Daylight saving time 2026: When do clocks spring forward?
Most of the U.S. will move clocks ahead one hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 8, bringing later sunsets but darker mornings at first.
Do you know what marks the start of Daylight Saving Time? Here’s a hint: 2026 marks the first time since 2020 that it’s been the earliest in the year it can be.
Daylight saving time is almost here. Clocks across most of the United States will soon spring forward one hour, shifting an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening.
The change arrives as days are already getting noticeably longer heading into March — a trend that ramps up as winter fades.
When does daylight saving time start?
Daylight saving time begins Sunday, March 8, 2026, across most of the United States. At 2 a.m. local time, clocks “spring forward” one hour.
The change leads to later sunrises and later sunsets compared with the days before the switch — a tradeoff that many people notice immediately during the first week.
The sun rises above the Lincoln Memorial with the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol building in the background Saturday morning, March 13, 2021 in Washington. (AP Photo/J. David Ake)
Not everywhere follows the time change. Hawaii and most of Arizona stay on standard time year-round. The Navajo Nation (which spans parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah) does observe daylight saving time. U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, also do not observe daylight saving time.
Will the U.S. stop changing clocks?
Lawmakers have proposed ending the twice-yearly clock change several times in recent years, but nothing has taken effect nationwide.
The Sunshine Protection Act of 2025 was reintroduced in the current Congress (as H.R. 139) and would make daylight saving time permanent, but it has not become law.
When does daylight saving time end?
Daylight saving time runs for nearly eight months in 2026 and ends Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. At 2 a.m. local time, clocks “fall back” one hour, returning most of the country to standard time.
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