2026 schedule
| Change | Date | Local time | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clocks go back | Sunday, April 5, 2026 | 3:00 AM | Returns to 2:00 AM — one hour is gained |
| Clocks go forward | Sunday, September 27, 2026 | 2:00 AM | Jumps to 3:00 AM — one hour is lost |
New Zealand keeps NZST in winter and shifts one hour forward for the summer.
Time until the next change
Current local time:
Health Considerations for New Zealand Residents
The spring transition is the one that hurts. A study in Open Heart found the risk of heart attack rose by about 24% on the Monday after clocks went forward, before falling back to normal within the week. Research published in Current Biology found a 6% rise in fatal traffic accidents in the week following the spring change, with the effect strongest in the morning and in the western parts of time zones.
The autumn change, when most people gain an hour, shows no comparable spike. Researchers attribute the difference to sleep loss rather than to the clock change itself.
Agricultural Considerations
The story that DST was introduced for farmers has it exactly backwards. Farmers in New Zealand and elsewhere were among its most persistent opponents, and the American farm lobby successfully campaigned to have national DST repealed after the First World War.
The reason is straightforward: farm work follows the sun, not the clock. Moving the clock forward just means doing the same work an hour earlier by the clock, while deliveries, markets and hired labour all shift with it. Dairy farmers make the point most often, since cows keep to their own schedule and take several days to adjust to a changed milking time.
Getting ready
- Use the phrase 'Spring forward, fall back' to remember which direction to change your clocks.
- Check and replace smoke detector batteries when changing clocks - it's a good reminder!
- Set your clocks before going to bed to avoid confusion in the morning.
- Use the extra evening daylight in summer for outdoor activities and vitamin D.
Frequently asked questions
When do the clocks change in New Zealand in 2026?
Clocks go forward on Sunday, September 27, 2026 and back on Sunday, April 5, 2026.
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.