Daylight Savings Time Clock Change
When do clocks change? See the exact spring forward and fall back dates and times — with a live countdown.
Quick answer: when do the clocks change in 2026?
March 8 — forward 1 hour
US spring forward (2:00 AM → 3:00 AM)
November 1 — back 1 hour
US fall back (2:00 AM → 1:00 AM)
UK: March 29 & October 25
The UK changes on the last Sunday of March and October
The live status and countdown below show whether daylight saving time is in effect right now.
DST Schedule Calculator
Pick a year (2007–2035) and a region to see that year's spring forward and fall back dates and exact change times. Results update instantly — no Calculate button.
Spring Forward (clocks go forward)
🕐 +1 hourMarch 8, 2026 (Sunday)
2:00 AM → 3:00 AM — a 23-hour day
Fall Back (clocks go back)
🕐 −1 hourNovember 1, 2026 (Sunday)
2:00 AM → 1:00 AM — a 25-hour day
After fall back, sunrises get about an hour earlier and evenings darker sooner.
DST Prediction Table 2026–2035
Every US and UK daylight saving date through 2035 — all Sundays at 2:00 AM local time.
| Year | US Spring Forward | US Fall Back | UK Spring Forward | UK Fall Back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | March 8 | November 1 | March 29 | October 25 |
| 2027 | March 14 | November 7 | March 28 | October 31 |
| 2028 | March 12 | November 5 | March 26 | October 29 |
| 2029 | March 11 | November 4 | March 25 | October 28 |
| 2030 | March 10 | November 3 | March 31 | October 27 |
| 2031 | March 9 | November 2 | March 30 | October 26 |
| 2032 | March 14 | November 7 | March 28 | October 31 |
| 2033 | March 13 | November 6 | March 27 | October 30 |
| 2034 | March 12 | November 5 | March 26 | October 29 |
| 2035 | March 11 | November 4 | March 25 | October 28 |
Dates are projections under current rules (US: second Sunday of March / first Sunday of November, since 2007). Rules can change with legislation — verify official sources for schedules, contracts or travel.
US States & DST
51 in total, 49 where all observe DST, 1 which doesn't observe DST, 1 with parts on DST.
US Territories
DST Around the World
How the five major DST regions schedule their clock changes.
| Region | Rule | Spring Forward | Fall Back |
|---|---|---|---|
| United StatesHawaii and most of Arizona do not observe DST (Navajo Nation does) | Second Sunday of March → First Sunday of November | 2:00 AM → 3:00 AM | 2:00 AM → 1:00 AM |
| United KingdomBritish Summer Time (BST) | Last Sunday of March → Last Sunday of October | 1:00 AM GMT → 2:00 AM BST | 2:00 AM BST → 1:00 AM GMT |
| European UnionAll EU member states switch together | Last Sunday of March → Last Sunday of October | 2:00 AM CET → 3:00 AM CEST | 3:00 AM CEST → 2:00 AM CET |
| AustraliaNew South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT; Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory do not | First Sunday of October → First Sunday of April (next year) | 2:00 AM → 3:00 AM | 3:00 AM → 2:00 AM |
| New ZealandChatham Islands switch at 2:45 AM, 45 minutes later | Last Sunday of September → First Sunday of April (next year) | 2:00 AM → 3:00 AM | 3:00 AM → 2:00 AM |
Countries that abolished DST
- Japan (1951) — abolished after post-war US occupation period.
- China (1991) — last observed DST in 1991.
- India (—) — no DST in modern practice.
- Russia (2014) — moved to permanent standard time.
- Brazil (2019) — abolished nationwide in 2019.
- Argentina (2009) — stopped observing DST.
How to Calculate DST Dates Manually
US rule: DST starts on the second Sunday of March and ends on the first Sunday of November. To find the second Sunday of March, find the first Sunday of the month and add 7 days.
UK and EU: last Sunday of March / last Sunday of October. In 2026 that is March 29 and October 25.
Australia and New Zealand: first Sunday of October / first Sunday of April — the southern hemisphere switches in the opposite seasons, so Australian DST runs across the year boundary (e.g. October 4, 2026 → April 4, 2027).
Clocks change at 2:00 AM local time in most regions — a railway-era convention picked to affect the fewest people. Spring forward days are 23 hours long; fall back days are 25 hours long.
A short history of daylight saving time
The idea started as a joke: in 1784 Benjamin Franklin's satirical essay suggested people get up earlier to save candles — he was proposing a change in habits, not clocks.
In 1895 New Zealand entomologist George Hudson proposed a two-hour shift so he could collect insects after work. In 1907 British builder William Willett campaigned for eight years — he died in 1915 without seeing it adopted.
Germany was the first to implement DST nationally, in 1916, to save fuel in wartime. The US followed in 1918, abolished it in 1919 after it proved unpopular, then endured a chaotic patchwork of state rules until the Uniform Time Act of 1966 standardized it (allowing states to opt out). A year-round experiment in 1974–1975 was cut short partly because children went to school in the dark.
The current US rule — second Sunday of March to first Sunday of November, since 2007 — comes from the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (15 U.S.C. 260a).
How to Prepare for Daylight Saving Time
- Shift your bedtime 15 minutes earlier each night for 3–4 days before spring forward.
- Set manual clocks (microwaves, car clocks, wall clocks) before bed on Saturday night.
- Pets and livestock keep their old schedules — feed them on your new clock time gradually.
- Use the extra fall-back hour to change smoke detector batteries.
- Expect darker mornings after spring forward and darker evenings after fall back.
- Smartphones, computers and smart watches adjust automatically — check manual devices only.
Daylight Saving Time and Your Health
The spring transition is linked to a +24% rise in heart attack risk on the following Monday (per studies cited by the American Heart Association and ProCon.org) and a 5–6.5% increase in fatal traffic accidents — about 30 extra deaths each year.
Energy savings are far smaller than promised: the DOE's 2008 study found electricity savings of about 0.5%, and the annual cost of the time change itself is estimated at $1.7 billion in lost time and productivity (per economists quoted by ProCon.org).
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has called for abolishing DST in favor of permanent standard time, citing sleep and circadian health — a position echoed by sleep medicine experts at The Conversation.
Saving vs Savings: Which Is Correct?
The official spelling is Daylight Saving Time — no "s" on saving, just as "March Madness" doesn't become "March Madnesses." But Daylight Savings Time (with an s) is such a common informal variant that it's the form most people search for — which is why this page uses it in its title.
Terminology: Americans say spring forward and fall back; Britons say clocks go forward and clocks go back. Same event, two vocabularies.
Did You Know?
The idea started as a joke — Benjamin Franklin's 1784 essay proposed waking earlier, not changing clocks.
A New Zealand entomologist (George Hudson, 1895) wanted more daylight after work to collect insects.
The US tried year-round DST in 1974 — it was cut short partly because kids went to school in the dark.
"Only the government would believe that you could cut a foot off the top of a blanket, sew it to the bottom, and have a longer blanket."
Madagascar's lemurs show seasonal activity shifts similar to DST.
Ancient Rome's water clocks were adjusted seasonally — a Roman version of DST.
Daylight Saving Time FAQ
When do the clocks change in 2026?
In the US, clocks spring forward on March 8, 2026 (2:00 AM → 3:00 AM) and fall back on November 1, 2026 (2:00 AM → 1:00 AM). The UK changes on March 29 and October 25, 2026.
What time do the clocks change at?
In the US clocks change at 2:00 AM local time (2:00 → 3:00 forward, 2:00 → 1:00 back). The UK springs forward at 1:00 AM GMT, while the EU, Australia and New Zealand fall back at 3:00 AM — every region has its own change time, shown in the calculator above.
Does Arizona change clocks for daylight saving time?
No. Arizona does not observe daylight saving time — the one exception is the Navajo Nation in the northeast corner, which follows DST.
Does Hawaii observe daylight saving time?
No. Hawaii does not observe daylight saving time; it stays on Hawaii Standard Time (HST) year-round.
Is the US getting rid of daylight saving time?
Not yet. The House passed a new version of the Sunshine Protection Act on July 14, 2026 (308-117), but it still needs Senate approval; the Daylight Act of 2026 (H.R. 7378) proposes abolishing DST and moving standard time forward 30 minutes. Neither is law, so all dates on this page are projections under current rules as of 2026.
What is the difference between "saving" and "savings"?
"Daylight Saving Time" (no s) is the official spelling. "Daylight Savings Time" is a very common informal variant — and the spelling most people search for.
When does daylight saving time start?
In the US, daylight saving time starts on the second Sunday of March every year — clocks jump from 2:00 AM to 3:00 AM.
When does daylight saving time end?
In the US, daylight saving time ends on the first Sunday of November every year — clocks fall back from 2:00 AM to 1:00 AM.
What does "spring forward, fall back" mean?
It is the memory aid for DST: in spring you set clocks forward one hour (losing an hour of sleep), and in fall you set them back one hour (gaining an hour).
Why is it 2:00 AM?
The 2:00 AM change is a railway-era convention chosen to minimize disruption: bars have closed, night shifts have changed over, and most people are asleep.
Do other countries change their clocks at the same time as the US?
No. The UK and EU change on the last Sunday of March (one to three weeks after the US), so the London–New York time difference briefly becomes 4 hours in late March.
Does the UK observe daylight saving time?
Yes. The UK observes British Summer Time (BST) from the last Sunday of March to the last Sunday of October.
Did the time change today?
Only on a DST transition day. In the US that is the second Sunday of March and the first Sunday of November — after 2:00 AM on those days the clocks have changed. On any other day, no.
Are we in daylight saving time right now?
It depends on the date and region. In the US, DST runs from the second Sunday of March to the first Sunday of November. The UK and EU run from the last Sunday of March to the last Sunday of October, while Australia and New Zealand are on DST from October/September to early April (opposite seasons).
Does Australia observe daylight saving time?
Partly. New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT observe DST (first Sunday of October to first Sunday of April). Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory do not.
Does my phone change the clock automatically?
Yes — smartphones, computers and smart watches adjust automatically when automatic time settings are enabled. If your phone time is wrong after a change, check that "Set Automatically" is turned on.
Do microwaves, car clocks and wall clocks change automatically?
No. Non-connected devices must be adjusted manually. Some "smart" clocks (AUTOSET/SMARTSET) can fail on old firmware rules, so check them after every change.
Privacy & Accuracy
Disclaimer: DST rules can change with government legislation. In the US, Congress is considering permanent DST bills (Sunshine Protection Act; The Daylight Act of 2026). All dates on this page are projections under current rules — verify with official sources (NIST, timeanddate.com) for schedules, contracts or travel.
Privacy: All calculations happen in your browser — no data is sent to any server.
Accuracy: Dates are computed from the official US rule (15 U.S.C. 260a — second Sunday of March / first Sunday of November, since 2007) and the EU directive (last Sunday of March / last Sunday of October). Daylight saving time in the US is regulated by the Department of Transportation.