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Daylight Saving Time 2026: When Does the Time Change?

daylight saving time scrabble tiles with a traditional black alarm clock set for 2:00
Image Credit:
SIAATH/Shutterstock
Written By: Jess Sullivan Digital Editor

In 2026, Daylight Saving Time starts on Sunday, March 8, when we “spring forward,” and ends on Sunday, November 1, when we “fall back.” The Sun keeps its own schedule, but most of the United States adjusts its clocks twice a year.

We move clocks ahead one hour in spring and back one hour in fall—losing an hour, then gaining it back. Keep the date chart below handy, check which places skip the change, and discover why farmers shouldn’t get the blame!

Daylight Saving Time Dates for 2026

“Spring forward, fall back” is a simple way to remember which direction the clock moves.

Time changeDateWhat happens
Spring forwardSunday, March 8, 2026Clocks move ahead 1 hour; we lose an hour
Fall backSunday, November 1, 2026Clocks move back 1 hour; we gain an hour

The time changes at 2:00 A.M., when most people are asleep. Consider changing your clocks before bed on Saturday, October 31, to avoid confusion in the morning!

When Does Daylight Saving Time Start in 2026?

Daylight Saving Time begins on Sunday, March 8, 2026, at 2:00 A.M. local time. The clock moves forward to 3:00 A.M., and we lose one hour.

After the change, sunrise and sunset happen about an hour later by the clock. The Sun’s schedule doesn’t change, of course. We just change how our time matches up with daylight.

When Does Daylight Saving Time End in 2026?

Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday, November 1, 2026, at 2:00 A.M. local time. The clock moves back to 1:00 A.M., and we gain one hour.

After this change, sunrise and sunset are about an hour earlier by the clock. That means brighter mornings and darker evenings.

Learn more about when DST ends in 2026 and the clocks go back. 

When Does Daylight Saving Time Start and End Each Year?

Under current U.S. law, Daylight Saving Time begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November. All times below are local.

  • Daylight Saving Time starts on the second Sunday in March.
  • Daylight Saving Time ends on the first Sunday in November.
YearDaylight Saving Time BeginsDaylight Saving Time Ends
2026Sunday, March 8 at 2:00 A.M.Sunday, November 1 at 2:00 A.M.
2027Sunday, March 14 at 2:00 A.M.Sunday, November 7 at 2:00 A.M.
2028Sunday, March 12 at 2:00 A.M.Sunday, November 5 at 2:00 A.M.
2029Sunday, March 11 at 2:00 A.M.Sunday, November 4 at 2:00 A.M.

Do All States Observe Daylight Saving Time?

No. Most of the United States observes Daylight Saving Time, but Hawaii and most of Arizona do not. One notable exception in Arizona is the Navajo Nation—they do observe Daylight Saving Time.

The U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands also do not observe Daylight Saving Time.

For the latest on proposals to stop changing the clocks, see Will We Ever Stop Changing the Clocks? The Fight Over DST.

Why Do We Have Daylight Saving Time?

Daylight Saving Time changes how our daily schedules line up with the Sun, so we can use seasonal daylight differently throughout the year.

The United States started using Daylight Saving Time in 1918 during World War I to help reduce the use of electricity.

The Uniform Time Act of 1966 set a national schedule for Daylight Saving Time. Congress changed the dates again in the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Since 2007, Daylight Saving Time has started on the second Sunday in March and ended on the first Sunday in November.

And let’s debunk a common myth: Daylight Saving Time wasn’t created for farmers! In fact, many farmers opposed it when it was introduced—their work followed the Sun, while markets and transportation followed the clock.

Did you know? Benjamin Franklin, the father of the modern almanac, wrote a satirical essay in 1784 about how rising with the sun could help save money on candles.

Is It “Daylight Saving” or “Daylight Savings” Time?

Daylight Saving Time is the correct term. There’s no “s” at the end of “Saving.”

Still, lots of people say “Daylight Savings Time” in everyday conversation, so you’re not alone if you do!

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Do we gain or lose an hour during Daylight Saving Time?
    When Daylight Saving Time starts in spring, we set the clocks forward and lose an hour. When it ends in fall, we set the clocks back and gain an hour.
  • What time do the clocks change?
    Clocks change at 2:00 A.M. local time in most of the United States, a time when few people are working, traveling, or doing business. 
  • Will my phone change automatically for Daylight Saving Time?
    Most smartphones, computers, and other devices that are connected to the internet update themselves if you have them set to update date, time, and time zone automatically.
    You might still need to change the time by hand on things like appliances, cars, or wall clocks.
  • Does Canada change clocks on the same day as the United States?

    Some parts of Canada still change their clocks on the same schedule as the United States. However, provinces and territories set their own time rules, and several of them stopped changing clocks in 2026.

    British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, and the Northwest Territories will not turn their clocks back on November 1, 2026. Yukon and Saskatchewan also use one time year-round.

    Other parts of Canada, including most of Ontario and Quebec and the Atlantic provinces, continue to observe seasonal time changes.

Calendar
Sources
  1. U.S. Navy Office — Daylight Saving Time
  2. U.S. Department of Transportation — Daylight Saving Time
  3. U.S. Library of Congress — Daylight Saving Time (DST)
  4. U.S. Department of Transportation — Uniform Time
  5. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) — Daylight Saving Time Rules

About The Author

Jess Sullivan

Jess Sullivan

Digital Editor

As Digital Editor of The Old Farmer’s Almanac, Jess is dedicated to bringing readers content that is accurate, clear, useful, and engaging. She has years of experience crafting written communications ...

Read more from Jess Sullivan

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Comments

<span>Mary Elizabeth Lair</span> Wed, 11/08/2023 - 07:59
Hear, hear ! That is so right. This gripes me no end. The House needs to respect the PEOPLE’S say. Someone needs to reintroduce this bill and get it passed this time, NOT just in the Senate, which does not help anyone. Get it together, elected representatives in the House, and respect what the people have said. That is your responsibility. Otherwise you can easily be voted right out of your office, and you deserve to be.
<span>Karen M.</span> Wed, 07/12/2023 - 16:45
WE THEBPEOPLE "NEED DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME"!!!!!!! What about those who suffer from depression!!? The extra darkness causes many suicides. Some people can NOT handle dark so much. People can get more done, enjoy more and have a happier life with the added daylight. It makes no sense to add dark to what is already dark(in a sense) such as depression. Depression is a very real and even more serious thing. I suffer from depression, I don't know why, because I have always thought it was just a mind over matter thing. It is NOT! It is REAL and causes much suffering. We need MORE daylight than just ONE HOUR. Taking away D.S.T. can be catastropic to some people and it is no fault of theirs and something they can't fix. D.S.T. CAN be fixed. It CAN BE MADE PERMANENT. It can save lives. Facts are proof. They're FACTS!!! PLEASE make D.S.T. PERMANENT for the sake of some peoples' lives. It DOES make a difference!! Thank you!!!
<span>Mary</span> Thu, 11/09/2023 - 00:36
I agreed. I struggle harder with depression with early darkness and also notice in the nursing home the dementia patients have a hard time adjusting. It's confusing
<span>Pat Riot</span> Sat, 11/04/2023 - 21:59
Bull! Go with natural light; anything else is idiotic and hurts people.
<span>Jill</span> Fri, 10/20/2023 - 10:57
I have clinical depression and I hate DST. Some days I can barely get out of bed as it is, much less than when the sun doesn’t rise until almost 8 am in the early spring. All this manipulating of clocks does nothing really. Talk about energy savings is misleading. People still have to get up and get ready for work in the dark and they’re using energy then.
<span>April Shultz</span> Sun, 09/24/2023 - 19:19
But you truly are NOT getting an extra hour of daylight. Because the sun will rise an hour later. If on Standard Time, let's say sunrise at 7:am and sunset at 5:pm (just pretend with me on the times, please). That's 10 hours of daylight. Now, let's go onto Daylight Savings time. So, sunrise now happens at 8:am, while sunset is now at 6:pm. That is STILL 10 hours of daylight. You can adjust those times to any time you want, 5:, 6:, 7:, 8:, for am, same for pm, as long as you keep them at one hour's difference, you will always have the same amount of daylight hours, Standard or Daylight Savings. I, too, suffer from depression. I understand the need for sunshine. But setting clocks ahead or behind doesn't really address the problem of needing more sunshine. That's why my doctor wrote a prescription for me to get a "sunshine box" light. That's about the only real way to get more sunshine during those winter months. I'm not attacking you or the idea of depressed people, I'm saying either way the clocks are set, we don't get "extra" sun time.
<span>Ann H</span> Sun, 11/05/2023 - 02:15
Yes!
<span>Robynn A Berger</span> Sat, 10/21/2023 - 00:34
True, we really don't get anymore light, however, the thing that changes is the time of day we get the light. Where we live in Bismarck, ND at the western edge of Central Time, the sun comes up at 8 am right now!!! If we were on Standard time, the sun would come up at 7am this time of year. It is hard to get up when it is pitch black at 7 am DST. We get enough of that all winter and it would be nice to have light in the morning in the Fall and the Spring!!!!! I would prefer to switch back to standard time earlier or get rid of Daylight Saving Time all together and just have Standard Time.
<span>Jim</span> Fri, 07/14/2023 - 14:58
It's unfortunate for people who suffer from depression. But DST has a negative effect on folks with other health matters which DST becomes a liability instead of an asset. We need to think about them as well.
<span>Mark</span> Sun, 07/30/2023 - 08:12
Also to mention, children walking to school in the dark are more likely to be hit by vehicles.