Daylight Saving Time — Worldwide Schedule

Every upcoming DST clock change worldwide, grouped by date. See when clocks spring forward or fall back in the US, Europe, Australia, and beyond.

DST Schedule — Upcoming DST change for each of 62 tracked time zones.

Computing DST schedule…

What Is Daylight Saving Time?

Daylight saving time (DST) is the practice of setting clocks ahead by one hour during the warmer months so that evenings have more daylight. When the clocks "spring forward" in March or April, an hour is lost — but that hour is gained back when the clocks "fall back" in October or November.

The main stated benefit of DST is reduced energy consumption, since people are more likely to be awake during daylight hours and therefore need less artificial lighting. However, studies on energy savings have been mixed, and many countries and regions have chosen to abolish DST in recent decades.

When Do US Clocks Change?

In the United States, daylight saving time begins on the second Sunday of March and ends on the first Sunday of November. Clocks spring forward at 2:00 AM local time in spring, and fall back at 2:00 AM (which becomes 1:00 AM) in autumn.

This schedule was established by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which extended DST by about four weeks compared to the previous schedule. Most US states observe DST, with two main exceptions: Arizona (except the Navajo Nation, which follows DST) stays on Mountain Standard Time year-round, and Hawaii does not observe DST due to its low latitude and relatively constant daylight hours throughout the year.

When Do European Clocks Change?

European Union member states change their clocks on the last Sunday of March (spring) and the last Sunday of October (autumn). This applies uniformly across all EU member states by directive. Most non-EU European countries also follow the same schedule, including the United Kingdom, Norway, Switzerland, and others.

Because the EU uses the last Sunday of March while the US uses the second Sunday of March, there is typically a 2–3 week gap in spring when the US has already sprung forward but Europe has not. During this window, the time difference between US and European cities is one hour less than usual. A similar gap occurs in autumn.

Australia and the Southern Hemisphere

Australia's DST schedule is reversed relative to the northern hemisphere because Australia's seasons are flipped. Clocks spring forward in early October and fall back in early April. However, not all Australian states observe DST: Queensland, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory do not change their clocks.

New Zealand observes DST from late September to early April. In South America, Chile observes DST while most other South American countries do not, including Brazil (which abolished DST in 2019) and Argentina. Cuba, in the Caribbean, follows the US spring schedule but falls back on its own schedule.

Israel and the Middle East

Israel observes DST, but on its own schedule dictated by Israeli law. The spring-forward date is typically the Friday night before the last Sunday of March (slightly different from the EU last-Sunday rule). The fall-back occurs on the last Sunday before Yom Kippur. This means Israel's DST transitions often fall on unique dates not shared by any other country.

Lebanon follows a schedule similar to but not always identical to Israel. Most other Middle Eastern countries do not observe DST. Iran observes DST on its own schedule, transitioning around the Persian New Year in March and reverting in September.

Countries That Don't Observe DST

The majority of the world's population lives in countries or regions that do not observe daylight saving time. This includes all of Africa except a few exceptions, all of Asia (China, India, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, and more), most of South America, and Russia (which abolished DST in 2014). The arguments against DST include disruption to sleep patterns, health concerns around the biannual time shift, and increasingly weak energy-savings arguments given modern lighting and HVAC efficiency.

Within the US, there is ongoing legislative discussion about eliminating the semi-annual clock change. The Sunshine Protection Act, which would make DST permanent, has been passed by the US Senate but not enacted into law as of 2026.

Why Do DST Dates Differ Between Countries?

Different countries adopted DST at different times and under different legislative frameworks, leading to a variety of transition dates. The US, EU, and Australia each set their own dates through national or regional legislation. Some follow simple calendar rules (e.g., "second Sunday of March"), while others use different anchor points. This fragmentation creates periods when two regions are each on different offsets than usual, temporarily changing the time difference between them.

For example, during the gap between US and EU spring transitions, New York is only 4 hours behind London instead of the usual 5. Anyone scheduling international calls or meetings should double-check time differences during these transition windows.

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