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- calendar_today October 31, 2026
Daylight Saving Time Comes to an End
Daylight saving time across much of the United States ends this Sunday at 2 a.m., when clocks will shift backward from 1:59 a.m. to 1 a.m. This semi-annual tradition means an extra hour in the day and earlier sunsets as the nation transitions to standard time.
When and How the Clock Changes Happen
Daylight saving time began at 2 a.m. on March 8 and concludes at 2 a.m. this Sunday. In contrast to spring, when clocks 'spring forward' and skip the 2 o'clock hour, the fall transition allows Americans to 'gain' an hour, repeating the 1 a.m. hour. Following the change, sunsets will occur earlier throughout the United States as late fall and winter set in.
Local regulations may affect how this extra hour impacts businesses. For example, in California, bar closing times are based on the hours past midnight regardless of the repeated 1 a.m., so gaining an hour does not necessarily result in extended service.
Duration of Standard Time and Upcoming Changes
Standard time will last until March 14, when daylight saving time will resume. The current pattern for these shifts was established in 2007; since then, daylight saving time has started on the second Sunday in March and ended on the first Sunday in November, according to the U.S. Naval Observatory's Astronomical Applications Department. Next year, daylight saving time will end on November 7.
Why Is Daylight Saving Time Observed?
The practice originated with the Standard Time Act of 1918 with the intention of extending evening daylight hours during summer. After initial opposition and repeal in 1919, daylight saving was re-enacted during World War II. Inconsistency among states persisted until the 1966 Uniform Time Act, which standardized start and end dates while permitting state and local exemptions. A brief experiment with year-round daylight saving time occurred in 1974 under President Richard Nixon, but widespread complaints about dark winter mornings led Congress to reverse the change that same year.
Which States and Territories Do Not Observe Daylight Saving?
While most of the U.S. observes the shift, Hawaii and most of Arizona do not, maintaining permanent standard time. U.S. territories including American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands also do not observe the clock change.
International Observance and Recent Legislative Efforts
Worldwide, most countries in Europe and North America use some form of daylight saving time, though schedules differ. In the Southern Hemisphere, the concept exists with seasonally reversed start and end dates. The Pew Research Center notes only about a third of countries still observe daylight saving, though around half have used the system at some point in history.
Attempts to end the practice have increased in recent years. Nineteen states have passed measures to stay on either standard or daylight saving time year-round. However, federal law currently prohibits states from adopting year-round daylight saving time without Congressional approval. In 2022, the Senate passed the Sunshine Protection Act to make daylight saving time permanent, but it did not advance in the House. A similar bill introduced in January 2025 stalled in the Senate. In October, former President Donald Trump encouraged swift legislative action, arguing that eliminating clock changes would benefit the nation in areas such as crime, stress, and sports.
Health and Safety Considerations
Some studies suggest potential benefits of permanent daylight saving time, including reduced traffic accidents and crime. However, many health and sleep experts prefer the current back-and-forth system. They warn that prolonging daylight saving time permanently could increase health risks and result in darker mornings, posing hazards for children going to school. Sleep researchers caution that natural alignment with sunlight is important for maintaining well-being and safety.
Source: nbcnews.com.
