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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>Bostonhollyandsnoop</span> Wed, 09/08/2021 - 20:41
Erridicate Woodrow Wilson, FDR, GWBush (I can live with that) from history? Over an hour of lost and regained sleep? Holy cow...I'm glad I never lived such a rigid, structured life that my sleep patterns were never once interrupted, not even 2 hours a year. I've traveled all over the world and back, all over the country and back, nd there's nothing worse than jet lag returning from overseas. Actually, there is; Lousy hotel sleep following long days turned into long weeks of stressed business meetings covering 4 cities in 4 areas of the country, long nights of business entertaining. Fitful sleep close to the elevator or the dumpster even in the finest of hotels, waking up never knowing exactly where you are for the first few minutes of the day. Eventually adapted to business trave, loved personal, foreign travel, loosing sleep part of the journey. So, you figure it out or else become eadicated from your own history. People lighten up. It's 2 hours of the year. The only two groups who have a true and real gripe are the origional inhabitants of this land, the Indigenous Peoples, and today's Smaller Farmers; Those who live, work with and honor the land and nature.
<span>Bostonhollyandsnoop</span> Wed, 09/08/2021 - 20:05
For crying out loud.. Pick one and stick with it.. Although, myself a city slicker, it's the farmers who sustain us. I don't want GSM fake food, tortured factory farmed downed animals or pesticide covered fruit s & vegetables on my plate because the farmers themselves must do whatever they can do to avoid starving their familie trying to survive. I side with whichever method of time-keeping will soothe the animals, keep the fields tended and help the farmers in any way possible. No one is stepping in to save the smaller farmers, from those they feed, sacrificing one hour a year isn't too big of a sacrifice. Personally I love DLS, dread Fall and Winter. Boo hoo.
<span>Vishwanathan S…</span> Sat, 04/10/2021 - 23:27
I agree leave to standard time instead of daylight savings time because it messes our health and mood and sleepy
<span>Ljr</span> Sat, 04/10/2021 - 14:41
No one, no matter what title he holds, has the right to change the natural time of the universe, no natter the reason, and it makes no sense to vote on it because Standard time is natural. Sure there are some things about DST we all may prefer, but we have a lot to deal with already, without messing with nature! Some comments here clearly are uninformed of our natural circadian rhythm which is regulated by light and dark including sleep and wakefulness; a line from an article "Your brain receives signals based on your environment and activates certain hormones, alters your body temperature, and regulates your metabolism to keep you alert or draw you to sleep." People who are more environmentally sensitive would be the ones who have trouble during time changes. But in any event, PLEASE LEAVE STANDARD TIME. Get rid of Daylight saving time, it is unnatural and we should not have to be subjected to this as a law!
<span>Bill</span> Wed, 03/17/2021 - 02:45
Don't call it Daylight Savings Time; Call it Daylight SHIFTING Time. It doesn't save any daylight, it just shifts it from one part of the clock to another. It is very wasteful. It cost millions of dollars every year in time spent shifting clocks, sleep disturbance for most people, increased accidents, and missed appointments. Pick either standard time or DST and leave the clocks there year 'round. Here in Indiana we often call it Daniels Stupid Time because Mitch Daniels was the governor who pushed it through the legislature.
<span>Diane Krohn</span> Sun, 03/14/2021 - 14:06
At the next election let the public vote on it. I would vote for standard time year round.
<span>Nicole</span> Sun, 03/14/2021 - 13:32
I say just put each time zone on the "fall back" one hour, schedule. And keep every State, Country, City & Town on that schedule ALL year, EVERY year! And NEVER EVER observe DST AGAIN!!! That way no one will have to deal with the outdated, useless, annoying and aggravating b.s. of changing clock's back and forth two times a flippin year, year after year, after...... blah blah blah... EVER AGAIN!!! And as for where I stand with any and or all the younger, children, kid(s) of school age and or even collage age. Who have to be picked up via school bus or public transportation, or those that have to walk as well as also stand and wait for the school bus, the public bus or other form of public transportation, in the, dangerous things can or could happen, in the dark, when it's harder to be seen, even by their own bus drivers, while they're simply waiting to go to school.... Those dangerous and absurd bus roughts in the dark or darker parts of the morning and or evening's hours, can and - SHOULD BE - changed, rescheduled to a more sunlight, sight appropriate time, via- that particular States, Congress, Legislators, House of Representatives and or Govoner, etc etc; by making any of the necessary and or needed time changes to any and all of its school's/students, starting and ending time's. As well as to their buses scheduled pick-up and drop off times! So that they are able to better ensure the safety of students who attend their schools be their arrivals be by public transportation, school provided bus, walking, biking or their parent(s) picking them up and dropping them off each day!
<span>Robert Owen Le…</span> Sun, 03/14/2021 - 13:07
I really hate the time change and just wish they congress would pass the bill to stay at day light sàving time
<span>Chuck</span> Sun, 03/14/2021 - 10:16
Only the government would cut a foot off of the top of a blanket, sew it on the bottom, and call it longer....
<span>Ginger</span> Sun, 03/14/2021 - 05:39
Today, 2021, We wake up to the beautiful time of Year! More hours of Sunshine! People are happier! The Southern States, who Actually produce Fruits and Vegetables, feed the Northern States because of the late sun. We are Healthier with more “Natural,” Vitamin D from the Sun! KEEP DST AS IT IS TODAY! Our Country Needs It! WE LOVE IT.