When Do the Clocks Go Back? Understanding Daylight Saving Time 2025
So, it’s that time of year again when people start wondering — do the clocks go back tonight? Well, yes, they do. Daylight saving time for 2025 officially ends on Sunday, November 2 , when clocks in most parts of the United States “fall back” by one hour at 2 a.m. That means everyone gets an extra hour of sleep this weekend — a small but welcome bonus for many.
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Now, even though this change happens every year, there’s still a lot of confusion about when and why we do it. Daylight saving time, or DST, begins on the second Sunday in March, when clocks are moved forward an hour — often called “springing forward.” Then, it ends on the first Sunday of November, when clocks “fall back.” So, for 2025, it started back on March 9 and ends on November 2 .
But here’s the interesting part — not every state participates. Hawaii and most of Arizona skip daylight saving time altogether. The same goes for U.S. territories like Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. The Navajo Nation in Arizona is the only exception there — they do observe DST.
Now, a lot of people might be wondering why the change happens exactly at 2 a.m. According to author Michael Downing, who wrote “Spring Forward: The Annual Madness of Daylight Saving Time,” that time was picked because it caused the least disruption to trains and travel schedules when the system was first set up. Back then, no trains left New York City stations at 2 a.m. on Sundays, so it became the perfect hour to make the switch quietly.
As for whether daylight saving time is here to stay — that’s a big maybe. Former President Donald Trump said in late 2024 that he wanted to eliminate daylight saving time altogether. However, he would need approval from Congress to make it official. Interestingly, the Sunshine Protection Act , which would make daylight saving time permanent, passed the Senate back in 2022 but hasn’t yet become law.
Many states — about 20 of them — have passed their own measures supporting year-round daylight saving time, hoping for fewer dark winter evenings and more consistent schedules. But for now, nothing permanent has changed, so we continue to move the clocks twice a year.
And no — daylight saving time wasn’t created for farmers, despite the popular myth. In fact, farmers actually opposed it. They argued that it disrupted their routines rather than helped them.
So, as the clock strikes 2 a.m. this Sunday, remember to set your clocks back one hour. You’ll gain a little extra sleep — and a reminder that winter mornings are just around the corner.
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