TIME & SEASONS
When do the clocks change?
In most of the United States, daylight saving time begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November. The next change is Sunday, November 1, 2026, when clocks fall back one hour.
What happens on November 1, 2026
At 2 a.m. local time, clocks move back to 1 a.m. and standard time begins. You get an extra hour that night. From Monday on, sunrise and sunset both come about an hour earlier on the clock, so mornings are lighter and evening commutes are darker.
The change happens separately in each time zone at 2 a.m. local time, so New York switches three hours before Los Angeles.
Upcoming clock changes
| Year | Starts (spring forward) | Ends (fall back) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Sunday, March 8, 2026 | Sunday, November 1, 2026 |
| 2027 | Sunday, March 14, 2027 | Sunday, November 7, 2027 |
| 2028 | Sunday, March 12, 2028 | Sunday, November 5, 2028 |
| 2029 | Sunday, March 11, 2029 | Sunday, November 4, 2029 |
| 2030 | Sunday, March 10, 2030 | Sunday, November 3, 2030 |
The schedule comes from federal law: daylight saving time runs from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November.
What updates itself, and what doesn’t
Phones, computers, smart watches and most internet-connected devices switch automatically. Check the ones that usually don’t: car dashboards, microwaves and ovens, wall and alarm clocks, older thermostats, and timers for lights or sprinklers.
Where daylight saving time doesn’t apply
Hawaii and most of Arizona do not observe it. U.S. territories including Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands also stay on standard time. The Navajo Nation in Arizona does observe daylight saving time. After November 1, the gap between Arizona and California disappears until March.
Will the clock changes stop?
Proposals to make daylight saving time permanent, such as the Sunshine Protection Act, have been introduced in Congress several times, but as of October 2026 none has become law. Many states have passed laws that would adopt permanent daylight saving time only if Congress allows it, so for now the twice-a-year change continues.
Planning around the change
- Overnight schedules: shifts, medication timing and anything booked between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. on November 1 happen “twice”; confirm which 1:30 a.m. is meant.
- International calls and travel: Europe and the U.K. change on October 25, 2026, a week earlier than the U.S., so for that week the time difference is one hour smaller than usual.
- Darker evenings: the first weeks after the change are when drivers and pedestrians adjust to earlier sunsets; plan visibility for evening walks and school pickups.
- Sleep: the fall change is the easier one, but going to bed at your usual clock time helps you adjust quickly.
Frequently asked questions
Do we gain or lose an hour in November?
You gain an hour. At 2 a.m. local time on Sunday, November 1, 2026, clocks move back to 1 a.m., so that night is 25 hours long.
What time exactly do the clocks change?
At 2 a.m. local time. In the fall, the hour from 1 a.m. to 2 a.m. happens twice; in the spring, 2 a.m. jumps straight to 3 a.m.
Does Arizona change its clocks?
Most of Arizona stays on Mountain Standard Time all year. The Navajo Nation in northeastern Arizona does observe daylight saving time.
Is daylight saving time becoming permanent?
Not yet. Congress has considered bills such as the Sunshine Protection Act, but as of October 2026 no change to the national schedule has become law, so clocks still change twice a year.
When do clocks change in Europe?
The European Union and the U.K. end summer time on the last Sunday in October (October 25, 2026), one week before the United States. For that week, the time difference between U.S. and European cities is one hour shorter than usual.
The national rule and local exemptions are explained by the U.S. Department of Transportation and set by 15 U.S.C. § 260a. Legislation can change; verify locally before planning critical travel. Reviewed October 20, 2026.