Daylight saving time 2025: When will we 'fall back?'

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(Photo By Jesus Hellin/Europa Press via Getty Images)

Across much of the U.S., the clocks change twice each year. In spring, they move forward an hour to mark the start of daylight saving time, and in fall, they shift back an hour as it ends.

This gives early risers an extra hour of sleep before their alarms, but it also means the sun will set earlier — often before many workers finish their day.

Here’s what to know about the end of daylight saving time 2025:

What is daylight saving time?

Dig deeper:

Daylight Saving Time: Can it cause health issues?

Most of America ?springs forward? Sunday for daylight saving time and losing that hour of sleep can do more than leave you tired and cranky the next day. LiveNOW from FOX's Josh Breslow spoke to Dr. Jigme Sethi, physician executive of sleep medicine for Medical University of South Carolina?s Regional Health Network.

Daylight saving time is defined as a period between spring and fall when clocks in most parts of the country are set one hour ahead of standard time. According to federal law, it always starts on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November.

The practice of falling back in the U.S. started in 1918 during World War I as a way to conserve fuel. By moving the clocks ahead an hour, backers believed the country could divert a bit of coal-fired electricity to the military instead of using it for an hour of home power. It was reenacted in World War II.

When will the time change this fall?

Why you should care:

Daylight saving time ends for the year at 2 a.m. local time on Sunday, Nov. 2.

Which states don’t observe daylight saving time?

Big picture view:

The list of states and territories that won’t be changing their clocks on Nov. 3 includes:

Hawaii
Arizona
American Samoa territories
Guam
Northern Mariana Islands
Puerto Rico
U.S. Virgin Islands

Is daylight saving time observed outside the US?

Yes. There are other countries that observe daylight saving time.

Almost all of Europe, except Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Iceland, Russia and Turkey, participate in daylight saving time.

In addition, parts of Canada, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Australia observe it. Egypt is the only country on the African continent to observe daylight saving time.