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U.S. Daylight Saving Time · Exceptions

States Without Daylight Saving Time

Hawaii does not observe Daylight Saving Time anywhere in the state. Most of Arizona also stays on standard time year-round, but the Navajo Nation in Arizona does observe DST. Five U.S. territories also remain on standard time year-round.

Quick answer: Arizona and Hawaii are commonly called the two states without Daylight Saving Time. More precisely, Hawaii has no DST statewide, while Arizona is a partial exception because the Navajo Nation observes the seasonal clock change.
No DST statewideHawaiiHST · UTC−10 year-round
Mostly no DSTArizonaMST · UTC−07 in most of the state
Arizona exceptionNavajo NationObserves DST and changes clocks
See the Full Exception List Arizona & Hawaii DST by State
Check whether a U.S. DST exception changes clocks and see its live local time.
Popular: Arizona Time Zone Hawaii Time Zone DST by State Daylight Saving Time U.S. Time Zones

U.S. DST Exceptions at a Glance

The precise national picture is more useful than the shorthand “Arizona and Hawaii.” One state has no DST anywhere, one state is a partial exception, and five U.S. territories do not observe DST.

HI

Hawaii: No DST Statewide

Hawaiian Standard Time stays at UTC−10:00 all year, with no seasonal clock change.

See Hawaii details → AZ

Arizona: Mostly No DST

Most of Arizona stays on Mountain Standard Time, but the Navajo Nation observes DST.

See Arizona details → NN

Navajo Nation Exception

The Navajo Nation springs forward and falls back even though most of Arizona does not.

See the exception → 5

Five U.S. Territories

American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands do not observe DST.

See the territory list → ⇄

Compare No-DST Locations

See why Phoenix can match Los Angeles in summer but be one hour ahead in winter.

Compare live times → LAW

What States Can Legally Do

Separate a current DST exemption from permanent-DST legislation that still depends on federal law.

Understand the rule →

Places in the U.S. Without Daylight Saving Time

These are the current state and territorial exceptions. Arizona is shown separately because its DST status is not uniform across the whole state.

See all 50 states →
PlaceDST StatusTime RuleSeasonal Clock ChangeLive Now
HawaiiNo DST statewideHST · UTC−10:00None— · —
Most of ArizonaDoes not observe DSTMST · UTC−07:00None— · —
Navajo NationObserves DSTMST ↔ MDTSpring forward / fall back— · —
American SamoaNo DSTStandard time year-roundNone— · —
GuamNo DSTChamorro Standard TimeNone— · —
Northern Mariana IslandsNo DSTChamorro Standard TimeNone— · —
Puerto RicoNo DSTAST · UTC−04:00None— · —
U.S. Virgin IslandsNo DSTAST · UTC−04:00None— · —
Arizona & Hawaii Explained Daylight Saving Time by State U.S. Time Zones

The Two State-Level DST Exceptions

Hawaii and Arizona are often grouped together, but their legal and geographic situations are different. Hawaii is uniform statewide; Arizona contains a major DST-observing exception.

No DST StatewideHawaiiHST · UTC−10:00 throughout the year.→ Mostly No DSTArizonaMost locations remain on MST · UTC−07:00.→ Observes DSTNavajo NationUses the seasonal Mountain Time change.→ ContextMountain TimeSee how MST and MDT differ across the year.→ Seasonal ComparisonPacific TimePhoenix can match Pacific daylight time in summer.→ 50-State GuideDST by StateCheck observance across every state and Washington, DC.→ Spring ForwardWhen DST StartsSee the next U.S. DST start date and clock change.→ Fall BackWhen DST EndsSee the next U.S. return to standard time.→

Arizona vs. Hawaii: Why the Difference Matters

Both are widely described as “states without DST,” but only Hawaii is entirely exempt statewide. Arizona's exception must always be read with the Navajo Nation qualification.

Compare live times →
PlaceObserves DST?Year-Round / Seasonal Rule2026 Clock Changes
HawaiiNo, statewideHST · UTC−10:00 year-roundNone
Most of ArizonaNoMST · UTC−07:00 year-roundNone
Navajo NationYesMST in standard time · MDT in daylight timeMar 8 forward · Nov 1 back
Other 48 statesYes, statewide under current rulesStandard ↔ daylight time by local zoneMar 8 forward · Nov 1 back

U.S. Territories That Do Not Observe DST

The Department of Transportation lists five U.S. territories outside the seasonal DST system. Their clocks do not spring forward or fall back.

Explore world time zones →
TerritoryDST?IANA ReferenceLive TimeUTC Offset Now
American SamoaNoPacific/Pago_Pago——
GuamNoPacific/Guam——
Northern Mariana IslandsNoPacific/Saipan——
Puerto RicoNoAmerica/Puerto_Rico——
U.S. Virgin IslandsNoAmerica/St_Thomas——
Current Federal Framework

Can a State Opt Out of Daylight Saving Time?

Yes. Under the Uniform Time Act, a state may exempt itself from observing Daylight Saving Time by state law. If a state chooses to observe DST, however, it must follow the federally mandated start and end dates.

Permanent standard timeA state can choose not to observe DST and remain on standard time.
Seasonal DSTA participating state follows the federal March and November transition dates.
Permanent daylight timeStates cannot implement year-round DST on their own under current federal law.
Legislation is not observanceA proposed or conditional bill does not mean residents should stop changing clocks today.
Current Observance vs. Future Policy

“No DST” Is Not the Same as “Permanent DST”

Arizona and Hawaii are current standard-time exceptions. By contrast, many other states have considered or enacted conditional measures favoring year-round daylight time if federal law changes. Those measures do not remove today's seasonal clock changes.

NCSL reported in March 2026 that 19 states had enacted legislation providing for year-round daylight saving time if Congress allows it, sometimes with additional regional conditions. That is a different legal status from Arizona's and Hawaii's current exemptions.

Latest Permanent DST Status Daylight Saving Time by State Daylight Saving Time Guide

Six Facts to Remember About States Without DST

The key is to separate statewide exemptions, partial exceptions, seasonal offsets and proposed legislation.

01 · Hawaii

No DST Anywhere Statewide

Hawaii law establishes Hawaiian Standard Time for the entire state throughout the year.

02 · Arizona

Most of the State Stays on MST

Arizona law elects to reject DST, so most locations remain at UTC−07:00 all year.

03 · Navajo Nation

The Major Arizona Exception

The Navajo Nation observes the seasonal Mountain Time change even though most of Arizona does not.

04 · Territories

Five U.S. Territories Have No DST

American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands stay on standard time.

05 · Time Difference

No DST Does Not Mean a Fixed Difference

Phoenix's UTC offset stays fixed, but its difference from Los Angeles or Denver changes when those places change clocks.

06 · Law

A Bill Is Not a Clock Change

Pending or conditional permanent-time legislation should not be confused with the time residents actually observe today.

Compare a No-DST Location With a DST Location

See how a fixed year-round offset can produce a changing time difference. Phoenix and Los Angeles are the classic example: they can match during Pacific daylight time, then differ after California returns to standard time.

—
MST · UTC−07:00 · no seasonal change
⇄
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Pacific Time · DST-aware
Open Full Converter

Why Arizona's Time Difference Changes During the Year

Phoenix does not move its clock, but nearby DST-observing locations do. The result is a seasonal change in the difference even though Arizona's own UTC offset remains fixed.

Summer · Phoenix

MST · UTC−07

Most of Arizona remains on the same standard-time offset during the DST season.

Summer · Los Angeles

PDT · UTC−07

California advances to Pacific Daylight Time, so Phoenix and Los Angeles can show the same local clock time.

Winter · Los Angeles

PST · UTC−08

When California falls back, Phoenix becomes one hour ahead of Los Angeles.

Summer · Denver

MDT · UTC−06

Denver advances one hour, making Phoenix one hour behind Denver during the DST season.

Winter · Denver

MST · UTC−07

After Denver returns to standard time, Denver and Phoenix match again.

Scheduling Rule

Compare Named Time Zones

For future meetings, use IANA locations rather than assuming the same difference applies all year.

Why Fixed UTC Offsets Matter Here

Most of Arizona and Hawaii are unusual in the U.S. because their civil clocks do not make the seasonal one-hour DST change. Phoenix stays at UTC−07:00; Honolulu stays at UTC−10:00.

That does not mean their relationship to every other U.S. location is fixed. A city that observes DST changes its UTC offset in spring and fall, so the difference to Phoenix or Honolulu can change even when the no-DST location does nothing.

UTC Offsets Time Zone Abbreviations Time Zone Converter
Visual Geography

See Arizona, Hawaii & U.S. Time Zones on a Map

A map makes the Arizona exception easier to understand, especially where Mountain Time boundaries and Navajo Nation lands meet the rest of the state. It also shows why a fixed Arizona offset can line up with Pacific Time during part of the year.

U.S. Time Zone Map Time Zone Map U.S. Time Zones

Related Daylight Saving Time Answers

Check every state's rule, the next seasonal transition and the latest status of proposals to stop changing clocks.

Core GuideDaylight Saving Time 50-State GuideDaylight Saving Time by State Fall BackWhen Does DST End? Legal StatusIs Daylight Saving Time Ending?

Sources & Methodology

Current U.S. DST exemptions are checked against the U.S. Department of Transportation and NIST. Arizona's statewide standard-time rule is checked against Arizona Revised Statutes §1-242; Hawaii's statewide standard time is checked against Hawaii Revised Statutes §1-31. Navajo Nation observance is cross-checked with official Navajo Nation communications. State legislation context is checked against NCSL. Live time and offsets use date-aware IANA time-zone identifiers.

U.S. Department of Transportation — Daylight Saving Time NIST — Daylight Saving Time Rules Arizona Revised Statutes §1-242 — Standard Time Hawaii Revised Statutes §1-31 — Hawaiian Standard Time Navajo Nation — 2026 Spring Forward Notice NCSL — Daylight Saving Time State Legislation IANA Time Zone Database — Civil-Time Transition Data

Last reviewed: August 22, 2026 · 2026 U.S. DST season in participating areas: March 8 at 2:00 a.m. local time through November 1 at 2:00 a.m. local time · State and federal time laws can change.

States Without Daylight Saving Time FAQ

What states do not observe Daylight Saving Time?

Hawaii does not observe DST anywhere statewide. Most of Arizona also does not observe DST, but the Navajo Nation in Arizona does observe it.

How many states do not observe Daylight Saving Time?

The precise answer is one fully non-DST state and one partial state exception: Hawaii has no DST statewide, while most of Arizona does not observe DST but the Navajo Nation does. The other 48 states observe DST statewide under the current rules.

Does Arizona observe Daylight Saving Time?

Most of Arizona does not. Most locations remain on Mountain Standard Time, UTC−07:00, year-round. The Navajo Nation is the major exception and does observe DST.

Does the Navajo Nation observe Daylight Saving Time?

Yes. The Navajo Nation changes clocks with the seasonal Mountain Time schedule even though most of Arizona does not.

Does Hawaii observe Daylight Saving Time?

No. Hawaii observes Hawaiian Standard Time, UTC−10:00, throughout the year and does not spring forward or fall back.

Which U.S. territories do not observe Daylight Saving Time?

American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands do not observe DST.

Can states opt out of Daylight Saving Time?

Yes. Federal law allows a state to exempt itself from DST by state law. If a state chooses to observe DST, it must follow the federally mandated start and end dates.

Can a state choose permanent Daylight Saving Time?

Not by itself under current federal law. States can choose permanent standard time; year-round daylight time requires federal authorization before conditional state legislation can take effect.

Why is Arizona sometimes the same time as California?

Most of Arizona remains on MST, UTC−07:00. California uses PDT, also UTC−07:00, during DST, so Phoenix and Los Angeles can match in summer. After California returns to PST, Phoenix is one hour ahead.

When does Daylight Saving Time start and end in 2026?

In participating U.S. locations, DST began March 8, 2026 at 2:00 a.m. local time and ends November 1, 2026 at 2:00 a.m. local time.