Most Americans will lose an hour of sleep Sunday when daylight saving time begins at 2 a.m. local time on March 8, pushing clocks ahead to 3 a.m. and shifting an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening. The change creates a 23-hour day and will remain in effect for 238 days before clocks fall back on the first Sunday of November, which this year falls on Nov. 1.
The second Sunday of March has been the start date since 2007, when Congress moved the change up from the first Sunday of April under the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Before 1987, the Uniform Time Act of 1966 set the start date as the last Sunday of April. During the energy crisis of the 1970s, Congress briefly tried year-round daylight saving time beginning in January 1974, but the experiment ended that October before resuming on a modified schedule the following year.
Why daylight saving time exists and whether it still makes sense
Daylight saving time was first adopted in the United States in 1918 to conserve fuel during World War I and was used again during World War II for the same purpose. It has been observed consistently since the 1960s. The practical benefits, however, have not held up well under scrutiny. A 1974 Transportation Department review found minimal gains in energy conservation, traffic safety or crime reduction. After the 2007 date change, the Energy Department measured a drop in electricity consumption of just 0.03%. Research has also linked the clock change to negative health effects tied to disrupted sleep.
About one in 10 American adults favor the current system of changing clocks twice a year, according to an AP-NORC poll conducted last year. About half oppose the practice. Of those with a preference, most would rather make daylight saving time permanent than return to year-round standard time, though the debate over which option is actually better for people’s health and daily lives remains unresolved.
British Columbia makes the switch permanent as U.S. legislation stalls
While American policymakers have struggled to act, British Columbia became the latest jurisdiction to put an end to the twice-yearly change. Starting Sunday, the Canadian province will observe daylight saving time year-round, following a survey that found 93% of residents supported the permanent move. British Columbia joins Saskatchewan as the only Canadian provinces that no longer participate in the clock change.
In the United States, congressional action is required before any state can permanently adopt daylight saving time. Nineteen states have already passed laws calling for the move, but those laws cannot take effect without federal approval. The U.S. Senate passed the Sunshine Protection Act in 2022, which would have made daylight saving time permanent nationwide, but a companion House bill was never brought to a vote.
Two new proposals are now before Congress. The Daylight Act of 2026, introduced in the House on Feb. 4, would take a different approach by permanently shifting clocks 30 minutes, splitting the difference between standard time and daylight saving time rather than committing fully to either. The Sunshine Protection Act has also been reintroduced. Neither has moved toward a vote.
Which states and territories do not observe daylight saving time
Hawaii and Arizona do not observe daylight saving time, with the exception of the Navajo Nation in northeastern Arizona. The territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands also do not change their clocks.
For everyone else, phones set to update automatically will handle the change without any manual adjustment. Apple, Google and Samsung each maintain support pages for users who need assistance updating their devices manually.
