Yes, Daylight Saving Time in California is still in effect in 2026. Clocks sprang forward on Sunday, March 8, 2026, and will fall back on Sunday, November 1, 2026. Nearly 60 percent of California voters approved Proposition 7 in 2018 to open the door to ending the twice-yearly change, but no law has taken effect since, and the state continues to follow the same federal schedule as most of the country.1Legislative Analyst’s Office. Proposition 7
When the Clocks Change in 2026
Daylight Saving Time began at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, March 8, 2026, when clocks jumped ahead to 3:00 a.m. It ends at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 1, 2026, when clocks fall back to 1:00 a.m. During those eight months, sunset arrives about an hour later than it would under standard time.
The second Sunday of March and the first Sunday of November have been the fixed changeover dates nationwide since 2007. Federal law sets those dates, and California has no authority to shift them independently.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 260a – Advancement of Time or Changeover Dates
Why the 2018 Vote Didn’t End the Time Change
Proposition 7 did not end the time change by itself. It removed an older voter-enacted restriction that had locked California into DST and handed the question to the legislature, which can now change DST observance by a two-thirds vote as long as the change is consistent with federal law.1Legislative Analyst’s Office. Proposition 7
Since 2018, several bills have tried and failed:
- Assembly Bill 7 (2019) would have set California’s standard time to year-round Daylight Saving Time once federal law authorized it. It died in Senate committee in November 2020.3California Legislative Information. AB 7 – Daylight Saving Time
- Senate Bill 51 (2024), introduced by Senator Roger Niello, expressed intent to move California to permanent standard time, which does not require congressional approval. It stalled in committee and expired at the end of the legislative session in September 2025.4Senator Roger Niello. SB 51 – Permanent Standard Time
- Senate Bill 1197 (2026), also from Senator Niello, again aims to lock California into standard time year-round. It was referred to the Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications and was set for a hearing in April 2026.
The strategy has shifted. The earlier push aimed for permanent Daylight Saving Time, which needs Congress. The more recent bills target permanent standard time, which California could adopt on its own.
What California Can and Can’t Do Under Federal Law
The Uniform Time Act of 1966 gives Congress final say. Under 15 U.S.C. § 260a, clocks advance one hour during the DST period, and the statute overrides any state law that tries to set different changeover dates or a different advancement schedule.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 260a – Advancement of Time or Changeover Dates
States have one option: exempt themselves from the clock advancement and stay on permanent standard time. A state within a single time zone can opt out as long as the whole state observes the same time. Hawaii and Arizona (except for the Navajo Nation) have done this and never change their clocks.5United States Naval Observatory. Daylight Saving Time
What states cannot do is adopt permanent Daylight Saving Time on their own. Staying on summer time year-round would require Congress to amend the Uniform Time Act. The U.S. Department of Transportation, which oversees the country’s time zones, has confirmed it does not have authority to grant this change either.6U.S. Department of Transportation. Uniform Time
The Sunshine Protection Act in Congress
At the federal level, the Sunshine Protection Act would amend the Uniform Time Act to let states adopt permanent Daylight Saving Time. It has been reintroduced repeatedly. In the current 119th Congress (2025–2026), both a Senate version (S.29) and a House version (H.R.139) have been filed.7Congress.gov. S.29 – Sunshine Protection Act of 20258Congress.gov. H.R.139 – Sunshine Protection Act of 2025 The Senate version was referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation in January 2025 with a committee meeting scheduled for April 30, 2025.
An earlier version of the bill passed the Senate unanimously in 2022 but never received a vote in the House. Part of the reason is a genuine disagreement over whether permanent DST or permanent standard time is the better answer. Polls show most Americans dislike changing the clocks. Where they disagree is which permanent clock to keep, and that split has been enough to block action at every level.
What Each Option Would Mean for Californians
California currently gets both lighter mornings in winter (standard time) and longer evenings in summer (DST). Eliminating the clock change means picking one tradeoff year-round.
- Permanent standard time keeps earlier winter sunrises, so mornings stay brighter for school commutes and early workers. The cost is losing long summer evenings. In Los Angeles, peak-summer sunset would arrive around 7:00 p.m. instead of close to 8:00 p.m. California could adopt this option without federal approval.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 260a – Advancement of Time or Changeover Dates
- Permanent Daylight Saving Time preserves the longer summer evenings and adds more evening light in winter, but winter mornings get noticeably darker. In Los Angeles, sunrise wouldn’t arrive until nearly 8:00 a.m. for several weeks in December and January. This option requires Congress to change federal law first.
- The status quo keeps the twice-yearly change but avoids the worst extremes of either option.
What California’s Neighbors Are Doing
Oregon and Washington have both passed laws adopting permanent DST, but those laws cannot take effect until Congress acts. Oregon’s legislation also specifically waits on California, reflecting how West Coast commerce, broadcasting, and travel schedules work best when all three states share a clock.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 260a – Advancement of Time or Changeover Dates
British Columbia stopped waiting. The province passed legislation enabling permanent DST in 2019 but held off to coordinate with neighboring states. When that coordination stalled, B.C. implemented permanent Daylight Saving Time on March 8, 2026.9Province of British Columbia. Permanent Daylight Saving Time That means B.C. will not fall back in November 2026 while Washington and California will, creating a temporary one-hour offset between Vancouver and Seattle for several months each year. The longer California takes to pick a direction, the more likely its neighbors end up on different clocks anyway.