Daylight Saving Time Ends Today: Clocks Fall Back an Hour as Push to Lock the Clock Stalls in the U.S. Senate

Millions of Americans gained an extra hour of sleep Sunday as daylight saving time ended for 2026, sending clocks back one hour and bringing earlier sunsets across much of the country.

Daylight saving time officially ended at 2 a.m. local time Sunday, Nov. 1, when clocks in 48 states fell back to 1 a.m. The change marks the return of standard time, which will last until spring.

The switch came on the earliest possible date this year, since federal law sets the end of daylight saving time on the first Sunday in November.

What the change means

The time change shifts sunrises and sunsets about an hour earlier on the clock. Mornings will be brighter, but darkness will arrive much sooner in the evening.

Sunsets before 5 p.m. are now returning to many U.S. cities. The loss of evening light will be most noticeable in the northern part of the country. Seattle, for example, will lose more than 70 minutes of daylight over the course of November, while many communities along the Gulf Coast will lose about 30 minutes.

Most smartphones, computers and other connected devices update automatically. But clocks on ovens, microwaves, older cars and some wall clocks may still need to be changed by hand.

Who doesn't change their clocks

Daylight saving time is observed in every state except Hawaii and most of Arizona, which remain on standard time year-round. U.S. territories including Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands also do not observe it.

In Canada, some provinces are also skipping Sunday's change. According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and the Northwest Territories will not turn their clocks back on Nov. 1, 2026.

When the clocks change again

Under the current schedule, daylight saving time will return on Sunday, March 14, 2027, when clocks spring forward one hour at 2 a.m., costing Americans an hour of sleep.

Federal law sets daylight saving time to begin on the second Sunday in March and end on the first Sunday in November. That schedule has been in place since 2007, after the Energy Policy Act of 2005 extended the period. Before that, daylight saving time began on the first Sunday in April.

The Uniform Time Act of 1966 first established a national framework for when daylight saving time starts and ends.

Push to "lock the clock" stalls

Sunday's change comes as Congress weighs whether to end the twice-a-year switch altogether.

In July, the House of Representatives passed the Sunshine Protection Act by a vote of 308-117. The bill would make daylight saving time permanent nationwide, though states could choose to remain on permanent standard time.

"It's time to lock the clock and make daylight saving time permanent," said Rep. Vern Buchanan, the Florida Republican who sponsored the bill, after the House vote.

President Donald Trump has backed the legislation, calling it "a very nice WIN for the Republican Party."

But the bill has stalled in the Senate. It was sent to committee after the House vote and has not advanced. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has previously cast doubt on whether the measure can reach the 60 votes needed to pass, and several Republican senators have expressed opposition.

Because the Senate was not in session ahead of Nov. 1, the bill could not take effect in time to prevent Sunday's time change. Lawmakers could still act after they return, but the current Congress is expected to remain in session only through mid- to late December, leaving little time.

The Senate previously passed a version of the Sunshine Protection Act unanimously in March 2022, but that bill died when the House did not take it up.

The debate over permanent time

The question of which time to keep year-round remains divisive.

Supporters of permanent daylight saving time argue that longer evening daylight would boost economic activity, encourage outdoor recreation and improve public safety. The idea has been especially popular in Florida, where backers say extra evening sunlight could help tourism.

But many sleep and health experts favor permanent standard time instead. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has argued that standard time aligns better with the body's natural clock, since it provides more morning light.

The United States has tried year-round daylight saving time before. In the 1970s, the country adopted it during an energy crisis, but the experiment was abandoned before reaching 10 months, as many Americans disliked dark winter mornings.

Under current federal law, states may opt out of daylight saving time and stay on standard time permanently, as Hawaii and Arizona have done. But they cannot adopt permanent daylight saving time without congressional approval. Many states have passed measures saying they would move to permanent daylight saving time if Congress allows it.

Health and safety tips

Experts say the fall time change is generally easier on the body than the spring change, since people gain an hour rather than lose one. Still, the shift can disrupt sleep schedules, particularly for young children and pets.

Health experts recommend:

Keeping a consistent bedtime and wake time in the days after the change.

Getting outside for morning sunlight to help reset the body's internal clock.

Being extra cautious while driving in the evening, as darker commutes can increase the risk of crashes involving pedestrians.

Many fire departments also urge residents to use the time change as a reminder to test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and replace their batteries.

For now, Americans will spend the next four and a half months on standard time, with shorter afternoons and earlier nightfall through the winter.

Whether next March's spring forward will be among the last depends on whether the Senate takes up the Sunshine Protection Act before the end of the year. If not, the bill would need to be reintroduced in the next Congress, continuing a debate that has dragged on for years.