Daylight Saving Time Ends: When and Why You Need to ‘Fall Back’ in 2024

As the fall season progresses, the United States is preparing to bid farewell to daylight saving time (DST) for the year. On Sunday, November 3, 2024, at 2 a.m., clocks will “fall back” by one hour, marking the end of DST. This change will result in earlier sunrises and sunsets that occur well before 7 p.m., and for many, it will mean an extra hour of sleep.

The practice of daylight saving time has a long history, dating back to World War I when Germany first introduced it to conserve power and energy by extending daylight hours. In the United States, the Standard Time Act of 1918 was the first to implement DST, which was initially a temporary measure to cut energy costs during the war. The Uniform Time Act of 1966 standardized DST across the country, and since then, there have been few changes, including an extension of DST by a few weeks in 2005 under former President George Bush.

Not all states observe DST; Arizona and Hawaii are exempt under federal law. Additionally, there have been recent movements and proposals in Congress to make DST permanent, but these efforts have not yet resulted in any significant changes.

The time change is a nationwide event, with the exception of the aforementioned states. It is managed by the Department of Transportation, which was given regulatory power over time zones and DST in 1966. The next time change will occur on the second Sunday in March 2025, when clocks will “spring forward” once again.