Daylight Saving Time 2026: When Does the Time Change?

Daylight saving time 2026 ends in most of the United States on Sunday, November 1. At 2:00 a.m. in each participating time zone, clocks move back one hour to 1:00 a.m., returning to standard time. The spring change took place on Sunday, March 8, when clocks moved forward one hour.

The November change is often called “fall back.” It does not happen everywhere in the country, and it does not happen at one simultaneous nationwide instant.

When does the time change in 2026?

The U.S. Naval Observatory's 2026 schedule confirms both dates:

These are the second Sunday in March and the first Sunday in November. As the Naval Observatory explains, the transition uses the time observed in each location immediately before the reset.

What time do clocks go back in each U.S. time zone?

For November 1, the following examples show the clock change and its corresponding UTC instant. EDT, CDT, MDT, and PDT are daylight-time abbreviations; EST, CST, MST, and PST indicate standard time.

The offsets follow NIST's U.S. time-zone definitions; the UTC values are conversions of the scheduled transitions. For comparison, New York's spring reset occurred at 07:00 UTC on March 8: 2:00 a.m. EST (UTC−05:00) became 3:00 a.m. EDT (UTC−04:00).

The 1 a.m. hour repeats in November. For example, New York has a 1:30 a.m. EDT (05:30 UTC) followed an hour later by 1:30 a.m. EST (06:30 UTC). For an overnight appointment, specify the date, time zone, and offset to identify the intended occurrence.

Which states and territories do not change their clocks?

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, daylight saving time is not observed in:

• Hawaii and most of Arizona.
• American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
• Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Navajo Nation observes daylight saving time, including its territory in Arizona. Check the specific destination when traveling in that region rather than assuming every Arizona address follows the same clock rules.

Do you gain or lose an hour?

In November, the repeated hour makes the transition day 25 hours long in observing locations. In March, skipping the 2 a.m. hour makes that day 23 hours long.

Moving clocks back makes sunrise and sunset appear roughly an hour earlier by the clock than they otherwise would. It does not create additional daylight. NIST's daylight saving time guidance explains how the change shifts daylight between morning and evening.

How to check your clocks and schedules

• Adjust manual clocks once. For the fall change, set nonautomatic clocks back an hour before bed Saturday night or after the Sunday transition. Check vehicle clocks and appliances individually.
• Check phone settings. On iPhone, open Settings > General > Date & Time and enable the automatic time setting. Internet access, software updates, and time-zone location settings can matter; consult Apple's time-setting guidance if the displayed time is wrong.
• Check your computer's zone. In Windows, use Settings > Time & language > Date & time. Microsoft documents automatic time, time-zone, and daylight-saving settings. Do not manually subtract another hour after an automatic adjustment.
• Review overnight events. Confirm alarms, work shifts, and travel arrangements with the organizer or operator if they fall in the repeated hour. New Outlook can display the duplicated or omitted DST hour, but still verify the event's assigned time zone.

A useful final check is to compare your device with official U.S. time for your zone. If it remains an hour off, troubleshoot its zone and automatic-adjustment settings before changing every appointment.

Has the U.S. stopped changing clocks permanently?

The official 2026 schedule still includes the November 1 return to standard time. Under the federal framework described by DOT, states can exempt themselves from daylight saving time, but cannot independently choose permanent daylight saving time. Proposals or announcements alone should not replace the published schedule when planning your day.