Daylight Saving Time 2026: When Clocks Fall Back

Enjoy that sunshine at the end of the day while you can. Daylight saving time is set to end on November 1. Here is what you need to know about the upcoming time change, as well as what could be on the horizon if the Sunshine Protection Act passes.

What to Know About When to Set Your Clocks Back

Most Americans will turn the clocks back one hour on Sunday, November 1, as daylight saving time comes to an end. Clocks will officially fall back at 2 am in most areas of the country. The exception to this is Hawaii and Arizona, the two states that remain on standard time all year long.

The biggest difference that people will notice is that the sun will set about an hour earlier compared to the day before. Conversely, the sun will rise earlier, making it brighter for those morning commutes and walks to school.

Most smartphones, smartwatches, and computers will automatically reset to 1 am at 2 am. However, you will need to manually reset appliances, traditional clocks, and watches.

The annual fall rite of passage also serves as a reminder to cross off some of those seasonal chores from your to-do list. For instance, this is a good time to replace HVAC filters in preparation for the winter season and to switch out smoke detector batteries.

Daylight saving time will return on Sunday, March 14, 2027. This is when clocks will spring forward one hour, also at 2 am. The dates for the changing of the clocks twice per year are mandated by federal rules to always happen on the first Sunday of November and the second Sunday of March.

Could the Sunshine Protection Act Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent?

There are now rumblings that daylight saving time could become permanent. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Sunshine Protection Act this past summer. The bill is now in the hands of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. It will need to pass the Senate in order to be signed into law. The piece of legislation will need at least 60 votes in the Senate to be sent on to President Donald Trump for approval. The president has previously indicated that he will sign the bill into law.

Should the bill pass, daylight saving time would become permanent for most of the country. This would effectively eliminate the need to change the clocks twice per year.

The existing schedule will remain in place through at least the upcoming change. Stay tuned to find out if this could be the last time that the nation sets the clock back an hour during the fall.

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