Fall Clock-Changing Is Earlier This Year: Here’s When To Do It

Maybe it only seems this way to me, but every time you see a piece about changing our clocks back an hour when fall rolls around, you'll also see a photo of an old-timey alarm clock with the bells on top sitting out in a pile of leaves or a forest or woods someplace.

The photo above is exactly what I'm talking about.

It's like we all decide at some point during the summer to throw our clocks out into the wilderness, then, a few months later, remember what we've done and go pick the clock up out of the pile of leaves or tree limbs and bring it back inside until it's time to spring our clocks forward.

Maybe I'm reading a bit too much into the clock-changing imagery.

person holding red and beige twin bell analog alarm clock

Everyone Really Seems To Want To Stop Changing Clocks Twice A Year, And We Also Really Seem To Want The Powers-That-Decide-These-Things To Just Pick One Time And Stick To It.

Despite all the talk about doing away with clock-changing twice a year in the United States, lawmakers in this state and throughout the country just can't seem to get their act together and get rid of something that a majority of Illinoisans want to see go away once and for all.

There have been several efforts at making a change, but they've all failed and left us with no choice but to keep rolling with this spring forward/fall back cycle we're currently trapped in.

white and black wall clock

So, Where Are We Currently In The Efforts To Stop Clock-Changing?

As of today, October 2, 2026, Illinoisans are still changing our clocks twice a year.

Two Illinois bills introduced this year would end daylight saving time in the state and keep Illinois on Central Standard Time year-round, but neither has advanced into law. HB 5400 was re-referred to the House Rules Committee in March, while SB 2926 remains in the Senate after being referred to Assignments.

Basically, Illinois remains under the current federal/state system of springing forward in March and falling back in November. Washington, meanwhile, has actually moved the ball quite a bit.

The House passed the Sunshine Protection Act of 2025 (H.R. 139) in July, by a 308-117 vote. The bill would make Daylight Saving Time permanent, meaning no more fall-back or spring-forward, and it was sent to the Senate, where it is currently sitting with the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. So, despite the House vote, nothing has changed yet for Illinois or the rest of the country.

white and gray round frame

While Everyone Works That Problem Out (Hopefully Within Our Lifetimes), Here's When Illinoisans Should Turn Those Clocks Back

I wanted to give you a little heads-up time now, so you won't find yourself scrambling later to change your clocks because you keep showing up early to everything.

Before 2005, clocks were to be turned forward on the first Sunday in April, then turned back again on the last Sunday in October.

Now, we "spring ahead" on the second Sunday in March, and "fall back" on the first Sunday in November. So, on Saturday October 31st (Halloween), turn your clocks back an hour before you call it a night so you'll be all set when the time change happens at 2am on Sunday, November 1st.

We'll have to do it all over again on Sunday, March 14th, 2027 when we "spring forward."