With the fall equinox behind us, it's time for more signs of fall.
There's the fall decor popping up at stores, cooler weather around the corner and pumpkin spice lattes for sale. There's also the continued
chatter about daylight saving time and whether clocks will really fall back this year.
Despite support from President Donald Trump, dozens of states and a bipartisan majority in the House, the Sunshine Protection Act remains stalled in the Senate with November fast approaching. Unless Congress acts soon, Americans will once again set their clocks back an hour when daylight saving time ends this fall.
So, here’s when it will go into practice and if Arizona will be affected.
Are we turning the clock back in November?
Yes, clocks will turn back one hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, as daylight saving time ends.
Is Arizona changing to daylight saving time?
Most of Arizona does not change its clocks for daylight saving time. The state stays on Mountain Standard Time all year.
How come Arizona doesn't do daylight saving?
Arizona does not observe daylight saving time primarily because of its climate and geography.
As mentioned on the Britannica website, during the summer months, an extra hour of daylight in the evening would mean a longer period of higher temperatures.
Not observing daylight saving time also simplifies timekeeping for businesses, government agencies and residents.
What part of Arizona is not on daylight saving time?
The Navajo Nation, in the northeastern part of the state, does observe daylight saving time. It follows Mountain Daylight Time from March through November when daylight saving time is in effect.
From November to March, when daylight saving time is not in effect, all of Arizona is on Mountain Standard Time. But when DST takes effect, the Navajo Nation is an hour ahead of the rest of Arizona. The Navajo Nation does this because its reservation extends into Utah and New Mexico, where daylight saving time is observed.
What are the two states that don't do daylight saving?
Arizona and Hawaii are the only two U.S. states that do not observe daylight saving time.
When was the last time Arizona did daylight saving time?
Arizona last observed daylight saving time in 1967. In 1968, the Arizona Legislature chose to keep the state on Mountain Standard Time year-round, largely because of the state’s hot climate and the belief that an extra hour of evening sunlight was not beneficial.
How many states observe daylight saving time?
48 states observe daylight saving time. Only two states, Hawaii and Arizona, do not participate, keeping their clocks on standard time all year round.
What time zone is Phoenix in?
Phoenix, like most of the state, is on Mountain Standard Time.
Is the U.S. going to get rid of daylight saving?
The United States has not gotten rid of daylight saving time yet, but Congress is actively considering doing so. The House of Representatives passed the Sunshine Protection Act of 2025, which would end the twice-yearly clock changes by making daylight saving time permanent. It was then sent to the Senate, where it was referred to the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.
The important thing to understand is that this proposal would not make standard time permanent. Instead, most of the country would stay on what we currently call daylight saving time all year. In practical terms, that means no falling back in November and no springing forward in March. Winter sunsets would be about an hour later, but winter sunrises would also be about an hour later in those states.
There is a real bill that has already passed the House, but it still needs to get through the Senate and be signed into law. Until that happens, the normal Nov. 1, 2026, clock change is still scheduled. And if the bill eventually passes, it would most likely mean permanent daylight saving time, not permanent standard time.
Why can't we get rid of daylight savings time?
Although it may seem simple, daylight saving time is currently controlled by federal law. Congress passed the Uniform Time Act of 1966, which established the national rules for when DST begins and ends.
Under that law, a state has two choices: It can follow the federal DST schedule, or it can opt out and stay on standard time all year, like most of Arizona and Hawaii. What a state cannot currently do is say, “We don't want the clock changes, so we're going to keep DST forever.” The federal law specifically prevents states from choosing permanent daylight saving time on their own.
So technically, we absolutely could get rid of the clock changes. The issue is who has the legal authority to change the rules. Congress created the national system, so Congress has to change the federal law that currently requires the spring-forward/fall-back schedule. That's why the Sunshine Protection Act is necessary. If Congress passes it, the federal rules would change and states could stop changing their clocks.
USA TODAY reporter Mary Walrath-Holdridge contributed to this article.
Got a story you want to share? Reach out at Tiffany.Acosta@gannett.com. Follow @tiffsario on Instagram.
Looking for the best things to do in Arizona? Sign up for our newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: When does daylight saving time end? What it means for Arizona
