Ever tried to call someone in Scottsdale from New York or Chicago and ended up waking them at 5 a.m.? It happens way more often than you’d think. People assume they know the drill with time zones, but Arizona is a total outlier. If you’re trying to figure out what time is in Scottsdale AZ, the answer isn't just about looking at a clock—it’s about understanding a state that basically told the federal government "no thanks" back in the 1960s.
Right now, Scottsdale is on Mountain Standard Time (MST). But here is the kicker: it stays on MST all year. While the rest of the country is busy "springing forward" or "falling back," Scottsdale just stays put.
The Time Zone That Never Moves
Basically, Scottsdale is part of the roughly 90% of Arizona that does not observe Daylight Saving Time (DST). This means the city is permanently set to UTC-7.
Why does this matter to you? Because the "gap" between Scottsdale and wherever you are changes twice a year. If you’re in New York, sometimes you’re two hours ahead of Scottsdale, and sometimes you’re three. If you’re in Los Angeles, sometimes you’re on the exact same time as Scottsdale, and other times you’re an hour behind. It’s a moving target for everyone except the people actually living in the Sonoran Desert.
🔗 Read more: Port Monmouth NJ Weather: What Most People Get Wrong
Understanding What Time Is in Scottsdale AZ During the Year
To make sense of the math, you have to look at the calendar. Since Scottsdale doesn't move its clocks, it effectively "swaps" its relative position to other states.
- From November to March (Winter): Most of the U.S. is on Standard Time. During these months, Scottsdale is in sync with the rest of the Mountain Time Zone. If it's noon in Denver, it’s noon in Scottsdale. You are two hours behind the East Coast (EST).
- From March to November (Summer): This is where it gets weird. When the rest of the country moves their clocks forward, Scottsdale stays on MST. This effectively puts them on the same time as the Pacific Time Zone (PDT). So, during the summer, if it’s 3 p.m. in Los Angeles, it’s 3 p.m. in Scottsdale. You are now three hours behind New York (EDT).
Kinda confusing, right? It’s because the Mountain Time Zone technically has two versions: Mountain Standard Time (MST) and Mountain Daylight Time (MDT). Scottsdale only uses MST.
Why Scottsdale Refuses to Change
Honestly, it’s about the heat. Arizona officially opted out of the Uniform Time Act in 1968. The logic was pretty simple: in a place where summer temperatures regularly blast past 110 degrees, nobody wants more daylight in the evening.
Think about it. If Scottsdale moved the clocks forward in June, the sun wouldn’t set until nearly 9 p.m. That’s another hour of the desert sun baking your house while you're trying to cool it down for bed. By staying on Standard Time, the sun sets "earlier," giving residents a head start on those slightly cooler evening temperatures.
The One Major Exception: The Navajo Nation
If you’re traveling through Arizona, don’t assume the whole state is on the same page. The Navajo Nation, which covers a massive chunk of northeastern Arizona, does observe Daylight Saving Time.
If you drive from Scottsdale up to the Four Corners area in the summer, you will actually lose an hour as you cross onto tribal lands. Then, if you drive into the Hopi Reservation (which is entirely surrounded by the Navajo Nation), you’ll jump back an hour because the Hopi Tribe follows the rest of Arizona and ignores DST. It’s a chronological headache for anyone road-tripping through the high desert.
Real-World Travel Tips for Scottsdale Time
If you’re planning a trip to the West's Most Western Town, keep these specific things in mind:
- Check Your Smartphone: Most modern phones are smart enough to handle the Arizona "no-DST" rule. However, if you have "Set Automatically" turned off, you are going to have a bad time.
- Dinner Reservations: If you are booking a table at a spot like Old Town Tortilla Factory or The Mission from an out-of-state area code, double-check the time difference for that specific month. A 7 p.m. reservation in July is not the same offset as a 7 p.m. reservation in December.
- Flight Times: Airlines always list arrival and departure times in local time. If your ticket says you land at Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) at 10:15 a.m., it means 10:15 a.m. Scottsdale time, regardless of what time it was when you took off from O'Hare or JFK.
Actionable Advice for Coordinating with Scottsdale
If you are working with a business in Scottsdale or visiting soon, here is the simplest way to stay on track:
- The "Pacific Rule": From March to November, just treat Scottsdale like it’s in California.
- The "Mountain Rule": From November to March, treat Scottsdale like it’s in Colorado.
- Google is Your Friend: Literally type "time in Scottsdale" into a search bar before you make that call. It's the only way to be 100% sure you aren't calling during someone's breakfast.
Whether you're hitting the golf courses at Troon North or just trying to schedule a Zoom call, remember that Scottsdale is the one staying still while the rest of the world moves its clocks. It's a bit of a desert quirk, but once you get used to "Arizona Time," you might find yourself wishing the rest of the world would stop fiddling with the knobs too.
📖 Related: Why Sand Hollow Resort Utah Is Basically the Disneyland of the Desert
Next Step: Check your calendar for any upcoming travel dates to Arizona and verify if they fall within the DST window (March–November) to ensure your flight connections and hotel check-ins are perfectly timed.