If your dial has been custom made for your location, no latitude correction is necessary. If you have a mass produced dial, it is unlikely that it will tell time unless you correct it for your latitude - which you will need to know. See Find Latitude and Longitude from Internet Sources. A mass produced dial will not have a longitude (time zone) correction.

First, measure the angle the gnomon makes with the dial face. This is the latitude for which the dial was designed. Most commercial dials sold in the U.S. are manufactured for 45º North, as that is roughly the midline of the U.S.

Determine the difference between the dial's latitude and your latitude. If there is no difference, mount the dial level in all directions. Assuming the dial is properly oriented to True North you are finished.

If there is a difference, you will have to tilt your entire dial by this difference so the angle the style (the shadow casting edge of the gnomon) makes with the horizontal (a level surface) is equal to your latitude. If your latitude is less than that of the dial, the north end of the dial will have to be tilted down as shown in (1) below. If your latitude is greater, the north end must be tilted up as in (2).

If you have an armillary or bowstring equatorial dial the arrow is the gnomon and the entire dial must be tilted.

Be sure to keep the dial level east to west.

View from the east