For daily wit & wisdom, get the Almanac newsletter.

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

More Like This

Comments

<span>Sam</span> Sat, 03/13/2021 - 21:49
Is horrible, gloomy and depressing!! I’m from the tropic and I know the difference.
<span>Clif Parker</span> Sat, 03/13/2021 - 12:30
How about moving clocks up 30 minutes in March and leaving them there? This may avoid the aggravation of these biannual events.
<span>Linda</span> Sat, 03/13/2021 - 08:42
The time change twice a year not only aggravates but takes a physical toll on many. I would say go to standard time and leave it alone.
<span>Julie Gerhardt</span> Thu, 03/11/2021 - 12:27
I am a school bus driver that disagrees with the Bill in Congress to change the clocks permanently to daylight saving Time. At this time of the year, in wisconsin, I'm finally able to see my high schoolers at their corner bus stops. In the middle of winter, when it's dark, and they have to stand on a corner...I fear for their lives. Permanently having the clock at daylight saving time means that in the winter time the sun will come up even later. For a lot of the fall and the winter it's even hard to see my middle schoolers out there waiting for the bus. They might get picked up later but it's still quite dark at their pickup time. It's hard enough to get a lot of kids up early and off to school. Can you imagine the psychological and physiological effect that the lack of light would have on trying to get these kids up early? In Wisconsin, in winter, the sun wouldn't even come up till about 8:23 a.m. in the morning in the deepest part of winter. Which means it would be dark through almost all of my three morning routes. High school, middle school, and elementary.
<span>Bill</span> Tue, 03/09/2021 - 21:52
Changing clocks does nothing to the earth or the sun. All it does is get us up an hour earlier. We can do that without messing with our clocks ... or other people’s schedules. Midnight comes in the middle of the night. No matter how we set the clocks. If we set the clock ahead, it just says 1:00 when it’s midnight instead of 12:00. That’s just confusing. Should the clock say 12:00 or 1:00 at midday? If it’s the latter, phrases like “12:00 noon” become ridiculous. The question has never been whether we should change time itself (we can’t), just whether we want to get up earlier when the days are longer ... which we can do anyway.
<span>Dianne</span> Tue, 03/09/2021 - 20:43
LET THIS BE THE LAST TIME!!! Who are we to keep changing the clocks? It benefits no one. Why can't we just leave it alone. Think of all the schedules that won't have to be adjusted!
<span>Nova</span> Tue, 03/09/2021 - 14:53
On the longest day of this year dst should “ fall back” half an hour - 30 minutes then leave it alone from then on. Stop this useless messing with time.
<span>Holly M</span> Tue, 03/09/2021 - 11:20
As with so many other things humans think they have the right to meddle with, "time" is one of the more questionable topics. Changing the clocks does no one any good, in the long run. Our circadian rhythms become imbalanced, creating needless stress on the body and mind, and potentially creating health problems. It is in our best interest to work WITH Nature, not against Her. As the old Indian saying goes, "Only the white man would cut off the bottom of a blanket, sew it to the top of the blanket and call it 'longer'." Asinine.
<span>Susan Mclaughlin</span> Tue, 03/09/2021 - 09:33
Personally, I love the DST. I like getting out of work at 5PM and still have hours to do things in the sunlight. A comment left by Frank made sense to me. "Split the difference". Change it to a half an hour and leave it at that all year long. Life IS about compromising isn't it???
<span>William Gurley</span> Tue, 03/09/2021 - 08:53
Need to leave it one way or the other. No need to change it.