Time Zone Guide
Time Difference in Houston
Houston's current local time, and how it compares with cities around the world
This page shows Houston's live local time and helps you compare it with another city — useful for scheduling international calls and business meetings.
Compare Houston with another city
Search a city to see the current time difference with Houston.
Need to compare more than two cities at once? Try Compare Time Zones →
Popular Houston Time Differences
Updated live, and adjusted automatically for daylight saving time.
Houston Business Hours Around the World
Houston's 9:00 AM–5:00 PM working day, converted to local time elsewhere.
Houston Time Zone & Daylight Saving Time
Houston uses the America/Chicago time zone, part of US Central Time. Its UTC offset moves between UTC-6 (Central Standard Time, in winter) and UTC-5 (Central Daylight Time, in summer), so its gap with other cities changes for part of the year.
Comparisons with Europe or the Middle East can shift by an hour for a few weeks each spring and autumn, since those regions change their clocks on different dates than the US. Comparisons with cities on the same US daylight saving schedule — like Dallas or New York — stay constant year-round. Given Houston's strong ties to Latin America and the Middle East through energy and trade, it's worth checking the actual current difference rather than assuming a fixed number.
Convert a specific date and time → Compare multiple cities at once → Find the best meeting time →
All city time differences → Time difference in Dallas → Time difference in Mexico City →
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is Houston in?
Houston uses the America/Chicago time zone, commonly known as Central Time. It observes daylight saving time, so its UTC offset changes twice a year.
Is Houston on CST or CDT?
It depends on the date. Houston uses Central Daylight Time (CDT, UTC-5) during daylight saving time and Central Standard Time (CST, UTC-6) the rest of the year. The current abbreviation is shown live at the top of this page.
What is the time difference between Houston and New York?
Houston is normally 1 hour behind New York, since Central Time sits one hour behind Eastern Time. Both observe daylight saving time on the same schedule, so this difference stays constant throughout the year.
What is the time difference between Houston and London?
Houston is typically 6 hours behind London, but this can temporarily shift to 5 hours for a few weeks each spring and autumn, since the US and UK change their clocks for daylight saving time on different dates.
Does Houston observe daylight saving time?
Yes. Like most of the United States, Houston moves its clocks forward in spring (Central Daylight Time) and back in autumn (Central Standard Time).
How can I find the best meeting time between Houston and another city?
Use the free International Meeting Planner, which compares working hours across multiple cities and recommends the most convenient meeting times automatically.