Current Time in Mexico/BajaSur Time Zone
IANA Name: Mexico/BajaSur
Standard Offset: UTC −07:00
Daylight Saving: No
Currently Observing DST: No ❌
Mexico/BajaSur: The Time Zone of Baja California Sur
Mexico/BajaSur is the IANA time zone identifier for the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. It observes Mountain Standard Time (MST) year-round, with a fixed offset of UTC-07:00. This zone does not observe daylight saving time, meaning its clocks remain constant throughout the year.
Geographic Scope and Users
Mexico/BajaSur applies exclusively to the state of Baja California Sur, which occupies the southern half of the Baja California Peninsula. Major cities include La Paz (the state capital), Cabo San Lucas, San José del Cabo, and Loreto. The zone covers the entire state, including its Pacific coast and the Gulf of California shoreline. All residents, businesses, and government entities in Baja California Sur use this time zone.
Offset and Abbreviation
The standard offset is UTC-07:00, which is 7 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time. The common abbreviation is MST (Mountain Standard Time). Unlike many other regions at this offset, Mexico/BajaSur does not shift to MDT (Mountain Daylight Time) because it does not observe DST. The offset is constant: UTC-07:00 all year.
Daylight Saving Time Behavior
Mexico/BajaSur has no daylight saving time. The state of Baja California Sur opted out of DST after Mexico’s 2022 time zone reform, which eliminated seasonal clock changes for most of the country (except the northern border strip). As a result, the offset remains UTC-07:00 year-round. There is no spring-forward or fall-back; the sun’s apparent movement shifts naturally with the seasons, but clocks do not change.
Comparison with Other Zones at UTC-07:00
Several other IANA zones share the same standard offset (UTC-07:00) but differ in DST observance. For example, America/Denver (US Mountain Time) observes DST, switching to UTC-06:00 in summer. America/Hermosillo (Mexico/Hermosillo) also uses UTC-07:00 year-round but applies to Sonora. America/Mazatlan (Mexico/Mazatlan) covers parts of Sinaloa and Nayarit and also does not observe DST. America/Ciudad_Juarez (Mexico/Ciudad_Juarez) is on UTC-07:00 but follows US DST due to its border location. Other zones like America/Boise, America/Edmonton, and America/Dawson_Creek are in Canada or the US and may observe DST. Thus, Mexico/BajaSur is one of several permanent MST zones.
Practical Guidance for Scheduling
Because Mexico/BajaSur does not observe DST, its offset relative to other zones changes twice a year. During winter (November to March), it aligns with US Mountain Time (e.g., Denver) and Canadian Mountain Time (e.g., Edmonton). During summer (March to November), those zones shift to UTC-06:00, making Mexico/BajaSur one hour behind them. For example, when Denver is on MDT (UTC-06:00), BajaSur is 1 hour behind. Conversely, it remains 1 hour ahead of US Pacific Time (UTC-08:00) year-round, since Pacific Time observes DST. For business calls with New York (Eastern Time), BajaSur is 2 hours behind during winter (when EST is UTC-05:00) and 3 hours behind during summer (when EDT is UTC-04:00). For London, BajaSur is 7 hours behind during winter (GMT) and 8 hours behind during summer (BST). Always confirm the current offset of the other party, especially if their zone observes DST.
Key Cities and Their Local Time
- La Paz: UTC-07:00 year-round
- Cabo San Lucas: UTC-07:00 year-round
- San José del Cabo: UTC-07:00 year-round
- Loreto: UTC-07:00 year-round
All cities in Baja California Sur share the same time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Mexico/BajaSur observe daylight saving time?
No, Mexico/BajaSur does not observe daylight saving time. The offset is UTC-07:00 all year.
What is the current time in Mexico/BajaSur?
The current time is Mountain Standard Time (MST), which is UTC-07:00. Since there is no DST, the time does not change relative to UTC.
Which Mexican states use Mexico/BajaSur?
Only the state of Baja California Sur uses this time zone. The neighboring state of Baja California (north) uses America/Tijuana (UTC-08:00 with DST).
How does Mexico/BajaSur compare to US Mountain Time?
During winter (when US Mountain Time is on MST), they are the same. During summer (when US Mountain Time switches to MDT, UTC-06:00), Mexico/BajaSur is one hour behind.
What is the abbreviation for this time zone?
The abbreviation is MST (Mountain Standard Time). It is also sometimes referred to as Pacific Standard Time in older contexts, but officially it is MST.
Why does Baja California Sur not observe DST?
Mexico eliminated DST for most of the country in 2022, except for a northern border strip. Baja California Sur is not in that strip, so it remains on standard time year-round.