Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for time stamping an electronic message to accurately associate time information with the electronic message. The time information may identify the time at which the message was sent or processed. In one embodiment the time information comprises a time stamp value, a time offset value, a time convention identifier for the time stamp, and a daylight savings time identifier. These values maybe by appended by a message center prior to sending the message to a message recipient. Upon receipt by a mobile communication device, processing occurs so that an accurate message sent time is provided. In one embodiment a system time, from a communication system, is continually provided to the mobile communication device to thereby allow display of the message sent time value in a format corresponding to the location, i.e. time zone, of the mobile communication device at the time of receipt.