When Daylight Saving Time Ends in 2026: What You Need to Know

If you’ve been staring at the darkening mornings and wondering whether it’s already time to set the clocks back, hold that thought. The next daylight‑saving shift isn’t this weekend; it’s slated for the first Sunday in November.

On Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, at 2 a.m. local time, clocks will tumble back an hour to 1 a.m. – the classic “fall back.” For most of us that means a bonus hour of sleep, and sunrise and sunset will each creep about an hour earlier.

Most modern gadgets – smartphones, laptops, tablets – will make the change on their own. Old‑school wall clocks, kitchen timers, microwaves, even some car clocks, will need a quick manual twist.

Why do we keep doing this? The idea, dating back to the Farmers’ Almanac, was to steal daylight from the evening and give it to the morning, originally to help farmers and later to save energy. The federal law set the current system decades ago, but it’s still a hot topic. Some folks argue we should stay on daylight‑saving time year‑round; others say permanent standard time would be healthier.

In the House, the bipartisan Sunshine Protection Act passed in July with a 308‑117 vote, aiming to make daylight‑saving time permanent and eliminate the twice‑yearly clock shuffle. The Senate, however, hasn’t taken it up yet, so for now we’re stuck with the November rollback.

Looking ahead, daylight‑saving time will start again on the second Sunday of March 2027, which falls on March 14. That’s when we’ll “spring forward” an hour, losing that precious extra hour of sleep.

Mark your calendar for the winter solstice, too – Dec. 21, 2026 – the shortest day of the year. In places like New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, you’ll only get around nine hours of daylight, give or take.

Most states, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, observe the bi‑annual clock changes. Hawaii, most of Arizona, and several U.S. territories sit out the dance entirely.