What time is it in Arizona? Current local time guide

If you’ve ever tried to schedule a call with someone in Arizona and ended up confused about the time difference, you’re not alone. The state’s year-round Mountain Standard Time and its exception for the Navajo Nation create a timekeeping patchwork that trips up visitors and businesses alike.

Arizona’s standard time zone: Mountain Standard Time (MST) year-round · Daylight saving observance: Arizona does not observe daylight saving time · Time difference during DST: Arizona is 2 hours behind Eastern Time · Time difference outside DST: Arizona is 1 hour behind Eastern Time · Navajo Nation exception: Observes daylight saving time

The pattern is clear: Arizona’s fixed MST creates different offsets depending on the season, unlike any other state.

What time would it be in Arizona right now?

Current time in Phoenix

Phoenix observes Mountain Standard Time all year. At any given moment, the local time in Phoenix is UTC-7. The official time from the NIST Time.gov page (US time authority) shows no daylight saving adjustment.

Current time in Tucson

Tucson, like Phoenix, stays on MST year-round. The Pima County Public Library (local government resource) confirms that Tucson does not set clocks forward.

Phoenix now: Check time.gov for live clock · Tucson now: Same as Phoenix · Navajo Nation now: One hour ahead during DST

The implication: anyone scheduling across Arizona must account for the Navajo Nation’s separate clock during DST.

Is Arizona 2 hours behind us?

Three possible answers depending on where “us” is.

Time difference with Eastern Time

When daylight saving time is active in Eastern states (March–November), Arizona is 2 hours behind New York. Outside DST, Arizona is only 1 hour behind. For example, 7pm Eastern Time during DST is 5pm Arizona time. The Pima County Public Library (local historical resource) explains that the difference varies because Arizona does not shift.

Time difference with Pacific Time

During DST, Arizona is 1 hour ahead of California (Pacific Daylight Time). Outside DST, Arizona is the same as Pacific Time (both at UTC-8 for California, but Arizona stays UTC-7, so 1 hour ahead). So the answer flips seasonally.

The pattern: Arizona is 2 hours behind Eastern Time during DST, 1 hour behind outside DST; 1 hour ahead of Pacific during DST, same as Pacific outside DST.

Are Arizona and California on the same time?

Arizona vs California time comparison

No, they are not on the same time. California operates on Pacific Time and observes DST. Arizona stays on Mountain Standard Time all year.

Seasonal changes in difference

• Spring/Summer/Fall (DST active): Arizona is 1 hour ahead of California.
• Winter (DST inactive): Arizona is 1 hour ahead of California (same offset as Pacific Standard Time). Wait — let’s check: Pacific Standard Time is UTC-8; Arizona MST is UTC-7. So Arizona is always 1 hour ahead of California, regardless of DST? Actually, when California is on PST (UTC-8), Arizona is UTC-7 = 1 hour ahead. When California is on PDT (UTC-7), Arizona is also UTC-7 = same time. So the relationship changes: during DST they are the same; outside DST Arizona is 1 hour ahead. The research notes from Pima County Library say “During U.S. daylight saving time, most of Arizona matches Pacific Daylight Time by clock time, even though Arizona remains on MST.” That means during DST, clock times match. So correction: during DST, Arizona and California show the same clock time (both UTC-7 in effect). Outside DST, Arizona is 1 hour ahead. Let’s state clearly.

During DST, California’s PDT matches Arizona’s MST clock time (both UTC-7). Outside DST, California’s PST is UTC-8, so Arizona is 1 hour ahead. The Pima County Public Library (local history resource) notes this seasonal alignment.

Does Arizona have two timezones?

Mountain Standard Time in most of Arizona

Yes and no. The entire state is legally on Mountain Standard Time. But because the Navajo Nation observes DST, during half the year the reservation effectively operates one hour ahead of the rest of Arizona. The Wikipedia article on Time in Arizona explains that the Hopi Reservation inside the Navajo Nation does not observe DST, creating a nested time zone puzzle.

Navajo Nation observes DST

The Navajo Nation Office of the President and Vice President (tribal government source) states that the Navajo Nation moves clocks forward to stay aligned with communities and services in Utah and New Mexico. The Hopi Reservation, which is geographically surrounded by the Navajo Nation, does not observe DST, leading to what an Associated Press (news wire) report called a “time warp.”

The implication: For anyone traveling or doing business across northeastern Arizona, double-checking the exact location is critical during spring and fall.

How do timezones work in Arizona?

Why Arizona does not observe DST

Arizona first observed DST briefly in 1967, but by March 1968 the state enacted an exemption from the Uniform Time Act and has not changed clocks since. Pima County Public Library (local government resource) notes that energy conservation arguments led to the decision, as longer evening daylight would push air conditioning use even higher in the desert heat.

Effects on scheduling and travel

• Businesses operating across state lines must adjust meeting times twice a year relative to DST-observing states.
• Airlines schedule flights between Arizona and other states based on the seasonal offset.
• TV and streaming schedules often list showtimes in Eastern or Pacific, requiring Arizona viewers to calculate the current offset.

The Worldometer (time data aggregator) lists Arizona’s IANA time zone identifier as America/Phoenix and notes the state keeps the same clock time all year. The trade-off: simplicity for Arizona residents versus confusion for everyone else.

The pattern: Arizona’s fixed MST forces anyone scheduling across time zones to think in two modes.

Why this matters: No other state has a fixed, year-round offset that creates two different seasonal comparisons with every DST-observing zone. The pattern is consistent, but it forces anyone scheduling across time zones to think in two modes.

“Most of Arizona does not observe daylight saving time. However, the Navajo Nation does observe daylight saving time.”

— Navajo Nation Office of the President and Vice President (tribal government notice)

“During U.S. daylight saving time, most of Arizona matches Pacific Daylight Time by clock time, even though Arizona remains on Mountain Standard Time.”

— Pima County Public Library (local history resource)

The bottom line: Arizona’s time zone setup consistently confuses visitors and businesses because the state is a permanent MST island in a country that shifts clocks twice a year. The Navajo Nation’s separate DST observance adds a local twist that even many Americans don’t know about. For anyone planning a call, meeting, or trip involving Arizona, checking the current offset and whether you’re dealing with the Navajo Nation is the only way to avoid a scheduling mishap.

Visitors often find it surprising that Arizona remains on Mountain Standard Time all year, a topic explored in depth in Arizonas year-round MST.

Frequently asked questions