Daylight Saving Time (DST) start and end dates for 2026 in major regions. ~70 countries observe DST. Most of Asia, Africa, and South America do not.
| Region | DST starts | DST ends |
|---|---|---|
| US & Canada | Sun 8 March 2026 at 02:00 → 03:00 | Sun 1 November 2026 at 02:00 → 01:00 |
| Mexico (most areas no longer) | No DST (since 2022) | — |
| European Union (UK, EU) | Sun 29 March 2026 at 01:00 UTC → 02:00 | Sun 25 October 2026 at 02:00 → 01:00 UTC |
| Australia (NSW/VIC/SA/TAS/ACT) | Sun 4 October 2026 at 02:00 → 03:00 | Sun 5 April 2026 at 03:00 → 02:00 |
| New Zealand | Sun 27 September 2026 at 02:00 → 03:00 | Sun 5 April 2026 at 03:00 → 02:00 |
| Chile (continental) | Sat 5 September 2026 | Sat 4 April 2026 |
| Paraguay | Sun 4 October 2026 | Sun 22 March 2026 |
| Iran | Removed DST (since 2022) | — |
| Israel | Fri 27 March 2026 | Sun 25 October 2026 |
| No DST: Japan, China, India, Indonesia, most of Africa & Middle East | N/A | N/A |
Daylight Saving Time was first introduced in WW1 to save coal — shifting clocks forward in summer means more evening daylight.
Today, ~70 countries observe DST (mostly in Europe, North America, parts of Oceania, and Middle East). Tropical and equatorial regions don't — daylight changes little year-round.
DST is controversial: studies show small energy savings but measurable disruption to sleep, productivity, and even heart attack rates. The EU voted to abolish DST in 2019 but implementation has been delayed indefinitely.
The worldwide trend is away from clock changes — but toward different ends: some countries pick permanent standard time (Russia, Mexico, Iran), others permanent summer time (Türkiye, Jordan, Syria).