Daylight saving time ends on Sunday, November 1, 2026, at 2:00 a.m. local time. At that moment, clocks fall back one hour to 1:00 a.m., which gives most people an extra hour of sleep that night. Mornings get lighter, and evenings get dark about an hour earlier.
If you remember one thing: before bed on Saturday, October 31, set any clocks that don’t update on their own back by one hour. This guide covers the key dates, which parts of the US skip the change, where the debate over permanent daylight saving time stands, and how to adjust to the shift.
Daylight saving time 2026: key dates
Under federal law, daylight saving time in the US runs from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November. The change happens at 2:00 a.m. local time in each time zone.
Event | Date | What happens |
Daylight saving time started | Sunday, March 8, 2026 | Clocks sprang forward from 2:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m. |
Daylight saving time ends | Sunday, November 1, 2026 | Clocks fall back from 2:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. |
Daylight saving time starts again | Sunday, March 14, 2027 | Clocks spring forward one hour |
Daylight saving time ends | Sunday, November 7, 2027 | Clocks fall back one hour |
The easy way to remember the direction: spring forward, fall back.
What happens when daylight saving time ends
At 2:00 a.m. on November 1, local time returns to 1:00 a.m. That means the hour from 1:00 to 1:59 a.m. happens twice. The country moves from daylight time (EDT, CDT, MDT, PDT) back to standard time (EST, CST, MST, PST) until March.
The practical effect is a shift in daylight, not more of it. Sunrise and sunset both come about an hour earlier by the clock, so commutes home will often be in the dark.
Which clocks change by themselves
Smartphones, computers, smartwatches and most internet-connected devices update automatically, as long as their time zone setting is on automatic. Clocks you will usually need to change by hand include:
- oven and microwave clocks
- car dashboard clocks, especially in older vehicles
- wall clocks, alarm clocks and watches without a network connection
- thermostats, timers and appliances with programmed schedules
If your schedule crosses 2 a.m.
- Anyone working an overnight shift that night will typically work an extra hour by the clock, so it’s worth checking how your employer handles pay and scheduling. If you take medication at fixed times, ask your pharmacist or doctor how to handle the one-hour shift.
Where daylight saving time doesn’t apply
Federal law lets states opt out of daylight saving time and stay on standard time all year. Not every part of the US changes its clocks on November 1:
- Hawaii stays on Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time all year.
- Arizona does not observe daylight saving time, with the exception of the Navajo Nation, which does.
- US territories, including Puerto Rico, Guam, the US Virgin Islands, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands, stay on standard time.
This matters if you call, meet or travel across states. From November 1 until March, Arizona (outside the Navajo Nation) shares a clock with Mountain Standard Time. From March, it lines up with Pacific Daylight Time instead.
What is daylight saving time, and why does the US use it?
Daylight saving time moves an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening during the longer days of spring and summer. The idea is that more people are awake to use evening light than early-morning light.
The US first adopted it nationally in 1918, during World War I, and again during World War II. The Uniform Time Act of 1966 created a consistent national framework, and the Energy Policy Act of 2005 set today’s schedule, which took effect in 2007.
Will daylight saving time become permanent?
The twice-yearly clock change is a long-running debate. Some proposals would make daylight saving time permanent, keeping lighter evenings all year. Others favor permanent standard time, which would keep lighter mornings in winter.
The main federal proposal for permanent daylight saving time, the Sunshine Protection Act, passed the Senate in 2022 but did not pass the House, and it has since been reintroduced. Under current federal law, states can choose to stay on standard time all year, but they cannot adopt daylight saving time all year without Congress changing the law. Many states have passed measures that would switch them to permanent daylight saving time only if Congress allows it.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has argued for permanent standard time, saying it better matches the body’s natural clock.
Until the law changes, the clocks will fall back on November 1, 2026.
Should the US stop changing its clocks?
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How to adjust to the time change
Gaining an hour is usually easier than losing one, but the shift can still leave people waking too early or feeling tired in the evening for a few days. A few small steps help.
- Shift gradually. For a few nights before November 1, go to bed 15 to 20 minutes later than usual, so your body is already closer to the new time.
- Keep your wake-up time steady. A consistent wake-up time on Sunday and Monday helps your body settle faster than sleeping in.
- Get morning light. Daylight soon after waking helps reset your internal clock. A short walk or breakfast by a window helps.
- Plan for darker evenings. With earlier sunsets, drivers and pedestrians are more often out in the dark. Check your headlights and wear something visible if you walk or cycle after dark.
- Ease children and pets in. Young children and pets run on routine. Moving meals and bedtimes by 10 to 15 minutes a day over a few days is gentler than a one-hour jump.
- Use the change as a reminder. Many fire departments suggest testing smoke and carbon monoxide alarms when the clocks change.
Fall back 2026 at a glance
Clocks go back one hour at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 1, 2026. Phones and computers will update themselves, but ovens, cars and wall clocks usually won’t. Hawaii, most of Arizona and the US territories won’t change at all. The clocks will spring forward again on March 14, 2027.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do we gain or lose an hour when daylight saving time ends?
You gain an hour. On November 1, 2026, clocks go from 2:00 a.m. back to 1:00 a.m., so that night is 25 hours long by the clock.
2. What time do the clocks change on November 1, 2026?
At 2:00 a.m. local time, in each time zone separately. Most people simply set manual clocks back an hour before going to bed on Saturday night.
3. When does daylight saving time start again?
On Sunday, March 14, 2027, when clocks spring forward one hour at 2:00 a.m.
4. Will my phone change the time automatically?
Usually, yes. Phones, computers and smartwatches update on their own if the time zone setting is on automatic. It’s worth checking that setting if you’ve traveled recently or changed it manually.
5. Is it “daylight saving time” or “daylight savings time”?
The official term is “daylight saving time”, without the final “s”. “Daylight savings time” is a very common variation in everyday speech.
6. Is daylight saving time ending permanently?
No. Proposals to make it permanent, or to end it in favor of permanent standard time, have been debated in Congress and many state legislatures, but the clocks will still change on November 1, 2026.
7. Does daylight saving time end at the same moment everywhere in the US?
No. The change happens at 2:00 a.m. local time, so it moves across the country one time zone at a time, starting in the east. Places that don’t observe daylight saving time, such as Hawaii and most of Arizona, don’t change at all.
