Updated October 30, 2026, 1:06 p.m. ET
Trick-or-treaters don’t have to worry about how the clock change will impact their Halloween plans.
Daylight saving time is set to end on November 1, and those planning to maximize Halloween can enjoy an extra hour of late-night entertainment or sleep. The two events overlap this year in a rare occurrence that last occurred in 2020, the year of COVID, and won’t happen again until 2037. Leap years 2028, 2032 and 2036 shift the day of the week, and the following Saturday Halloween will take place after more than a decade, according to Today.
Despite President Donald Trump’s efforts to end the biannual clock change and make daylight saving time permanent, the Sun Protection Act, passed by the House in July, remains stalled while the Senate is on an extended election recess.
The current DST law – the Uniform Time Act of 1966 – was enacted during the administration of President Lyndon B. Johnson, and only Congress has the authority to change it.
Here’s what you need to know as Halloween and the clock change fall on the same weekend.
When does daylight saving time end in 2026?
Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. local time on Sunday, November 1, when clocks go back one hour at 1 a.m.
This change marks the return to standard time and gives Americans an extra hour of sleep. It also brings earlier sunsets and more daylight each morning as winter approaches.
Will Daylight Saving Time affect Halloween?
The time change is unlikely to have any impact on Halloween, given that the day (October 31) would already be over by the end of Daylight Saving Time and the clocks would go back an hour, from 2 a.m. to 1 a.m. local time.
The good news, however, is that those looking to benefit from an extra hour of spookiness after midnight will be able to do so. Turning back the clocks also gives Halloween visitors an extra hour of sleep to recover from all the treats.
Trump wants to end time changes
Trump has long supported ending biannual clock changes, and has done so since his first term.
Most recently, on Monday, October 26, Trump criticized the Senate for failing to pass the Sunshine Act that would end biannual clock changes.
“The U.S. Senate is letting the DST bill die, even though a vast majority of the country wants it to,” Trump said in a Truth Social article. “Most people want light in the evening, but EVERYONE wants to change the time anymore.”
“VOTE!” he said.
The Sunshine Protection Act, introduced by Rep. Vern Buchanan, Republican of Florida, passed the House of Representatives in July but failed to gain approval in the Senate, the final step before landing on Trump’s desk for final approval.
Will the Senate pass the bill?
This is far from certain.
Even with support from Trump and lawmakers from both parties, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, questioned whether enough senators supported the bill.
When will Congress vote on permanent daylight saving time?
As of now, no Senate vote is expected, and it is unclear whether the chamber plans to consider the bill when its extended recess ends on Nov. 6.
Do Americans want to end time changes?
Polls suggest that many Americans support ending the practice.
A 2023 YouGov survey found that 62% of Americans supported ending time changes. A January 2025 Gallup poll also found that 54% of respondents wanted to eliminate the practice.
Yet Americans remain divided over what should replace it.
Some support permanent daylight saving time, which would provide more daylight in the evening. Others favor permanent standard time, which would bring more morning sunlight during the winter months.
The debate gained more attention in March 2025 when Elon Musk, then head of Trump’s Department of Government Effectiveness, conducted a poll on X asking users whether they would prefer clocks to stay an hour earlier or later if the changes were removed.
More than 1.3 million users responded, with 58% favoring later daylight and 42% preferring earlier daylight.
Contributor: Reuters; Bart Jensen, Zachary Schermele, Jorge L. Ortiz, Fernando Cervantes Jr., Emily DeLetter, Julia Gomez, Kinsey Crowley, Marc Ramirez / USA TODAY
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
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