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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>G.w.</span> Fri, 10/13/2023 - 07:08
Not only am I a supporter of "Daylight Saving Time" (DST), but also I have designed the concept of "Double Daylight Saving Time" (DDST) where from the first Sunday in each November through to the second Sunday in each March, clocks "move ahead" an additional hour so the Sun sets near 7PM during November, December, January, February and the first two weeks in March. Who does not enjoy sunlight as it approaches dinner time? And to protect students, all schools begin classes at 8AM on-line and break from 10AM to 10:30AM for pupils to arrive at schools to continue the day's classes, thus avoiding school buses driving routes in early morning darkness each school day. G.W.
<span>Lori Kepple</span> Fri, 10/20/2023 - 10:52
I live in north Idaho where now it is starting to get dark around 4:30 & soon it will be 4 pm. I'm very much against the DST because we have very long winters (6 mos) and it's many days of darkness and no sunshine. When the clocks are set back we are now having even longer dark days as it's dark about 3 instead of 4 which is already early. This time change also messes with everyone's body clock especially babies and children. I think ending it would be much better. Let's just leave the time as is should be and stop messing with it.
<span>Howard A Blas</span> Tue, 10/03/2023 - 20:44
My preference would be to have standard time year-round and not daylight savings time. An experiment in the early 70s showed they were school bus accidents happening during the early implementation of daylight savings time.
<span>Michael F. Mas…</span> Sun, 10/01/2023 - 21:48
Messing With Our Biological Clocks? It would be best from the health perspective to set the clocks one way or another and stop the artificial switching in the spring and fall. That will give the humans and other sentient beings on the planet the opportunity to continue to do as they have done since the dawn of time … to adjust and to set their internal clocks to the light of day and other environmental cues that are determined naturally. Said another way, StepWisely® and take your tips from Mother Nature. She does not lie. Michael F. Mascia, MD, MPH
<span>Mary Elizabeth Lair</span> Wed, 11/08/2023 - 07:43
Very well said ! I wholeheartedly agree.
<span>Tut</span> Fri, 09/22/2023 - 17:53
DST rules! Nobody needs sunrise at 5 in the morning, but it would suck to have sunset so early in Summer. It's only logical. Getting rid of DST would be illogical and stupid.
<span>Tom Furer</span> Mon, 11/06/2023 - 13:57
Excuse me....We "early birds" do. My wife and I both love getting outside in our garden working early, we're out of bed by 5:30. My former job, Honda Mfg, we were up really early to go to work, and those habits have stuck, and many of my former co-workers have told me the same.
<span>Sarah</span> Sat, 11/04/2023 - 19:07
Agree! Living up north i leave in the dark and come home in the dark no matter what. But at least I have something to look forward to in the summer!
<span>Alex</span> Mon, 09/04/2023 - 00:00
I see how this article and other news never talks about how it effects the people with mental health or other diagnosis’s. It doesn’t just effect the farmers or busses and trains. It most of all negatively effects autistic children and their family members. As a full time single parent to an autistic child the challenges in navigating their uniqueness is work enough without putting a time change on their much needed consistency, routine and schedules they so very much need. It throws a big big big wrench in things and of all the things I struggle with in helping my little one adapt the the world this is huge huge huge I can’t even begin to tell you what it’s like. Nobody talks about it but I’ve talked with other parents of kids with neurodiversity’s. So I say it here and wherever else so the awareness is made.
<span>Mary Elizabeth Lair</span> Wed, 11/08/2023 - 07:49
That was a very well informed comment. This is indeed an important thing for those kids who are autistic and others as well, and their families. I admire you for raising your loved one with so much love and concern, and for speaking out about it and enlightening the rest of us.