DST Ends in USA & Canada 2023: Still No Law for Permanent DST
By Sara Kornberg and Mathew Gundersen. Published 9-Oct-2023
Even though 21 states want to make Daylight Saving Time (DST) permanent, most of the US will fall back to standard time as planned on Sunday, November 5, 2023. As does Canada.
DST ends in the US and Canada on Sunday, November 5, 2023.
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Clocks will be set back 1 hour from 02:00 (2 am) to 01:00 (1 am) local time on Sunday, November 5, 2023.
In Europe, DST will end a week before the US on October 29, 2023.
DST in the US starts again on Sunday, March 10, 2024.
Is the USA Abolishing Clock Changes?
In March 2022, the Senate unanimously passed Marco Rubio’s Sunshine Protection Act—a bill that would allow permanent Daylight Saving Time (DST) in most US states; however, the legislation never entered the voting stage in the House of Representatives.
The current law only allows states to opt out of DST but not to follow it year-round.
Ahead of Daylight Saving Time in March 2023, Rubio reintroduced the Sunshine Protection Act of 2023 for the 118th Congress. The legislation would end the antiquated practice of changing clocks twice a year.
21 states have enacted legislation or passed regulations for permanent DST. But, since the bill has yet to be signed into law, states that use DST will fall back to standard time as planned.
Affects Most of the US
Most areas in the US change their clocks, except for the following territories:
- Hawaii and most of Arizona.
- The US dependencies of American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Northern Marina Islands, the US Minor Outlying Islands, and the US Virgin Islands.
Canada: DST Change
In Canada, clocks will change at the same time as in the US. This affects almost all areas except:
- Yukon (on permanent DST since 2020)
- Some areas in British Columbia
- Most of Saskatchewan
- Southampton Island
- Some locations in Québec east of 63° west longitude (e.g., Blanc-Sablon)
Canadian clock change in detail
Canada Following the US
The Canadian provinces of Ontario and British Columbia also want to ditch the switch in favor of permanent DST. However, their proximity to the US border is making them wait.
- In Ontario, the Time Amendment Act (Bill 214) was passed in 2020. The bill would put Ontario on permanent DST if Quebec and New York do the same.
- More than 93% of British Columbians voted to keep the province on permanent DST in 2019. B.C. is still waiting to see if Washington, Oregon, and California go ahead with their proposals to scrap DST.
DST might become history in the European Union
Mexico Abolished DST in 2022
Mexico has permanently removed Daylight Saving Time (DST), but northern border locations close to the US will still follow the American DST schedule.
On October 26, 2022, the Mexican Senate announced that they have approved a law to eliminate Daylight Saving Time (DST) in Mexico from October 30, 2022.
The state of Baja California, and many other locations close to the country’s northern border, follow the DST schedule of the United States. The DST period starts on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November.
Other Countries and Territories
DST will also end on November 5 in Cuba, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, and Thule Air Base in Greenland.
Upcoming DST changes worldwide
Set Clocks Back or Ahead?
One easy way to remember which way to set your clock is to keep in mind one of these sayings: “Spring forward, fall back” or “Spring ahead, fall behind.” The clocks spring ahead (= losing 1 hour) in the spring when DST starts, and they fall back one hour (= gaining 1 hour) when DST ends in the fall.