Daylight Saving Time 2025: When to Adjust Your Clocks and the Debate Over Its Future

As winter fades and daylight hours extend, the yearly transition to daylight saving time (DST) is nearly here. In 2025, clocks will be set forward on Sunday, March 9, at 2 a.m. ET.

While many treat this as a straightforward clock adjustment, ongoing conversations at both state and federal levels indicate that the practice of changing clocks twice annually may soon change.

States-and-Federal-Districts-use-Daylight-Saving-Time-in-2025-672d3cb8e440df218928b007b6d4fa4b.jpeg — Green: Regions in the United States observing DST in 2025. Yellow: Regions remaining on standard time throughout 2025.

The Move Toward Permanent Daylight Saving Time

Several states are considering making daylight saving time a permanent fixture, highlighting a range of advantages. In Pennsylvania, the state House of Representatives passed legislation in April 2021 aiming to stop the twice-yearly clock adjustments. The bill was approved with a narrow 103-98 vote, echoing a larger national discussion.

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Advocates suggest permanent DST could bring energy conservation, reduced traffic incidents, decreased crime, and better public health. Representative Ryan Mackenzie (R-Lehigh County), who introduced the Pennsylvania bill, points out that changing clocks biannually is an outdated habit.

“I think there is a movement afoot to go toward some type of permanent time, and I want to be a part of that,” Mackenzie explained to PennLive.

A Broader National Conversation

The debate over reforming daylight saving time is happening across the country. The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) reports that lawmakers have proposed more than 650 bills and resolutions addressing DST in recent years. Some states are pushing for permanent DST, while others are examining the possibility of doing away with it entirely.

Federal approval is necessary to establish permanent daylight saving time, complicating the process. In 2022, the U.S. Senate passed the bipartisan Sunshine Protection Act to make DST permanent nationwide. Nevertheless, the bill stalled in the House of Representatives and was not enacted.

What’s Next for Daylight Saving Time?

For the time being, daylight saving time continues to be observed, which means biannual clock changes are still the norm in the U.S. Whether future legislation will result in permanent DST or year-round standard time is yet to be determined.

Until any changes occur, the familiar cycle of “spring forward, fall back” will persist, with the upcoming start of daylight saving time slated for March 9, 2025.