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# Daylight Saving Time Ends 2026: Date, Time and What to Know
- URL: https://www.gessymorgan.com/daylight-saving-time-ends-2026/
- Published: 2026-10-26T12:11:38.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-26T12:35:38.000Z
- Description: Clocks fall back one hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, November 1, 2026, in most of the US. Here is who skips the change, how Canada and Europe differ, and why the Sunshine Protection Act has not stopped it.
- Author: Gessy Morgan
- Tags: Science

⚡

**The short version**
- Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. local time on Sunday, November 1, 2026, when clocks fall back to 1 a.m.
- Hawaii, most of Arizona and US territories do not change; the UK and Europe already fell back on October 25.
- The House passed the Sunshine Protection Act 308 to 117 in July 2026, but the Senate has not voted, so the change still happens.

Daylight saving time ends in most of the United States on Sunday, November 1, 2026, at 2 a.m. local time. Clocks fall back one hour to 1 a.m., so most people get an extra hour of sleep, brighter mornings and darker evenings. Congress has not changed that: the House passed the Sunshine Protection Act in July, but as of October 26, 2026, the Senate has not voted, so the fall-back goes ahead as scheduled.

Here is exactly when the change happens, who does not change their clocks, how other countries handle it, why the clocks change at all, and where the push to end the switch stands.

## Exactly when do the clocks change?

The [National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)](https://www.nist.gov/pml/time-and-frequency-division/popular-links/daylight-saving-time-dst?ref=localhost) lists 2026 daylight saving time as running from March 8 to November 1, with the change at 2 a.m. local time. At that moment, clocks go back to 1 a.m., so the hour from 1 a.m. to 2 a.m. happens twice. NIST notes that daylight saving time now covers 238 days, about 65% of the year.

- **The rule:** daylight saving time ends on the first Sunday in November and starts on the second Sunday in March.
- **Local time:** each time zone switches at its own 2 a.m., so the East Coast changes first and western zones follow, as [The FINANCIAL explains](https://finchannel.com/daylight-saving-time-ends-november-1-in-most-of-the-u-s/139357/america/2026/10/?ref=localhost).
- **Not on Halloween:** the change happens early Sunday morning, after the night of Saturday, October 31\. The [Old Farmer's Almanac](https://www.almanac.com/content/when-daylight-saving-time?ref=localhost) suggests changing manual clocks before bed on Saturday.
- **Next change:** under current law, clocks spring forward again on March 14, 2027, according to the [Farmers' Almanac](https://www.farmersalmanac.com/daylight-saving-time-2026?ref=localhost) and [FOX Weather](https://www.foxweather.com/lifestyle/brace-darker-evenings-daylight-saving-time-ends?ref=localhost).

Phones and computers set to update automatically will change on their own. Ovens, microwaves, car dashboards and wall clocks usually need a manual reset.

![Fact card: clocks fall back at 2 a.m. on Sunday, November 1, 2026, to 1 a.m.; daylight saving time began March 8, 2026, and returns March 14, 2027; Hawaii and most of Arizona do not change; the Sunshine Protection Act passed the House but not the Senate.](https://www.gessymorgan.com/content/images/2026/10/daylight-saving-time-ends-2026-facts.png)

Daylight saving time ends: key facts. Sources: NIST, Farmers' Almanac, FOX Weather, House Clerk

## Which places do not change their clocks?

Federal law lets states opt out of daylight saving time and stay on standard time all year, but it does not let them adopt permanent daylight saving time on their own, the Farmers' Almanac and [WataugaOnline](https://wataugaonline.com/fall-back-daylight-saving-time-ends-sunday-november-1-2026/?ref=localhost) explain. The places that skip the change are:

- **Hawaii**
- **Most of Arizona.** The Navajo Nation within Arizona does observe daylight saving time.
- **US territories:** Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the US Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands.

NIST adds that time zones and daylight saving time are regulated by the US Department of Transportation, not NIST.

## What about other countries?

Many places change on different dates, so time gaps with friends, family or colleagues abroad can shift for a week or more.

- **United Kingdom and Europe:** UK clocks went back at 2 a.m. on Sunday, October 25, 2026, returning to Greenwich Mean Time, according to [GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/when-do-the-clocks-change?ref=localhost). Most of Europe also changed that day, [Fresh Calendars reports](https://freshcalendars.com/news/daylight-saving-time-ends-november-1-2026/?ref=localhost). Until November 1, the US East Coast is four hours behind London instead of the usual five.
- **Canada:** provinces that still change clocks fall back at 2 a.m. local time on November 1, per the [National Research Council Canada](https://nrc.canada.ca/en/certifications-evaluations-standards/canadas-official-time/time-zones-daylight-saving-time?ref=localhost). But British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and the Northwest Territories will not turn their clocks back this year after moving to permanent time, the Old Farmer's Almanac and [Wikipedia's summary](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight%5Fsaving%5Ftime%5Fin%5FCanada?ref=localhost) report. Saskatchewan and Yukon already stay on one time all year. NRC warns its own page may be out of date after November 1, so check your provincial government.
- **Mexico:** most of the country stopped changing clocks after a 2022 law, but Baja California and some border municipalities still follow the US schedule, according to [Wikipedia's summary of the decree](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time%5Fin%5FMexico?ref=localhost).
- **Australia:** seasons are reversed. New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT moved clocks forward on October 4, 2026, while Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory do not use daylight saving, says the [NSW Government](https://www.nsw.gov.au/about-nsw/daylight-saving?ref=localhost).

## Why do clocks change at all?

The idea is older than the law. Benjamin Franklin wrote a satirical 1784 essay about saving candles by waking with the sun, the Old Farmer's Almanac notes. Despite a popular myth, daylight saving time was not created for farmers, many of whom opposed it.

- **1918:** the US formally adopted daylight saving time during World War I to save energy, according to NIST and the Old Farmer's Almanac.
- **1966:** the Uniform Time Act created a national schedule.
- **1974:** year-round daylight saving time began in January during the energy crisis, but Congress restored standard time from October 1974 after it proved unpopular, per the Farmers' Almanac and [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight%5Fsaving%5Ftime%5Fin%5Fthe%5FUnited%5FStates?ref=localhost).
- **2007:** the Energy Policy Act of 2005 took effect, extending daylight saving time by about a month into today's March-to-November schedule.

![Timeline of US daylight saving time from its 1918 adoption to the House passing the Sunshine Protection Act on July 14, 2026, and the November 1, 2026 fall-back.](https://www.gessymorgan.com/content/images/2026/10/daylight-saving-time-ends-2026-timeline.png)

How US clock changes got here. Sources: NIST, Old Farmer's Almanac, Farmers' Almanac, House Clerk, Wikipedia

## Will the Sunshine Protection Act end the time change?

Not before November 1, 2026\. The Sunshine Protection Act would make daylight saving time permanent nationwide. Rep. Vern Buchanan introduced the House version, H.R. 139, in January 2025, and Sen. Rick Scott introduced a Senate version, S. 29, according to [Wikipedia's legislative history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunshine%5FProtection%5FAct?ref=localhost).

The House passed H.R. 139 on July 14, 2026, by 308 to 117, according to the [House Clerk's official roll call](https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2026238?ref=localhost). Republicans voted 193 to 22 in favor, Democrats 114 to 95, and the one independent voted yes. The Senate received the bill on July 15 and sent it to the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, where it remained as of late September, the Farmers' Almanac reports.

This has happened before. In March 2022 the Senate passed an earlier version by unanimous consent, but the House never voted, and the bill died when that Congress ended. If the Senate does not act by early January 2027, when the current Congress ends, H.R. 139 also expires.

### What each side says

- **Supporters**, including the bill's sponsors and President Trump, who has backed the House-passed bill, want to stop the twice-yearly clock change and keep later sunsets all year.
- **Opponents** include some senators, such as Sen. Tom Cotton, who has raised concerns about very late winter sunrises. Sleep medicine groups, including the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, favor permanent standard time instead, according to Wikipedia.

![Bar chart of the July 14, 2026 House vote on the Sunshine Protection Act: Republicans 193 yes and 22 no, Democrats 114 yes and 95 no.](https://www.gessymorgan.com/content/images/2026/10/daylight-saving-time-ends-2026-chart.png)

How the House voted on permanent DST. Sources: Office of the House Clerk (Roll Call 238), Fresh Calendars

## Tips for the time change (general information)

The [American Academy of Sleep Medicine's health advisory](https://aasm.org/advocacy/position-statements/daylight-saving-time-health-advisory/?ref=localhost) says "the sudden change in clock time has an untoward effect on sleep duration and quality," with effects that can last five to seven days. Its general suggestions include:

- Aim for at least seven hours of sleep on the nights before and after the change.
- Shift bedtime and wake time gradually over two or three days.
- Take extra care with driving and other tasks that need full alertness for about a week.

A few practical reminders also help. Expect sunset about an hour earlier by the clock, which means more evening commutes in the dark. Fresh Calendars suggests testing smoke and carbon monoxide alarm batteries, and overnight workers may want to ask how the repeated 1 a.m. hour is counted for pay. For personal health concerns, talk to a doctor. For the official time, check NIST.

## Our take

Based on the sources above, the House vote is the furthest permanent daylight saving time has advanced in the House, but the Senate is still the bottleneck, and the bill has a deadline. Even if senators act later this year, the November 1 change is already locked in.

The debate is also not just "keep or end the switch." The bill in Congress would lock in permanent daylight saving time, while many sleep scientists prefer permanent standard time. Canada's provinces are moving on their own, which could create new cross-border time differences.

The time change falls two days before Election Day, so check polling hours in our [Election Day 2026 guide](https://www.gessymorgan.com/election-day-2026-midterms-guide/). Darker evenings are also good for stargazing; see our [October 2026 sky events guide](https://www.gessymorgan.com/full-moon-october-2026-hunters-moon/).

## Frequently asked questions

### When does daylight saving time end in 2026?

In the US, daylight saving time ends on Sunday, November 1, 2026, at 2 a.m. local time. Clocks go back one hour to 1 a.m.

### Do we gain or lose an hour in November?

You gain an hour. Because clocks go back from 2 a.m. to 1 a.m., the night of October 31 to November 1 is one hour longer, and the 1 a.m. hour happens twice.

### Did Congress make daylight saving time permanent?

No. The House passed the Sunshine Protection Act (H.R. 139) on July 14, 2026, by 308 to 117, but as of October 26, 2026, the Senate has not voted on it and it is not law. The bill expires if the Senate does not act before the current Congress ends in early January 2027.

### Which states do not observe daylight saving time?

Hawaii and most of Arizona stay on standard time all year, although the Navajo Nation in Arizona does observe daylight saving time. Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the US Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands also skip it.

### When does daylight saving time start again?

Under current law, daylight saving time begins again at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 14, 2027, when clocks spring forward one hour.

## Sources

1. [Daylight Saving Time (DST)](https://www.nist.gov/pml/time-and-frequency-division/popular-links/daylight-saving-time-dst?ref=localhost), NIST
2. [Daylight Saving Time 2026: When Do Clocks Fall Back and Could Congress Cancel It?](https://www.farmersalmanac.com/daylight-saving-time-2026?ref=localhost), Farmers' Almanac
3. [Daylight Saving Time 2026 Dates](https://www.almanac.com/content/when-daylight-saving-time?ref=localhost), The Old Farmer's Almanac
4. [The days are getting shorter as Daylight Saving Time comes to an end](https://www.foxweather.com/lifestyle/brace-darker-evenings-daylight-saving-time-ends?ref=localhost), FOX Weather
5. [Daylight saving time ends November 1 in most of the U.S.](https://finchannel.com/daylight-saving-time-ends-november-1-in-most-of-the-u-s/139357/america/2026/10/?ref=localhost), The FINANCIAL
6. [Daylight Saving Time Ends Nov. 1, 2026: Fall Back Guide](https://freshcalendars.com/news/daylight-saving-time-ends-november-1-2026/?ref=localhost), Fresh Calendars
7. [Fall Back, Daylight Saving Time Ends Sunday November 1, 2026](https://wataugaonline.com/fall-back-daylight-saving-time-ends-sunday-november-1-2026/?ref=localhost), WataugaOnline
8. [Roll Call 238: H.R. 139, Sunshine Protection Act](https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2026238?ref=localhost), Office of the Clerk, US House of Representatives
9. [Sunshine Protection Act](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunshine%5FProtection%5FAct?ref=localhost), Wikipedia
10. [Daylight saving time in the United States](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight%5Fsaving%5Ftime%5Fin%5Fthe%5FUnited%5FStates?ref=localhost), Wikipedia
11. [Daylight saving time in Canada](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight%5Fsaving%5Ftime%5Fin%5FCanada?ref=localhost), Wikipedia
12. [Time in Mexico](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time%5Fin%5FMexico?ref=localhost), Wikipedia
13. [When do the clocks change?](https://www.gov.uk/when-do-the-clocks-change?ref=localhost), GOV.UK
14. [Time zones and daylight saving time](https://nrc.canada.ca/en/certifications-evaluations-standards/canadas-official-time/time-zones-daylight-saving-time?ref=localhost), National Research Council Canada
15. [Daylight saving](https://www.nsw.gov.au/about-nsw/daylight-saving?ref=localhost), NSW Government
16. [Daylight Saving Time Health Advisory](https://aasm.org/advocacy/position-statements/daylight-saving-time-health-advisory/?ref=localhost), American Academy of Sleep Medicine

## How we wrote this

GessyMorgan explainers are built from public reporting and official sources. This post draws on the 16 sources listed above, each linked where we use it. It was drafted with AI assistance and checked against those sources before publishing. We did not test products, attend events or interview anyone for this article. Facts are current as of October 26, 2026, and we update the post when they change.