Here’s the short version: Texans set their clocks back one hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, November 1, 2026. At 2 a.m. it becomes 1 a.m. again, so most folks get an extra hour of sleep Saturday night.
That’s the federal schedule, and it still holds this year even though Texas passed a “Texas Time” law and Congress has been arguing about the clock all summer. Here’s what’s actually settled and what isn’t.
The date, confirmed
Under federal law, daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. local time on the first Sunday in November. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) lists the 2026 dates as March 8 to November 1. The current schedule comes from the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and has been used since 2007. The U.S. Department of Transportation, not NIST, oversees time zones and daylight saving time.
Both of Texas’s time zones change together. Most of the state is on Central time, and El Paso and Hudspeth counties out west are on Mountain time. Each falls back at 2 a.m. local time.
Wait, didn’t Texas vote to stop changing clocks?
Sort of. In 2025 the Legislature passed House Bill 1393, and Gov. Greg Abbott signed it on June 20, 2025, as FOX 4 reported. It would put Texas on daylight saving time year-round, which supporters call “Texas Time.”
The catch is that it’s a trigger law. States can opt out of daylight saving time and stay on standard time all year (Arizona and Hawaii do), but federal law doesn’t let a state stay on daylight saving time permanently. HB 1393 only takes effect if Congress changes federal law to allow it. Congress hasn’t, so Texas keeps changing clocks for now.
Where things stand in Washington
The U.S. House passed the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make daylight saving time permanent nationwide, by a 308–117 vote on July 14, 2026. The bill still needs to pass the Senate and be signed into law.
As of early October, it hadn’t. According to reporting on Oct. 5, 2026, the Senate had adjourned for the midterm elections without voting on it and isn’t due back until November 9, after the time change. Some senators have also openly questioned whether it can get the 60 votes needed to move forward. Bottom line: plan on falling back Nov. 1. If anything changes, it won’t be in time for this year’s switch.
What the time change means for your week
- Earlier sunsets. Evenings get dark about an hour sooner starting Sunday. If you walk after supper or have kids coming home from practice, plan for it.
- Brighter mornings, for a while. Sunrise moves an hour earlier on the clock, which helps folks with early commutes and school drop-offs.
- The evening commute changes. Driving home at dusk the first week or two after the change takes some getting used to. Give yourself extra room and watch for deer, especially in the country this time of year.
- Overnight shifts run an hour long. If you work nights, the 1 a.m. hour happens twice. Check with your employer about how that shift is logged.
A quick clock checklist
Phones, computers and most smart devices update on their own. The ones that usually need a hand:
- Microwave and oven clocks
- Car dashboard clocks (some newer cars update automatically, many don’t)
- Wall clocks, bedside alarm clocks and watches
- Thermostats, sprinkler timers, coffee makers and other programmable gadgets
- Older security cameras or DVRs that stamp the time on recordings
Plenty of Texas households also use the time change as a reminder to test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and swap batteries if needed. It’s an easy habit to tie to a date you won’t forget. While you’re at it, check that outdoor lights on timers still come on at a sensible hour now that dark comes earlier.
Fall plans affected by the switch
Earlier darkness affects a lot of fall plans. Hunters already go by sunrise and sunset rather than the clock, but the times on your watch will shift by an hour, so double-check them before opening weekend. Our State Fair of Texas guide covers the fair’s final weekend before the switch, and November festival evenings will get dark sooner, so bring a jacket and a flashlight.
Good to Know
- When: Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, at 2 a.m. local time
- What to do: set clocks back one hour (2 a.m. becomes 1 a.m.)
- Who: all of Texas, both Central and Mountain time zones
- Next spring-forward: second Sunday in March, under current federal law
- Texas Time (HB 1393): signed in 2025, but takes effect only if Congress allows year-round daylight time
- Official source: NIST daylight saving time page
Federal law could change if Congress acts, but no change had passed as of Oct. 7, 2026. Check the NIST daylight saving time page for the official schedule.
So enjoy the extra hour Saturday night, reset the microwave Sunday morning, and get ready for supper by porch light. Whatever Congress decides later, Texas falls back on Nov. 1 this year.
