Daylight Saving Time Facts and History

By the Editorial Team · Sunday, November 1, 2026

Most of the United States ended daylight saving time on November 1 by setting clocks back one hour, returning to standard time until March 14, 2027. Although many states have approved permanent daylight saving time, Congress has yet to authorize such a change, leaving the current biannual clock adjustments in place amid ongoing policy debates.

Daylight saving time ended across most of the United States early on November 1, when clocks were set back one hour at 2 a.m., marking the return to standard time. This adjustment will remain in effect until March 14, 2027. Since 2007, the country has observed daylight saving time from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November.

The practice of daylight saving time was first introduced in 1918 through the Standard Time Act, which also established the current time zones. Initially intended to conserve energy during wartime, the measure was short-lived and repealed the following year. It was reintroduced on a national scale during World War II, from 1942 to 1945, again to reduce energy consumption. After the war, individual states were allowed to decide whether to maintain the practice.

In 1966, the Uniform Time Act standardized the start and end dates of daylight saving time, though states retained the option to exempt themselves from observing it. A notable attempt to implement year-round daylight saving time came in 1974 when Congress extended it for one year to further conserve energy amid an oil crisis. However, widespread dissatisfaction, particularly concerns about children commuting to school in darkness, led to a reversal of that policy.

Currently, several states and territories, including Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and most of Arizona (except the Navajo Nation), do not observe daylight saving time. While legislatures in 19 states have approved moving to permanent daylight saving time, such changes require congressional approval. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Sunshine Protection Act earlier in the year to permit states to adopt permanent daylight saving time, but the Senate has yet to act on the legislation and no near-term progress is expected.

For now, the biannual time changes continue under the existing framework as policymakers debate the benefits and drawbacks of maintaining, abolishing, or altering daylight saving time in the years ahead.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.