Current Time in America/Denver Time Zone
IANA Name: America/Denver
Standard Offset: UTC −07:00
Daylight Saving: Yes
DST Offset: UTC −06:00
DST Abbreviation: MDT
Currently Observing DST: Yes ✅
America/Denver: The Mountain Time Zone
America/Denver is the IANA time zone identifier for the Mountain Time Zone in the United States, anchored by Denver, Colorado. It observes standard time at UTC-07:00 (Mountain Standard Time, MST) and daylight saving time at UTC-06:00 (Mountain Daylight Time, MDT). This zone covers a large portion of the interior western U.S., including major cities such as Denver, Salt Lake City, Albuquerque, and El Paso.
Overview and Usage
America/Denver applies to the entire state of Colorado, most of Utah, New Mexico, Arizona (except the Navajo Nation), Montana, Wyoming, Idaho (south of the Salmon River), and parts of other states. It is used exclusively in the United States. The zone's standard offset, UTC-07:00, is shared with several other IANA zones including America/Boise, America/Edmonton, America/Phoenix, and others. However, America/Phoenix (Arizona) does not observe daylight saving time, while America/Denver does.
Offset and Abbreviation
The standard offset is 7 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC-07:00), abbreviated as MST (Mountain Standard Time). During daylight saving time, the offset shifts to UTC-06:00, abbreviated as MDT (Mountain Daylight Time). The abbreviation MST is used from the first Sunday in November until the second Sunday in March; MDT is used for the remainder of the year.
Daylight Saving Time Behavior
America/Denver observes daylight saving time (DST) as mandated by U.S. federal law. Clocks spring forward by one hour on the second Sunday in March at 2:00 AM MST to 3:00 AM MDT, and fall back on the first Sunday in November at 2:00 AM MDT to 1:00 AM MST. Recent and upcoming DST change dates include: March 9, 2025 (to MDT); November 2, 2025 (to MST); March 8, 2026 (to MDT); and November 1, 2026 (to MST). This twice-yearly shift creates a rhythm of longer evening daylight in summer and earlier sunsets in winter.
Countries and Major Cities
The zone is used only in the United States. Key cities include Denver (Colorado), Salt Lake City (Utah), Albuquerque (New Mexico), El Paso (Texas), Cheyenne (Wyoming), Billings (Montana), Boise (Idaho), and Colorado Springs (Colorado). These cities span a wide geographic area in the Rocky Mountain region and the Great Plains.
Practical Guidance for Scheduling
When scheduling calls or business hours across time zones, note that America/Denver is 2 hours behind Eastern Time (UTC-05:00/UTC-04:00) and 1 hour behind Central Time (UTC-06:00/UTC-05:00). It is 1 hour ahead of Pacific Time (UTC-08:00/UTC-07:00) during standard time, but during DST, Pacific Time is also at UTC-07:00, so Denver and Los Angeles share the same offset then. For international coordination, typical business hours in Denver (9 AM to 5 PM MST/MDT) overlap well with the U.S. East Coast (11 AM to 7 PM EST/EDT) and the U.K. (4 PM to midnight GMT/BST). Avoid scheduling early morning calls with Europe or late evening calls with Asia due to the large offset (e.g., UTC-07:00 is 15 hours behind Japan Standard Time).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current time in America/Denver?
The current time depends on the date. During standard time (early November to early March), it is UTC-07:00. During daylight saving time (mid-March to early November), it is UTC-06:00. Check a world clock for the exact time.
Does America/Denver observe daylight saving time?
Yes. Clocks spring forward on the second Sunday in March and fall back on the first Sunday in November, following U.S. federal law.
Which states use America/Denver?
What is the difference between America/Denver and America/Phoenix?
Both use UTC-07:00 as standard time, but America/Phoenix (Arizona) does not observe daylight saving time, so it remains at UTC-07:00 year-round. America/Denver shifts to UTC-06:00 during DST, creating a one-hour difference between the two zones in summer.
How do I convert Denver time to UTC?
During MST (standard time), add 7 hours to Denver time to get UTC. During MDT (daylight time), add 6 hours. For example, 10:00 AM MST is 17:00 UTC; 10:00 AM MDT is 16:00 UTC.
What is the IANA time zone identifier for Denver?
The IANA identifier is America/Denver. It is also known as the Mountain Time Zone in the United States.