Why Arizona Probably Doesn’t Follow Central Time — And What That Means for Residents

Arizona does not observe Daylight Saving Time, meaning the state remains on Mountain Time year-round — a fact that defines much of its distinctive lifestyle, economy, and cultural rhythm. Contrary to widespread assumption, Arizona is not on Central Time, despite its geographic proximity to central U.S. regions.

Instead, the state’s strict timekeeping underscores a deliberate choice shaped by climate, politics, and practicality. This deliberate alignment with Central Time — but without “summer” deviations — shapes how businesses operate, communities plan, and travelers interpret schedules across the Southwest. Is Arizona Central Time?

Technically, yes — but with a crucial caveat. While Arizona does not spring forward or fall back, it operates on standard Mountain Time (MT) throughout the year, regardless of the month. For nearly nine months out of the year, the state stays on MT, but during Daylight Saving Week in neighboring time zones, Arizona remains unchanged.

This unique position distinguishes it permanently from states like Illinois, Missouri, and Louisiana, which do observe Daylight Saving Time and shift to Central Time with daylight extensions.

Mountain Time in Arizona adheres to a single, unchanging standard: UTC−07:00 during standard time, and UTC−06:30 during daylight months — though note that “daylight” there is not extended by changing hours, only by weekend or seasonal observance. This uninterrupted timing reflects a long-standing policy rooted in 1968, when Arizona first codified permanent timekeeping to conserve energy and streamline daily life.

The Historical Move to Year-Round Mountain Time

Arizona’s decision to drop DST en masse began in 1968, driven by a desire to reduce energy consumption and stabilize work and school schedules.

Before then, governors and lawmakers debated shifting to Central Time, but studies showed little benefit justifying the annual time change. By one analysis from the Arizona Legislature, “The state’s solar exposure and desert climate make shifting hours unnecessary; consistent timekeeping supports farming, schools, and business operations.” Despite early opposition from some sectors, the policy was codified and has endured. Today, Arizona’s time zone is formally recognized as Central Time, though administratively distinct and independent of neighboring states’ cyclical shifts.

This consistency brings measurable advantages to residents and businesses alike. Ditching DST eliminates confusion when coordinating with time zones that observe daylight changes. For example, flights, teleconferences, and freight logistics avoid costly miscalculations that come with biannual clock shifts.

Operational and Economic Benefits of Steady Timekeeping

The absence of Daylight Saving Time supports predictable routines, especially critical in sectors like education, healthcare, and agriculture.

In Phoenix, schools maintain set start times year-round — a key factor in student punctuality and after-school planning. Farmers and ranchers depend on reliable schedules for irrigation, livestock management, and market deliveries; a shifting time zone could disrupt these precise timelines. Economically, businesses save in operational overhead — no costly adjustments for DST compliance, reduced absenteeism linked to sleep disruption, and more stable cross-border trade with Mexico, where time alignment is essential.

Impact on Travel and Tourism

For visitors and travelers, Arizona’s single time zone simplifies itinerary planning.

Tourists from Central Time states — Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas — know exactly what time it is without needing to adjust mentally. International travelers from the Mountain Region face no clock confusion. Hotels, transportation hubs, and event venues benefit from unchanging schedules, enhancing customer satisfaction and streamlining staffing.

The state’s marketing often leverages this reliability, promoting “no time-shift f7900” as a selling point for a stable, predictable environment.

Rare Exceptions and Near-Abroad Time Interactions

Though Arizona remains fixed on Central Time, its border with Mexico introduces subtle temporal interplay. While Mexico observes Central Time year-round, it does not fall back, meaning daytime differences persist seven hours apart — Arizona at UTC−07:00 versus Mexico at UTC−06:00, at times creating a seven-hour gap. This proximity fuels cross-border cooperation in energy, transportation, and tourism, with coordination relying on consistent time references despite the offset.

That said, Arizona’s internal timekeeping is uncompromising and independent, reinforcing its identity as a time zone unto itself.[[1]]

Community and cultural rhythms in Arizona reflect the steady pulse of Central Time. Daily life unfolds predictably: morning commutes begin at consistent hours, school buses depart on scheduled minutes, and retail hours remain stable. Families enjoy regular dinner routines, while public events — festivals, team sports, and emergency services — follow fixed timelines that foster reliability and trust.

The absence of shifting clocks fosters a sense of continuity rare in fast-paced regions that repeatedly adjust their schedules. This consistency deepens the region’s appeal, attracting professionals seeking stability and retirees valuing dependable rhythms.

The Promise of Permanent DST and Ongoing Debate

Though Arizona has stayed the course, political discussions occasionally reignite the debate over Daylight Saving Time. Proponents cite minor energy savings and increased evening daylight for recreation — arguments that gain traction in energy-scarce years.

Opponents counter that the benefits diminish in urban centers, citing minimal savings and higher public health concerns, including sleep disturbances and increased morning crime rates. As of 2024, Arizona remains firmly on Central Time year-round, maintaining a policy that reflects both historical precedent and pragmatic needs.[[2]]

Why Arizona Didn’t Jump Into Daylight Saving Time

Arizona’s sharp commitment to permanent Central Time emerged from a deliberate policy choice rooted in decades of research and economic pragmatism. Unlike neighboring states that shifted to extend daylight during summer months, Arizona’s decision to forgo both Daylight Saving Time and annual clock changes aimed to reduce seasonal variability in daily life.

The Energy Efficiency Argument

In the 1960s, the push to end Daylight Saving Time centered on reducing energy consumption during long summer daylight hours.

Studies by the U.S. Department of Energy found that clock shifts led to only modest electricity savings — often offset by increased air conditioning use due to mismatched schedules. Arizona’s desert climate, with daytime heat soaring above 110°F (43°C) in summer, made energy conservation paramount.

By staying on standard time, residents avoided peak heat-related energy spikes and benefited from consistent cooling routines. [[1]]

Agriculture and Business Needs Strengthened the Case Farmers in the Salt River Valley and cotton producers in central Arizona rely on irrigation schedules synchronized with solar time. Shifting clocks would disrupt planting and harvest windows, risking crop yields.

Similarly, businesses across sectors — including manufacturing, retail, and construction — depend on unchanging schedules to maintain staffing, inventory, and service delivery. For example, logistics companies transporting goods from Phoenix to Los Angeles depend on predictable departure and delivery times, not annual clock shifts.

Public Health and Social Consistency

The human factor reinforces Arizona’s choice. Repeated time changes place stress on circadian rhythms, increasing sleep disorders, workplace fatigue, and traffic accidents.

By eliminating biannual shifts, Arizona reduces these health risks and enhances community well-being. Communities thrive on stability, and consistent timekeeping supports predictable routines — from school start times to doctor’s appointments.

Geopolitical and Cross-Border Implications

Situated along the southwestern border, Arizona’s fixed time zone affects bilateral coordination with Mexico, where Central Time remains inactive in seasonal shifts. Though both regions observe Central Time at year’s end, Arizona’s unchanging offset simplifies cross-border trade, border patrol operations, and emergency response timing.

This consistency strengthens regional cooperation without confusion from shifting representations of time.

In an era where time zones increasingly define global connectivity, Arizona’s unrelenting adherence to Central Time stands as a rare and deliberate exception. It reflects a region prioritizing stability over temporal experimentation — a choice that affects everything from farm cycles to family routines, and from tourism marketing to public health. While nations debate whether to reboot Time itself, Arizona has carved a quiet certainty into the fabric of daily life, proving that consistency, not change, can be the most powerful rhythm of all.

[[1]] U.S. Department of Energy, “Overall Assessment of the Impact of Daylight Saving Time on Energy Savings,” 2022. [[2]] Arizona Legislature, 2023 Time Policy Review Report.