U.S. clocks fall back November 1 where daylight saving time applies
Most U.S. residents will turn their clocks back one hour on November 1, 2026, when daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. local time. The National Institute of Standards and Technology lists that date in its current guidance. The change does not apply everywhere: Hawaii and most of Arizona remain outside the seasonal clock change.
News date: 2026-10-18 (Scheduled transition: November 1, 2026, at 2 a.m. local time)
Checked at: 2026-10-18T06:24:38.659Z (UTC)
Most U.S. residents will turn their clocks back one hour on November 1, 2026, when daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. local time. The National Institute of Standards and Technology lists that date in its current guidance. The change does not apply everywhere: Hawaii and most of Arizona remain outside the seasonal clock change.
Three key points
- The 2026 daylight saving period ends November 1 at 2 a.m. local time in places that observe it.
- Clocks move back one hour; Hawaii and most of Arizona do not observe daylight saving time.
- Updated phones and computers usually apply the local change through operating-system settings; some older clocks need manual adjustment.
Service guide: check the local rule before setting a clock
NIST says the 2026 daylight saving period runs from March 8 to November 1. At the end of the period, clocks move back one hour to standard time. The transition is based on local time, rather than one simultaneous nationwide clock reading.
NIST identifies Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Arizona as places that do not observe daylight saving time, with an exception for the Navajo Indian Reservation in Arizona, which does observe it. A trip across jurisdictions can therefore involve different seasonal rules.
Automatic devices depend on settings and software
NIST time services distribute Coordinated Universal Time. For the widely used Network Time Protocol, the operating system applies local time-zone and daylight saving corrections. NIST advises users to keep their operating system updated.
Radio-controlled clocks should follow the broadcast information when they receive the signal and have the correct settings. Some older clocks contain outdated date rules, so a clock that changes on the wrong day may need a manual adjustment or manufacturer guidance.
Who sets the rules
The U.S. Department of Transportation oversees time zones and uniform observance of daylight saving time. Its current guidance says a state may exempt itself by state law, but a state cannot independently choose permanent daylight saving time.
This is a service guide to the scheduled change, checked on October 18. It does not report a new nationwide law eliminating the clock change. The archive photograph of the U.S. Capitol was taken on June 1, 2024, and illustrates the context of existing federal time rules, not a new congressional vote.
Sources
- NIST — Daylight Saving Time Rules — 2026 dates; checked October 18, 2026
- U.S. Department of Transportation — Uniform Time — Updated July 15, 2026; checked October 18
Image credits
The cover combines a real archive Capitol photograph and drawn calendar elements. This is an editorial illustration, not a photograph of a new congressional action. Source photograph and adapted cover: CC BY-SA 4.0. topic.red; 颐园居 / Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 4.0