North America Time Zones

About North America

North America is the world's third-largest continent, covering approximately 24.7 million square kilometres — that's about 16.5% of the Earth's land area. The continent stretches from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the narrow Isthmus of Panama in the south, and from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west. North America is home to around 595 million people across 23 sovereign countries, plus several territories.

The continent is dominated by three large countries: Canada (the world's second-largest country by area), the United States (the world's third-largest), and Mexico. Together, these three nations make up around 85% of North America's total land area. Below Mexico, the Central American isthmus connects North America to South America via Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. The Caribbean region — though geographically a separate sub-region — is typically considered part of North America and includes nations like Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, the Bahamas, Haiti, and Trinidad and Tobago.

North America's geography is breathtakingly varied — from the Arctic tundra of northern Canada and Alaska, to the Rocky Mountains stretching from Canada to New Mexico, the vast Great Plains of the American Midwest, the Appalachian Mountains in the east, the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts of the southwest, the tropical rainforests of Central America, the volcanic peaks of Mexico, and the iconic beaches and coral reefs of the Caribbean. The continent contains the world's longest land border (between Canada and the US, spanning 8,891 km), the world's tallest mountain in North America (Denali in Alaska at 6,190m), and one of the world's most spectacular natural wonders — the Grand Canyon.

For travellers and business professionals, North America has one of the most complex time-zone systems in the world, with multiple offsets, daylight saving rules that vary by country and region, and even a unique half-hour zone in Newfoundland. The good news is that the US, Canada, and northern Mexico (border zones) all generally align their clocks for cross-border business — though Mexico abolished daylight saving in 2022, creating new seasonal misalignments.

North America's Time Zones

North America officially spans 9 main time zones, ranging from UTC-3:30 in eastern Canada to UTC-10 in Hawaii. From east to west:

🕐 Newfoundland Time (NST) — UTC-3:30 / UTC-2:30 (DST)

The unusual half-hour time zone unique to Newfoundland and parts of Labrador in Canada. One of the few half-hour offsets in the Western Hemisphere.

🕐 Atlantic Time (AST/ADT) — UTC-4 / UTC-3 (DST)

Used in eastern Canada and the Caribbean:

• Canada (Atlantic provinces — New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI, parts of Labrador), Bermuda, Greenland (most regions), Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, plus various Caribbean islands

🕑 Eastern Time (EST/EDT) — UTC-5 / UTC-4 (DST)

The most populous North American time zone, covering:

• United States (East Coast, including New York, Washington DC, Atlanta, Miami)

• Canada (Ontario, Quebec — including Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal)

• Mexico (Quintana Roo — including Cancún, Playa del Carmen, Tulum)

• Central America (Panama, Cuba, Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Haiti)

🕒 Central Time (CST/CDT) — UTC-6 / UTC-5 (DST)

A massive zone covering the central US, parts of Canada, and most of Mexico:

• United States (Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Minneapolis, New Orleans)

• Canada (Manitoba, most of Saskatchewan) — note that Saskatchewan does NOT observe DST

• Mexico (Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey, and most of the country)

• Central America (Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua)

🕓 Mountain Time (MST/MDT) — UTC-7 / UTC-6 (DST)

Covers the Rocky Mountain regions:

• United States (Denver, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Albuquerque) — note that most of Arizona does NOT observe DST

• Canada (Alberta, parts of British Columbia)

• Mexico (Sonora, Sinaloa, Nayarit, Chihuahua) — some northern border areas observe DST

🕔 Pacific Time (PST/PDT) — UTC-8 / UTC-7 (DST)

The west coast of the US and Canada:

• United States (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Las Vegas)

• Canada (most of British Columbia, Yukon — Yukon stays on UTC-7 year-round since 2020)

• Mexico (Baja California state — Tijuana, Mexicali)

🕕 Alaska Time (AKST/AKDT) — UTC-9 / UTC-8 (DST)

Covers most of the US state of Alaska, including Anchorage, Juneau, and Fairbanks.

🕖 Hawaii-Aleutian Time (HST/HDT) — UTC-10 / UTC-9 (DST)

Used in Hawaii (which does NOT observe DST) and the western Aleutian Islands of Alaska (which do observe DST).

North America Time Zones at a Glance

Major North American Cities and Their Times

Daylight Saving Time in North America

Daylight saving time across North America is complicated — it varies by country, and even by region within countries. Here's what to know:

🇺🇸 United States

The US observes DST from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November. Clocks shift forward at 2:00 AM local time in spring and back at 2:00 AM local time in autumn.

• Exceptions: Hawaii and most of Arizona do NOT observe DST and stay on standard time year-round.

🇨🇦 Canada

Canada generally follows the same DST schedule as the US (second Sunday in March to first Sunday in November) — making cross-border business consistent year-round.

• Exceptions: Saskatchewan, Yukon (since 2020), and parts of British Columbia, Quebec, and Nunavut do NOT observe DST.

🇲🇽 Mexico

Mexico abolished daylight saving time across most of the country in October 2022. Today, the only Mexican areas that still observe DST are a few northern border municipalities (around 33 towns) that align with the US for trade purposes. This means Mexico City no longer changes its clocks — a major change from previous years.

🇨🇺 Cuba

Cuba observes DST, switching from CST (UTC-5) to CDT (UTC-4) from March to November.

Most of Central America and the Caribbean

Most countries do NOT observe daylight saving time. This includes Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Belize, Panama, Nicaragua, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, the Bahamas (note: Bahamas does observe DST), Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago, and Puerto Rico.

Time Differences Between North American Cities

North American Countries by Region

🌎 North America (Mainland)

The three major nations of the continent.

• Canada, Mexico, United States

🌎 Central America

The narrow isthmus connecting North and South America.

• Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama

🌎 Caribbean (West Indies)

Tropical island nations of the Caribbean Sea.

• Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago

🌎 North American Territories

Inhabited dependent territories.

• Bermuda (UK), Greenland (Denmark), Puerto Rico (US), US Virgin Islands (US), British Virgin Islands (UK), Cayman Islands (UK), Anguilla (UK), Aruba & Curaçao (Netherlands), Martinique & Guadeloupe (France)

• The Statue of Liberty — the iconic symbol of freedom in New York Harbor

• The Grand Canyon — one of the world's most breathtaking natural wonders, in Arizona

• Niagara Falls — the powerful waterfall on the US-Canada border

• Hollywood — the global capital of filmmaking, in Los Angeles, California

• The Mayan and Aztec ruins — Chichén Itzá, Teotihuacán, Tulum, and Palenque in Mexico

• The Rocky Mountains — stretching from British Columbia to New Mexico

• The Great Lakes — five massive freshwater lakes shared by Canada and the US

• American sports — the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, and Major League Soccer

• Silicon Valley — the world's tech capital in California's Bay Area

• The Caribbean beaches — turquoise waters across Cuba, Jamaica, the Bahamas, and beyond

• National parks — Yellowstone, Yosemite, Banff, Jasper, and more

• Diverse cuisine — from Mexican tacos and BBQ to Cajun, Caribbean jerk, and New England seafood

What North America is Famous For

• Mexico ended national daylight saving time in 2022 — clocks no longer change in spring or autumn across most of the country, except for a strip of 33 northern border municipalities.

• Newfoundland is on a half-hour offset. UTC-3:30 makes it one of the only places in the Western Hemisphere using a half-hour time zone — locals often joke it's "30 minutes ahead of the rest of Canada".

• Most of Arizona doesn't observe DST. While most of the US shifts clocks each spring, most of Arizona (except the Navajo Nation) stays on Mountain Standard Time year-round to avoid more sunlight in already-hot summers.

• Hawaii doesn't observe DST either. Hawaiian Standard Time stays at UTC-10 every day of the year — there's no real benefit to shifting clocks at such a low latitude where daylight changes little.

• The US and Canada coordinate their DST. Both countries spring forward and fall back on the same days, making cross-border business effortless year-round.

• Quintana Roo (Cancún) is on Eastern Time. Despite most of Mexico using Central Time (UTC-6), the touristy Quintana Roo state (including Cancún and Tulum) switched to UTC-5 in 2015 to better match US East Coast tourists — and Mexico abolishing DST means Cancún stays put while New York shifts.

Facts About North America

Frequently asked questions

How many time zones are in North America?

North America has 9 main time zones from UTC-3:30 (Newfoundland, Canada) to UTC-10 (Hawaii). The most commonly used are Eastern (UTC-5), Central (UTC-6), Mountain (UTC-7), and Pacific (UTC-8) — each used across the US, Canada, and parts of Mexico. North America also has the unique Newfoundland Time at UTC-3:30, one of the only half-hour zones in the Western Hemisphere.

What is the time difference between New York and Mexico City?

Mexico City is 1 to 2 hours behind New York depending on the season. During US daylight saving time (March to November), Mexico City is 2 hours behind New York. During US standard time (November to March), Mexico City is just 1 hour behind. The difference shifts because Mexico no longer observes DST, while the US still does.

Does North America observe daylight saving time?

It depends on the country. The United States and Canada observe DST from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November (with some regional exceptions like Arizona, Hawaii, Saskatchewan, and Yukon). Mexico abolished DST in October 2022, so most Mexican cities no longer change clocks. Most Central American and Caribbean countries also do not observe DST.

Why doesn't Arizona observe DST?

Most of Arizona (except the Navajo Nation in the northeast) opted out of daylight saving time in 1968 because of the state's hot desert climate. The thinking was that adding an extra hour of evening daylight in summer would just make people use more air conditioning — defeating the energy-saving purpose of DST. Hawaii uses similar reasoning.

What time zone is most of the US in?

The four main US time zones — Eastern, Central, Mountain, and Pacific — divide the contiguous US roughly equally. Eastern Time (UTC-5/-4) is the most populous, covering the major financial centres of New York, Washington DC, Atlanta, and Miami. Central Time covers Chicago, Houston, and the Midwest. Mountain Time covers the Rockies. Pacific Time covers California, Washington, and Oregon.

What is the westernmost time zone in North America?

The westernmost is Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time (HST) at UTC-10, used by the US state of Hawaii and the western Aleutian Islands of Alaska. Hawaii does not observe daylight saving time, so it stays at UTC-10 year-round, while the Aleutian Islands portion does observe DST.

What time zone is Mexico in?

Mexico has 4 time zones: Central Time (UTC-6) for most of the country including Mexico City and Guadalajara; Pacific Time (UTC-7) for Sonora, Sinaloa, and parts of the northwest; Northwest Zone (UTC-8) for Baja California state (Tijuana); and Southeast Zone (UTC-5) for Quintana Roo (Cancún). Note that Mexico abolished DST nationally in 2022, with only northern border municipalities still observing daylight saving.

What time zone is Canada in?

Canada spans 6 time zones: Newfoundland (UTC-3:30), Atlantic (UTC-4), Eastern (UTC-5), Central (UTC-6), Mountain (UTC-7), and Pacific (UTC-8). Most of Canada observes daylight saving on the same dates as the US, but Saskatchewan and Yukon do not — they stay on Central Standard Time and Mountain Standard Time respectively all year.

What is the time difference between New York and Los Angeles?

Los Angeles is 3 hours behind New York throughout the year. Both cities observe daylight saving on the same dates, so when it's 12:00 PM in New York, it's always 9:00 AM in Los Angeles — regardless of season. The 3-hour gap is one of the most familiar time differences in business.

Are there any half-hour or quarter-hour time zones in North America?

Yes, but only one: Newfoundland Time at UTC-3:30, used in Newfoundland and parts of Labrador, Canada. This is one of just a handful of half-hour offsets in the world (others include India, Iran, Afghanistan, and Myanmar). All other North American time zones use whole-hour offsets.

What is the easternmost time zone in North America?

The easternmost time zone in North America is Newfoundland Time (NST) at UTC-3:30, used in Newfoundland and parts of Labrador, Canada. This unique half-hour offset puts the city of St. John's about 30 minutes ahead of the rest of Atlantic Canada — and locals are proud of being the first major Canadian city to greet each new day.

Why did Mexico abolish daylight saving time?

Mexico's 2022 decision to end DST was driven by health and energy data. Government studies showed that the seasonal clock change disrupted sleep, increased heart attacks and accidents in the days after each change, and produced minimal energy savings in modern conditions. President López Obrador's administration argued that the human costs outweighed any benefits, and Congress passed the law in October 2022.

Explore North American Countries

Build out your travel and business knowledge with detailed time pages for major North American countries:

• United States Time Now

• New York Time Now

• Los Angeles Time Now

• Canada Time Now

• Mexico Time Now

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