Current Time in Denver
The clock gives Denver time to the second, labeled MST in winter and MDT in summer. Colorado follows the US daylight saving dates.
Current time in Denver
- IANA zone
- Current time in Denver
- Mountain Time
- Also called MST · MDT · America/Denver
- The US and Canadian time zone at UTC−7 in winter (MST) and UTC−6 in summer (MDT). Denver is its largest city.
Mountain Time in Denver
- IANA zone
- America/Denver
- Standard time
- MST · UTC−7
- Daylight saving time
- MDT · UTC−6
- Clocks go forward
- Sun, March 8, 2026 at 2:00 AM local time
- Clocks go back
- Sun, November 1, 2026 at 2:00 AM local time
- Clocks go forward
- Sun, March 14, 2027 at 2:00 AM local time
- Clocks go back
- Sun, November 7, 2027 at 2:00 AM local time
Colorado uses the federal daylight saving rule: clocks go forward at 2:00 AM on the second Sunday in March and back at 2:00 AM on the first Sunday in November. The US Department of Transportation's daylight saving page sets the zone boundaries and the dates.
In Colorado itself the question of ending the change has come up several times. Bills to adopt permanent daylight time have been passed on the condition that neighboring states and Congress allow it, so in practice nothing changes until federal law does.
Arizona is the exception in summer
Most of Arizona does not observe daylight saving time and stays on MST, UTC−7, all year. In summer Phoenix shares its clock with Los Angeles, not with Denver. The Navajo Nation in Arizona does change its clocks.
- November to March: Denver and Phoenix match.
- March to November: Phoenix is one hour behind Denver.
Denver against other cities
| City | In January | In July |
|---|---|---|
| Honolulu | −3 | −4 |
| Anchorage | −2 | −2 |
| Seattle | −1 | −1 |
| Vancouver | 0 | −1 |
| Houston | +1 | +1 |
| Lima | +2 | +1 |
| Toronto | +2 | +2 |
| Washington, D.C. | +2 | +2 |
| Buenos Aires | +4 | +3 |
| São Paulo | +4 | +3 |
| London | +7 | +7 |
| Amsterdam | +8 | +8 |
| Berlin | +8 | +8 |
| Madrid | +8 | +8 |
| Paris | +8 | +8 |
| Zurich | +8 | +8 |
| Athens | +9 | +9 |
| Cairo | +9 | +9 |
| Johannesburg | +9 | +8 |
| Doha | +10 | +9 |
| Nairobi | +10 | +9 |
| Riyadh | +10 | +9 |
| Dubai | +11 | +10 |
| Delhi | +12:30 | +11:30 |
| Dhaka | +13 | +12 |
| Ho Chi Minh City | +14 | +13 |
| Kuala Lumpur | +15 | +14 |
| Manila | +15 | +14 |
| Perth | +15 | +14 |
| Shanghai | +15 | +14 |
| Taipei | +15 | +14 |
| Seoul | +16 | +15 |
| Brisbane | +17 | +16 |
| Melbourne | +18 | +16 |
| Sydney | +18 | +16 |
Hours to add to the time in Denver; a minus sign means the other city is behind
Within the US, the gaps from Denver never move: Seattle is one hour behind, Houston one hour ahead and Washington, D.C., two hours ahead. The MST to EST converter shows each hour against the East Coast.
Mountain Time has the fewest people of the four main US zones, so national broadcasts often air an hour earlier or later than the local schedule. Prime time in Denver usually starts at 7:00 PM, not 8:00 PM.
Denver sits a mile above sea level and close to the middle of its zone, so sunrise and sunset match the clock fairly well: around 4:30 PM sunsets in December and about 8:30 PM in late June.
Denver time questions
Is Denver on MST or MDT now?
The clock label shows it. Denver uses MDT (UTC−6) from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November, and MST (UTC−7) otherwise.
Is Denver on the same time as Phoenix?
Only in winter. Most of Arizona stays on MST all year, so in summer Phoenix is one hour behind Denver.
How many hours is Denver behind New York?
Two hours, all year.
Which US states are on Mountain Time besides Colorado?
Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Wyoming, Montana and Arizona, plus parts of Idaho, Oregon, Nevada, Texas and four others.
What is the time difference between Denver and London?
Seven hours behind London for most of the year, six hours in the short spells in March and late October.