Time Zones and Daylight Saving Time

Time Zones

For the areas covered by our Gazetteer, the eastern-most time zone is the Newfoundland Time Zone and the western-most is the Hawaii / Aleutian Time Zone.

In order from east to west, the Time Zones are:

Daylight Saving Time (DST)

Daylight Saving Time begins on the second Sunday of March at 2:00 AM and ends on the first Sunday of November at 2:00 AM:

For 2023, DST will begin on March 12th at 2:00 AM and will end on November 5th at 2:00 AM.

For 2024, DST will begin on March 10th at 2:00 AM and will end on November 3rd at 2:00 AM.

For 2025, DST will begin on March 9th at 2:00 AM and will end on November 2nd at 2:00 AM.

(See below for additional years.)

Prior to November 2011, Newfoundland Time Zone had a slightly different definition: DST began one minute after midnight (12:01 AM) on the second Sunday in March and came to an end one minute after midnight (12:01 AM) on the first Sunday in November. Now the change between Standard Time and Daylight Saving Time for the Newfoundland Time Zone matches the rest of Canada and the United States.

Not all communities observe Daylight Saving Time:

Alaska is in the Alaskan Time Zone and observes DST. The far western Aleutian Islands and Saint Lawrence Island are in the Hawaii / Aleutian Time Zone. During DST, this portion of Alaska also observes DST while Hawaii does not.

Most of Arizona does not observe DST. In northeastern Arizona, the Navajo Nation observes DST. Keep in mind that the Navajo nation extends from Arizona into New Mexico and Utah, states that do observe DST. The Hopi Nation (which lies within the Navajo Nation and completely in Arizona) does not observe DST.

Hawaii lies in the Hawaii / Aleutian Time Zone, along with the far western Aleutian Islands and Saint Lawrence Island. While the Alaskan portion of the Hawaii / Aleutian Time Zone does observe DST, Hawaii does not.

While most of British Columbia observes DST, some eastern communities do not.

Most of Saskatchewan does not observe DST, but some communities do.

In 2007, both the United States and Canada extended the duration of Daylight Saving Time by four weeks. Prior to the change, DST began on the first Sunday of April at 2:00 AM and ended on the last Sunday of October at 2:00 AM.

Past Daylight Saving Times:

The first year of the extended Daylight Saving Time occurred in 2007: It began on the second Sunday of March (the 11th) at 2:00 AM and ended on the first Sunday of November (the 4th) at 2:00 AM.

For the years 1987 to 2006, Daylight Saving Time began on the first Sunday of April at 2:00 AM and ended on the last Sunday of October at 2:00 AM.

For the years 1966 to 1986, Daylight Saving Time began on the last Sunday of April and ended on the last Sunday of October.

Future Daylight Saving Times: