Arizona time zone and daylight saving time
Mountain Standard Time (most of the state) Same time all year
Arizona at a glance
- Time zone
- Mountain
- Daylight saving time
- Not observed in most of the state. UTC−7 all year.
- Upcoming clock changes
- None in most of the state. The Navajo Nation observes daylight saving time; the Hopi Reservation within it does not. Clock changes in the Navajo Nation:
- Sunday, November 1, 2026: clocks fall back
- Sunday, March 14, 2027: clocks spring forward
- Sunday, November 7, 2027: clocks fall back
- Sunday, March 12, 2028: clocks spring forward
- Permanent daylight time law
- None needed. Most of Arizona already stays on standard time all year, which current federal law allows.
Most of Arizona stays on Mountain Standard Time (UTC−7) all year and does not change its clocks. The exception is the Navajo Nation in northeastern Arizona, which does observe daylight saving time.
The Navajo Nation and the Hopi Reservation
The Navajo Nation, which covers much of northeastern Arizona and extends into Utah and New Mexico, observes daylight saving time. From March to November, its clocks are one hour ahead of the rest of Arizona; in winter, they match.
The Hopi Reservation sits entirely within the Navajo Nation, but follows the rest of Arizona and does not observe daylight saving time. Driving through the area in summer, the time can change more than once in a short distance.
The maps on this site shade Arizona by county, so the Navajo Nation is not drawn separately.
Time zones in bordering states
Because most of Arizona doesn’t change its clocks, its time difference with every neighbour depends on the season.
Select a state on the map to see its time zone details.
Current time in each zone
- Central
- MountainArizona
- Pacific
No daylight saving time. The Navajo Nation in Arizona, which does observe it, isn't drawn separately.
- California and Nevada: same time in summer. In winter, when they fall back to Pacific Standard Time, Arizona is 1 hour ahead.
- Utah and New Mexico: 1 hour ahead of most of Arizona in summer, and the same time in winter. The Navajo Nation, which spans the borders with both, observes daylight saving time like its neighbours, so it matches them all year.
What permanent time would mean for Arizona
Most of Arizona already keeps standard time all year, so it has no clock changes to end. Here’s how sunrise and sunset in Phoenix compare under its current system and under permanent daylight time.
Arizona and permanent daylight time
Arizona does not need a change in federal law to avoid clock changes: under the Uniform Time Act, states may choose to stay on standard time all year, which most of Arizona does.
The federal Sunshine Protection Act, which passed the U.S. House in July 2026 and is now with the Senate, would make daylight saving time permanent in most of the country. Places that already stay on standard time, including most of Arizona, could keep their current time or move to the new one. If Arizona kept its current time while California moved to permanent daylight time, the two states would be on the same time all year.
Common questions
Does Arizona observe daylight saving time?
Most of Arizona does not. The Navajo Nation in northeastern Arizona does; the Hopi Reservation, within the Navajo Nation, does not.
Is Phoenix on the same time as Los Angeles?
In summer, yes. In winter, when California falls back, Phoenix is 1 hour ahead of Los Angeles.
Is Phoenix on the same time as Denver?
In winter, yes. In summer, when Colorado springs forward, Denver is 1 hour ahead of Phoenix.
Would the Sunshine Protection Act change Arizona’s time?
Not necessarily. The bill would let places that already stay on standard time, like most of Arizona, keep their current time.
Sources: NIST; U.S. Department of Transportation (49 CFR Part 71); Congress.gov.
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