Daylight Saving Time Around the World: A Global Guide
Not every country changes its clocks — and the ones that do don't all agree on when. A tour of how DST works across the globe.
Daylight Saving Time is far from universal. Roughly 70 countries observe some form of it, mostly in the temperate zones where seasonal daylight swings are large. Countries near the equator generally skip it — their day length barely changes — and a growing number of countries have abandoned it entirely.
Who doesn't change their clocks
In the United States, Arizona (except the Navajo Nation) and Hawaii skip DST. Most of Asia and Africa never observe it, including Japan, China, and India. China famously uses a single time zone across its entire vast territory, which makes DST unnecessary.
Different dates, same idea
Even among observers, the dates differ. The European Union shifts on the last Sunday of March and the last Sunday of October — earlier in both directions than the US. Mexico, Brazil, Australia, and others each have their own schedules, and the Southern Hemisphere flips the seasons, springing forward in its spring (September–October).
Notable examples
- United States & Canada: March 2nd Sunday to November 1st Sunday.
- European Union: March last Sunday to October last Sunday.
- Australia: October 1st Sunday to April 1st Sunday (not all states).
- Mexico: Abolished DST in 2022 except for border municipalities.
- Russia: Abolished DST in 2014, now on permanent standard time.
The EU voted in 2019 to scrap the twice-yearly change, but member states have not agreed on whether to stay on summer or winter time permanently.
If you travel internationally during the transition weeks, double-check local time — the gap between regions can shift meeting times by an hour in ways you don't expect.
Keep track of the next time change
Watch the clock count down to the next Daylight Saving Time transition in real time.