Most of Mexico will not be changing its clocks this spring and fall, except for some Mexican municipalities along the northern border that synchronize their clocks with corresponding border cities in the US.
In 2022, the Mexican Chamber of Deputies and Senate approved a change in the law that abandoned the practice of the country’s clocks “springing forward” and “falling back” each year.
The law also allowed for specific exceptions for Baja California state, and border municipalities in the states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, and Tamaulipas to continue applying daylight savings to keep their border cities in sync with the US side.
Although Mexico won’t move its clocks this year, time changes will be apparent during spring and summer months for those in Mexico and dealing with the US and Europe as they do change their clocks.
Mexico’s Four Time Zones
Mexico’s territory has four time zones, which themselves remain unchanged and unaffected by the abandonment of Mexico’s seasonal clock changes.
Spring ‘forward’ clock change effects on Mexico
The United States moves its clocks forward by one hour on Sunday March 10, and Europe moves its clocks forward by one hour on Sunday, March 31, 2024.
When the clocks in those other countries are moved forward in the spring:
- US Pacific Time, that is normally 2 hours behind Mexico City, will be 1 hour behind.
- US Mountain Time, that is normally 1 hour behind Mexico City, will be on the same time as Mexico City.
- US Central Time, that is normally aligned with time in Mexico City, will be 1 hour ahead.
- US Eastern Time, that is normally 1 hour ahead of Mexico City, will be 2 hours ahead.
- The UK and Ireland will be 7 hours ahead of Mexico instead of 6.
- Central Europe will be 8 hours ahead of Mexico instead of 7.
Fall ‘back’ clock change effects on Mexico
Europe moves its clocks back again by one hour on Sunday October 27, and the United States moves its clocks back by one hour on Sunday November 3, 2024.
When the clocks in those other countries are moved back in the fall:
- US Pacific Time, that was 1 behind Mexico City when the clocks moved forward, will revert to be 2 hours behind.
- US Mountain Time, that was on the same time as Mexico City when the clocks moved forward, will revert to be 1 hour behind.
- US Central Time, that was 1 ahead of Mexico City when the clocks moved forward, will revert to be aligned with Mexico City time.
- US Eastern Time, that was 2 hours ahead of Mexico City when the clocks moved forward, will revert to be 1 hour ahead.
- The UK and Ireland will be 6 hours ahead of Mexico instead of 7.
- Central Europe will be 7 hours ahead of Mexico instead of 8.
Time & Date — A Helpful Online Resource
You can find helpful and detailed clock-time information by specific country, region, and place using Time and Date.
Learn more about time and time zones in Mexico
Mexico has four time zones; most of the country does not change its clocks in the spring and the fall.
