2026 time change dates for Hawaii
Hawaii does not observe Daylight Saving Time
Hawaii has not changed its clocks since 1967. Being close to the equator, its daylight hours barely vary through the year, so DST offers no benefit.
Hawaii stays on HST for the whole year.
Countdown to the next change
Background
- The Uniform Time Act of 1966 ended a chaotic period in which US cities set their own clock-change dates, and established a uniform national schedule.
- Russia experimented with permanent summer time from 2011 to 2014 before settling on permanent standard time.
- The energy case for DST is weak by modern standards. A US Department of Energy study in 2008 found savings of about 0.5% of daily electricity use, and other studies have found no saving at all.
Tips for Hawaii
Take advantage of the 'extra' hour in fall to catch up on sleep or tackle a project.
Update your car clock, microwave, and other manual clocks that don't auto-update.
Gradually adjust your sleep schedule a few days before the time change to minimize disruption.
Use the extra evening daylight in summer for outdoor activities and vitamin D.
Frequently asked questions
When do the clocks change in Hawaii in 2026?
They do not. Hawaii does not observe Daylight Saving Time.
Which way do the clocks go?
"Spring forward, fall back" is the usual mnemonic: forward one hour in spring, back one hour in autumn.
Do I have to change anything myself?
Phones, computers and anything that syncs over the internet update on their own. Car clocks, ovens, microwaves and older wall clocks generally do not.
Is Daylight Saving Time being scrapped?
It has been proposed in many places and adopted in few. The European Parliament voted in 2019 to end mandatory clock changes and the change has stalled; in the United States the Sunshine Protection Act has repeatedly passed the Senate without becoming law. Most of the world that changes its clocks is still changing them.