Idaho time zone and daylight saving time

Mountain and Pacific Time Next clock change: Nov 1

Boise, UTC−6Sunrise 8:17 a.m. · Sunset 6:39 p.m. · 10 h 23 min of daylight

Idaho at a glance

Time zone
Mountain; Pacific (north)
Daylight saving time
Observed. UTC−6 in summer, UTC−7 in winter (Mountain Time areas).
Upcoming clock changes
  • 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
Each change happens at 2:00 a.m. local time.
Permanent daylight time law
Enacted in 2020 (Pacific zone only, with conditions). It needs federal approval before it can take effect.

Idaho is split between two time zones: southern Idaho, including Boise, uses Mountain Time, and the northern part of the state, north of the Salmon River, uses Pacific Time. The whole state observes daylight saving time.

Which parts of Idaho use which time

Pacific Time: Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Clearwater, Kootenai, Latah, Lewis, Nez Perce and Shoshone counties, and the part of Idaho County north of the Salmon River. These include Coeur d’Alene, Lewiston, Moscow and Sandpoint.

Mountain Time: the rest of the state, including Boise, Nampa, Idaho Falls, Pocatello and Twin Falls.

Time zones in bordering states

Idaho borders six states and one Canadian province, and its own time zone line means several of those borders are mixed.

Select a state on the map to see its time zone details.

Time zone map of Idaho and surrounding states. Each state is a link to its page.Counties are shaded by time zone. Hatched counties are split between two zones; dotted areas do not observe daylight saving time.ColoradoNorth DakotaSouth DakotaWyomingCaliforniaMontanaOregonUtahWashingtonNebraskaNevada

Current time in each zone

  • Central
  • Mountain
  • Pacific

County split between two zones; the exact line isn't drawn

  • Washington: same time; northern Idaho shares Washington’s Pacific Time.
  • Utah and Wyoming: same time; southern and eastern Idaho share their Mountain Time.
  • Montana: same time along the southern part of the border. Farther north, Idaho’s Pacific Time counties are 1 hour behind Montana.
  • Oregon: mixed. Southwestern Idaho matches most of Malheur County, Oregon, which uses Mountain Time. Farther north, Adams and Washington counties (Mountain) face Pacific Time counties in Oregon and are 1 hour ahead, while Nez Perce and northern Idaho County (Pacific) match Oregon.
  • Nevada: southern Idaho is 1 hour ahead of Nevada, which uses Pacific Time.
  • British Columbia: since March 2026, British Columbia has stayed on UTC−7 all year. Northern Idaho matches it in summer and is 1 hour behind it in winter.

What permanent time would mean for Idaho

Ending clock changes would mean keeping one time all year: either permanent daylight time or permanent standard time. Here’s how each would shift sunrise and sunset in Boise.

Permanent daylight time

Later winter mornings

9:15 a.m.

Sunrise on the shortest day, December 21 (now 8:15 a.m.).

Winter sunset: 6:11 p.m. (now 5:11 p.m.).

Permanent standard time

Earlier summer evenings

8:30 p.m.

Sunset on the longest day, June 21 (now 9:30 p.m.).

Summer sunrise: 5:04 a.m. (now 6:04 a.m.).

Times for Boise, calculated for 2026. Actual sunrise and sunset can differ by a few minutes with terrain and weather.

Idaho and permanent daylight time

In 2020, Idaho enacted a law (Senate Bill 1267, signed by Governor Brad Little on March 16, 2020) to make daylight saving time permanent in the parts of the state that use Pacific Time, once Washington makes the same change and if Congress allows it. The Mountain Time parts of Idaho are not affected. Idaho is among the 19 states the Congressional Research Service lists as having enacted such a law.

Any switch to permanent daylight time would need Congress to act first. The U.S. House passed the Sunshine Protection Act in July 2026, and it is now with the Senate.

Common questions

What time zone is Idaho in?

Both. Southern Idaho, including Boise, uses Mountain Time; northern Idaho, north of the Salmon River, uses Pacific Time.

Is Coeur d’Alene on Pacific Time?

Yes. Kootenai County, home to Coeur d’Alene, uses Pacific Time, the same as nearby Spokane.

Is Boise on the same time as Salt Lake City?

Yes. Both use Mountain Time and change their clocks on the same dates.

Sources: U.S. Department of Transportation (49 CFR Part 71); Congressional Research Service; Congress.gov.

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