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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>R.wise</span> Sun, 10/25/2015 - 19:41
Lived in AZ the last 12 years. Love that they have opted out of dls. Wish we had raised our kids here. What a pain, especially the younger ones, switching back and forth. Now there's 8 months of DLS. What! So glad we're in AZ.
<span>Francy</span> Sun, 10/25/2015 - 04:23
Wake up, people!!! DST was NOT invented by Ben Franklin! I was created by the Illuminati so that they could hold their secret meetings under the cover of darkness in the winter months. They have everyone fooled! We must join together to stop this sinister organization from taking complete control over the minds of the population!
<span>Dee Warren</span> Sun, 10/25/2015 - 03:01
Have any of you against DST ever had to walk or even wait in the dark as a child going to school. Stop complaining as to whether or not you have more or less daylight. Think of how it helps keep the children safe from predators in this day and age. For those of you who want to know you do not gain daylight at all. The change in the clock corresponds to the time the sun rises and sets. How can it set at 8 p.m. if the sun has already gone down at 6 p.m. in the winter. DST is beneficial for everyone and has been going on for the majority of your lives suck it up and keep moving forward.
<span>Voltisart</span> Sun, 11/06/2016 - 02:42
Sounds like a great reason to knock on some doors at your local school board, NOT make everyone else in the country fiddle with their clocks. Anyone who needs to get up earlier or stay up later, is free to do so without hurting anyone else on the planet. Most of us won't even know about your silly wakeup routine and won't care. No one will think less of you. As things stand now, however, those of us who can do basic math DO think less of anyone supporting this pointless scam.
<span>Mark A White</span> Sat, 10/24/2015 - 01:49
DST is totally useless.What useful purpose does it serve? Absolutely none that I can think of.
<span>Karl Mann</span> Fri, 10/23/2015 - 11:32
Why can't we always stay on daylight savings time? That would give us more daylight year-round, not just in the summer. It is so dark and cold in the winter anyway, maybe an extra hour of daylight would help greatly. I highly support remaining on daylight savings time all year long.
<span>Patrick Dennison</span> Sun, 10/18/2015 - 13:07
Put it halfway in the middle and leave it alone...forever.
<span>Allegorie Bootlair</span> Sat, 10/17/2015 - 07:31
It's a fact the days are longer in the summer and shorter in the winter. However animals can't tell time so altering human movement to accommodate the notion that DST is necessary, has anyone taken into account of how it effects global warming? Maybe God does know what His creation needs better than humans. I propose simply shorten the work day by one hour and park the car. Hmmm!?
<span>Karen Vetere</span> Fri, 10/16/2015 - 09:48
Well how turning the clocks back is saving energy is a lie...In the morning all the lights are on, at the end of the day all the lights are on and the heat....this depresses people coming home in the dark.Your children aren't playing outside... you donot feel like shopping going into the dark cold winter night. this isn't good for people who need light in their days. It actually slows down the economy...You sit in your house and eat more, get less exercise and shop less. Plus it depresses people.... Stop changing Mother Nature, we donot live inBenjamin Franklins ERA any more!!!!
<span>Ted Singer</span> Sun, 10/11/2015 - 09:34
Pull up your big girl panties & deal with it !!!