead).
• UK & Ireland will be 7 hours ahead of Mexico City (instead of 6).
• Central Europe will be 8 hours ahead of Mexico City (instead of 7).

Fall Back (October-November 2025)

• Europe (October 26, 2025): Clocks move back one hour.
• U.S. (November 2, 2025): Clocks move back one hour.

When this happens:

• Pacific Time (U.S.) will be 2 hours behind Mexico City again.
• Mountain Time (U.S.) will be 1 hour behind Mexico City again.
• Central Time (U.S.) will be aligned with Mexico City again.
• Eastern Time (U.S.) will be 1 hour ahead of Mexico City again.
• UK & Ireland will be 6 hours ahead of Mexico City again.
• Central Europe will be 7 hours ahead of Mexico City again.

Need to Check the Time? Here’s a Handy Resource

To keep track of time differences, visit EveryTimeZone for real-time updates on global time zones.

Bottom Line: If you’re in Mexico, you no longer have to change your clocks twice a year. But if you’re dealing with people in the U.S. or Europe, be mindful of shifting time differences throughout the year!