The United States spans six main time zones across its 50 states, plus additional time zones for its territories. It is one of the most time-zone-complex countries in the world — not just because of its geographic size, but because of the unusual exceptions: states that do not observe Daylight Saving Time, counties that use a different time zone from the rest of their state, and territories that operate on entirely separate schedules.
This guide covers every US state's time zone, explains the DST rules, and walks through the unusual cases that trip people up most often.
The Six Main US Time Zones
The contiguous 48 states use four time zones. Alaska and Hawaii each have their own. Here is the full picture:
- Eastern Time (ET) — UTC−5 in winter (EST), UTC−4 in summer (EDT)
- Central Time (CT) — UTC−6 in winter (CST), UTC−5 in summer (CDT)
- Mountain Time (MT) — UTC−7 in winter (MST), UTC−6 in summer (MDT)
- Pacific Time (PT) — UTC−8 in winter (PST), UTC−7 in summer (PDT)
- Alaska Time (AKT) — UTC−9 in winter (AKST), UTC−8 in summer (AKDT)
- Hawaii-Aleutian Time (HAT) — UTC−10 year-round for Hawaii (no DST); UTC−10 in winter / UTC−9 in summer for the Aleutian Islands
State-by-State Time Zone Reference
Here is the time zone for every US state:
- Alabama — Central Time
- Alaska — Alaska Time (most of the state); Hawaii-Aleutian Time (Aleutian Islands west of 169°30'W)
- Arizona — Mountain Standard Time year-round (no DST) — except the Navajo Nation, which observes DST
- Arkansas — Central Time
- California — Pacific Time
- Colorado — Mountain Time
- Connecticut — Eastern Time
- Delaware — Eastern Time
- Florida — Eastern Time (most of the state); Central Time (the Florida Panhandle west of the Apalachicola River)
- Georgia — Eastern Time
- Hawaii — Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time year-round (no DST)
- Idaho — Mountain Time (most of the state); Pacific Time (the northern panhandle)
- Illinois — Central Time
- Indiana — Eastern Time (most of the state); Central Time (some counties in the northwest and southwest)
- Iowa — Central Time
- Kansas — Central Time (most of the state); Mountain Time (the four westernmost counties)
- Kentucky — Eastern Time (most of the state); Central Time (the western part)
- Louisiana — Central Time
- Maine — Eastern Time
- Maryland — Eastern Time
- Massachusetts — Eastern Time
- Michigan — Eastern Time (most of the state); Central Time (Gogebic, Iron, Dickinson, and Menominee counties in the Upper Peninsula)
- Minnesota — Central Time
- Mississippi — Central Time
- Missouri — Central Time
- Montana — Mountain Time
- Nebraska — Central Time (most of the state); Mountain Time (the western panhandle)
- Nevada — Pacific Time
- New Hampshire — Eastern Time
- New Jersey — Eastern Time
- New Mexico — Mountain Time
- New York — Eastern Time
- North Carolina — Eastern Time
- North Dakota — Central Time (most of the state); Mountain Time (the southwestern corner)
- Ohio — Eastern Time
- Oklahoma — Central Time
- Oregon — Pacific Time (most of the state); Mountain Time (Malheur County)
- Pennsylvania — Eastern Time
- Rhode Island — Eastern Time
- South Carolina — Eastern Time
- South Dakota — Central Time (eastern part); Mountain Time (western part)
- Tennessee — Central Time (most of the state); Eastern Time (the eastern part)
- Texas — Central Time (most of the state); Mountain Time (El Paso and Hudspeth counties)
- Utah — Mountain Time
- Vermont — Eastern Time
- Virginia — Eastern Time
- Washington — Pacific Time
- West Virginia — Eastern Time
- Wisconsin — Central Time
- Wyoming — Mountain Time
- Washington DC — Eastern Time
The Arizona Exception: No Daylight Saving Time
Arizona is the most well-known time zone exception in the US. The state observes Mountain Standard Time (UTC−7) year-round and does not participate in Daylight Saving Time. The official reason is that Arizona's hot desert climate means residents prefer cooler evenings, and shifting an hour of daylight to the evening in summer would make the already extreme heat even more uncomfortable.
The practical consequence is that Arizona's time relationship with neighbouring states changes twice a year. In winter, Arizona is on the same time as Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico (all Mountain Standard Time). In summer, when those states spring forward to Mountain Daylight Time (UTC−6), Arizona stays at UTC−7 — making it one hour behind its neighbours.
The exception to the exception: the Navajo Nation, which covers a large area of northeastern Arizona (as well as parts of Utah and New Mexico), does observe Daylight Saving Time. And within the Navajo Nation, the Hopi Reservation does not observe DST. This creates a situation where driving across northeastern Arizona can mean crossing in and out of DST multiple times.
Indiana's Complex History
Indiana has one of the most complicated time zone histories of any US state. For decades, different counties in Indiana observed different time zones and different DST rules, creating a patchwork that confused residents and businesses alike. Some counties were on Eastern Standard Time year-round. Others were on Central Standard Time year-round. Others observed DST and others did not.
In 2006, Indiana standardised: the entire state moved to Eastern Time with full DST observance, except for a small number of counties in the northwest (near Chicago) and southwest (near Evansville) that were granted permission to remain on Central Time. Today, Indiana is mostly Eastern Time, but those border counties remain on Central Time.
US Territories and Their Time Zones
Beyond the 50 states, the US has several territories with their own time zones:
- Puerto Rico — Atlantic Standard Time (UTC−4) year-round, no DST
- US Virgin Islands — Atlantic Standard Time (UTC−4) year-round, no DST
- Guam — Chamorro Standard Time (UTC+10) year-round, no DST
- Northern Mariana Islands — Chamorro Standard Time (UTC+10) year-round, no DST
- American Samoa — Samoa Standard Time (UTC−11) year-round, no DST
When Do US Clocks Change?
The US observes Daylight Saving Time from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November. On the spring change date, clocks spring forward one hour at 2:00 AM local time (becoming 3:00 AM). On the autumn change date, clocks fall back one hour at 2:00 AM local time (becoming 1:00 AM).
This is different from the European DST schedule, which changes on the last Sunday in March and the last Sunday in October. The mismatch between US and European DST dates means there are two periods each year — roughly two weeks in spring and two weeks in autumn — when the time difference between the US and Europe is one hour different from its normal value.
Key Takeaways
- The contiguous US uses four time zones: Eastern, Central, Mountain, and Pacific. Alaska and Hawaii have their own zones.
- Arizona does not observe DST and stays on Mountain Standard Time year-round — except the Navajo Nation, which does observe DST.
- Several states are split between two time zones, including Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Texas.
- US territories like Puerto Rico and Guam do not observe DST.
- US DST dates differ from European DST dates, creating a two-week window each spring and autumn when the US–Europe time difference shifts by one hour.
Need to check the current time in any US city? Use the UrbanGlobalTrends Time Zone Converter for instant, accurate results including DST.