CalendarHours
Home / Time Zones / U.S. Time Zones / Arizona
Arizona • Live Time-Zone Reference

Arizona Time Zone

Most of Arizona stays on Mountain Standard Time (MST), UTC−07:00, all year. The state generally does not observe daylight saving time. The major exception is the Navajo Nation, which does observe DST and uses Mountain Daylight Time (MDT), UTC−06:00, during the daylight-saving season.

Quick answer: Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa, Scottsdale and most Arizona locations remain on MST year-round. Navajo Nation communities such as Window Rock, Chinle and Kayenta move to MDT during daylight saving time. Hopi uses MST and does not follow the Navajo DST schedule.
Most of ArizonaMST all yearUTC−07:00 · no clock change
Navajo NationMST / MDTUTC−07 / UTC−06
Primary IANA zoneAmerica/PhoenixMost Arizona civil time
Arizona Time Zone at a Glance Arizona Time Zone Map Current Time in Arizona
Search an Arizona city, nearby state, time-zone name, abbreviation or UTC offset.
Popular: U.S. Time Zones MST Mountain Time Phoenix Tucson States Without DST Daylight Saving Time

Arizona Time Zone at a Glance

Arizona's time rules are simple across most of the state but unusually important near tribal jurisdictions. Use these references to separate year-round MST from the Navajo Nation DST exception.

MST

Most Arizona: MST All Year

Phoenix, Tucson and most of Arizona stay on Mountain Standard Time at UTC−07:00 throughout the year.

See MST time now → DST

Navajo Nation Exception

The Navajo Nation observes daylight saving time, changing between MST and MDT with the U.S. DST schedule.

See Navajo DST details → —1h

Why Most Arizona Skips DST

Arizona state law elects to remain on standard mountain time instead of adopting seasonal daylight saving time.

States without DST → ⌖

Arizona Time Zone Map

See the geography behind the statewide Mountain Time zone and the tribal DST exception in northeastern Arizona.

View Arizona map → ◷

Current Time in Arizona

Open the statewide current-time page when your main question is what time it is in Arizona right now.

See Arizona time now → ⇄

Arizona Time Converter

Convert Arizona time to another U.S. or world location for a specific date, including seasonal offset differences.

Convert Arizona time →

Arizona Time Zones by Major Location

Most Arizona locations use America/Phoenix and remain on MST. Navajo Nation communities use Mountain Time with daylight saving, represented here by America/Denver.

Current time across Arizona →
Arizona LocationCurrent TimeCurrent AbbreviationCurrent UTC OffsetTime-Zone Guide
PhoenixLiveMSTUTC−07:00Phoenix Time Zone
TucsonLiveMSTUTC−07:00Tucson Time Zone
MesaLiveMSTUTC−07:00Arizona reference
ScottsdaleLiveMSTUTC−07:00Arizona reference
FlagstaffLiveMSTUTC−07:00Arizona reference
Window Rock · Navajo NationLive——Navajo DST exception
Chinle · Navajo NationLive——Navajo DST exception
MST Time Now Mountain Time Zone Arizona Time Zone Map

Arizona Time-Zone Guides & Nearby References

Compare Arizona's fixed MST clock with neighboring states, city-specific guides and the daylight-saving references that explain why the time difference changes during the year.

All U.S. time zones →
Arizona cityPhoenixMST · UTC−07:00 all year.→ Arizona cityTucsonMST · UTC−07:00 all year.→ Live zone clockMST Time NowMountain Standard Time · UTC−07:00.→ Zone familyMountain TimeUnderstand MST and MDT as seasonal Mountain Time labels.→ Neighboring stateUtahMountain Time with seasonal DST.→ Neighboring stateNew MexicoMountain Time with seasonal DST.→ DST exceptionStates Without DSTWhy Arizona and Hawaii differ from most states.→ DST referenceDaylight Saving TimeCurrent U.S. rules and seasonal changes.→ Live statewide timeCurrent Time in ArizonaCurrent clocks when time-now is your main task.→ Visual referenceArizona Time Zone MapSee the DST exception geography visually.→ U.S. visual referenceU.S. Time Zone MapArizona in the national time-zone context.→ U.S. directoryU.S. Time ZonesAll 50 states, major zones and exceptions.→
Arizona's Two Clock Behaviors

Most Arizona vs Navajo Nation Time Now

Most of Arizona remains fixed at UTC−07:00. During the U.S. daylight-saving season, Navajo Nation clocks move one hour ahead to MDT at UTC−06:00. During standard time, both read MST at UTC−07:00.

MST MDT Mountain Time No-DST States DST Guide
Most Arizona · MSTLive timeAmerica/Phoenix · MST · UTC−07:00
Navajo Nation · Mountain TimeLive timeAmerica/Denver · current abbreviation and offset
UTC ReferenceLive timeCoordinated Universal Time · UTC+00:00
Current DifferenceDate-awareThe difference changes with Navajo DST.

Arizona UTC Offsets by Location

Most Arizona locations have a fixed UTC−07:00 offset. Navajo Nation locations move between UTC−07:00 and UTC−06:00 because they observe daylight saving time.

Explore UTC offsets →
Arizona AreaIANA ZoneCurrent TimeCurrent UTC OffsetRule
Phoenix / Maricopa CountyAmerica/PhoenixLiveUTC−07:00MST all year · no DST
Tucson / Pima CountyAmerica/PhoenixLiveUTC−07:00MST all year · no DST
FlagstaffAmerica/PhoenixLiveUTC−07:00MST all year · no DST
HopiAmerica/PhoenixLiveUTC−07:00MST · no DST
Navajo Nation · Arizona portionAmerica/DenverLive—MST UTC−07 → MDT UTC−06

Why Arizona's Time Difference Changes During the Year

Most Arizona clocks never change, but neighboring states do. That makes Arizona match different U.S. zones in different seasons even though Arizona itself stays on MST.

Daylight Saving Time guide →
SeasonMost ArizonaCalifornia / NevadaUtah / New MexicoNavajo Nation
U.S. Daylight-Saving SeasonMST · UTC−07PDT · UTC−07
Same clock		MDT · UTC−06
1 hour ahead		MDT · UTC−06
1 hour ahead
U.S. Standard-Time SeasonMST · UTC−07PST · UTC−08
1 hour behind		MST · UTC−07
Same clock		MST · UTC−07
Same clock
States Without DST DST Rules When DST Starts When DST Ends

Compare Arizona Time

Compare most Arizona time with the Navajo Nation, neighboring states or another major location. The live comparison uses each zone's current UTC offset, so seasonal differences update automatically.

Live time
Current abbreviation and UTC offset
Live time
Current abbreviation and UTC offset
Open Full Converter Time Zone Difference

How Arizona Time Zones Work

Six facts explain why Arizona appears simple on a standard time-zone map but becomes more nuanced when daylight saving time and tribal jurisdictions are considered.

01 · State Rule

Arizona Chooses Standard Mountain Time

Arizona law defines the state's standard time as standard mountain time and elects to reject daylight saving time.

02 · Fixed Offset

Most Arizona Is UTC−07 All Year

Phoenix, Tucson and most of the state keep the same UTC−07:00 offset in January, July and every month between.

03 · Navajo Nation

The Major DST Exception

The Navajo Nation observes daylight saving time to stay aligned with Diné communities and services across Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.

04 · Hopi

Hopi Remains on MST

Hopi uses Mountain Standard Time without daylight saving time, creating an important local contrast with Navajo Nation timekeeping.

05 · IANA Rules

America/Phoenix vs America/Denver

America/Phoenix represents most Arizona clocks. IANA identifies America/Denver as appropriate for Navajo Nation locations that follow seasonal Mountain Time.

06 · Seasonal Comparison

Arizona Matches Different Neighbors

Most Arizona matches Pacific Daylight Time in summer and Mountain Standard Time in winter because its own UTC−07:00 clock never moves.

Visual Geography

Arizona Time Zone Map

A standard federal time-zone map places Arizona in Mountain Time, but daylight-saving behavior adds the crucial Navajo Nation exception. Open the dedicated Arizona map for the visual geography while keeping this page focused on time-zone rules, offsets and abbreviations.

Arizona Time Zone Map U.S. Time Zone Map Mountain Time Zone Map

Looking for the Current Time in Arizona?

This page explains Arizona time zones, UTC offsets, abbreviations and DST exceptions. If your main question is what time it is in Arizona right now, open the statewide current-time page or a city clock below.

Statewide current timeCurrent Time in Arizona
Capital clockCurrent Time in Phoenix
Southern Arizona clockCurrent Time in Tucson
Scottsdale clockCurrent Time in Scottsdale

Sources & Methodology

CalendarHours uses location-aware, date-aware time-zone logic instead of assuming that every Arizona location follows one seasonal rule. America/Phoenix represents most Arizona civil clocks and remains on MST at UTC−07:00. America/Denver is used for the Navajo Nation's seasonal Mountain Time behavior.

The IANA Time Zone Database is the primary technical source for offsets and transitions. Arizona's statutory standard-time rule is checked against Arizona Revised Statutes §1-242. Navajo Nation DST practice is checked against the Navajo Nation Office of the President. U.S. DST dates are checked against NIST, and the dedicated Arizona map handles geographic visualization separately.

IANA — Time Zone Database IANA — Time Zone & Daylight Saving Data Arizona Legislature — A.R.S. §1-242 Standard Time Navajo Nation — 2026 Daylight Saving Time Notice NIST — Daylight Saving Time Rules Time.gov — Official U.S. Time

Reviewed August 19, 2026. This URL is evergreen; live clocks, current abbreviations and UTC offsets update automatically from supported browser time-zone data.

Arizona Time Zone FAQ

What time zone is Arizona in?

Arizona is in the Mountain Time Zone. Most of the state stays on Mountain Standard Time (MST), UTC−07:00, all year and does not observe daylight saving time. The Navajo Nation is the major exception and does observe DST.

Does Arizona observe daylight saving time?

Most of Arizona does not observe daylight saving time. The Navajo Nation does observe DST and moves between MST (UTC−07:00) and MDT (UTC−06:00).

What is the UTC offset in Arizona?

Most Arizona locations use UTC−07:00 throughout the year. Navajo Nation locations use UTC−06:00 while daylight saving time is active and UTC−07:00 during standard time.

Is Arizona MST or MDT?

Most Arizona is MST all year. The Navajo Nation uses MST in standard time and MDT during daylight saving time.

Does Phoenix change clocks for daylight saving time?

No. Phoenix stays on MST at UTC−07:00 throughout the year.

Does Tucson observe daylight saving time?

No. Tucson remains on Mountain Standard Time, UTC−07:00, year-round.

Does the Navajo Nation in Arizona observe daylight saving time?

Yes. In 2026 the Navajo Nation moved clocks forward on March 8 and, under the current U.S. schedule, returns to standard time on November 1. During DST it uses MDT at UTC−06:00.

Does the Hopi Tribe observe daylight saving time?

Hopi uses Mountain Standard Time and does not observe daylight saving time. This differs from the Navajo Nation's seasonal DST schedule.

Why is Arizona sometimes the same time as California?

During the daylight-saving season, California uses PDT at UTC−07:00. Most Arizona remains on MST at UTC−07:00, so the clock readings match even though the zone names differ.

Why is Arizona sometimes the same time as Utah and New Mexico?

During standard time, Utah and New Mexico use MST at UTC−07:00, matching most Arizona. During daylight saving time they move to MDT at UTC−06:00 while most Arizona remains at UTC−07:00.