Every March, millions of Americans engage in a collective ritual of grogginess. We stumble toward our stoves and car dashboards to nudge the clocks forward an hour. It's "spring forward" season, a concept that sounds far more energetic than it actually feels at 6:00 AM on a Monday. But if you live in certain pockets of the country, this biannual headache doesn't exist. You just keep living your life while the rest of the nation argues about lost sleep.
Honestly, the whole system is a bit of a mess. Most people assume the entire country is on the same page, but when you look at what states have daylight savings time, you find a map with some pretty significant holes.
The Short List of Rebels: Who Skips the Switch?
If you're looking for the quick answer, it's a short list. Hawaii and Arizona are the only two states that do not observe Daylight Saving Time (DST). They stay on Standard Time all year long.
But wait, there's a catch.
If you're driving through the Navajo Nation in northeastern Arizona, your phone is going to jump forward an hour. The Navajo Nation does observe DST to stay in sync with their tribal lands in Utah and New Mexico. To make it even weirder, the Hopi Reservation, which is completely surrounded by the Navajo Nation, does not observe DST. You can literally drive for an hour in a straight line through Arizona and change time zones three times. It's a logistical nightmare for scheduling lunch.
Outside of the 50 states, several U.S. territories also ignore the clock change:
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- Puerto Rico
- American Samoa
- Guam
- The U.S. Virgin Islands
- Northern Mariana Islands
Basically, if you're close to the equator or in a place that’s already punishingly hot, you've probably opted out.
Why Arizona and Hawaii Ditch the Trend
The reasons these two states bailed on the Uniform Time Act of 1966 are actually pretty practical.
Hawaii is the easy one. Because it’s so far south, there’s not a huge difference between the amount of daylight in the summer versus the winter. The sun rises and sets at roughly the same time regardless of the month. Pushing the clock forward wouldn’t really "save" any light; it would just be a pointless exercise in changing batteries.
Arizona is a different story. In Phoenix or Tucson, "more sunlight" isn't a selling point—it’s a threat. Back in the late 60s, Arizona lawmakers realized that having an extra hour of blazing sun in the evening meant people would be blasting their air conditioning for an extra hour. To save energy and stay sane, they decided they’d rather have the sun go down as early as possible.
What States Have Daylight Savings Time Today?
Aside from those two outliers, every other state—from California to Maine—is currently part of the DST club. This means that 48 states still participate in the "spring forward" and "fall back" cycle.
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It hasn't always been this way, though. Indiana used to be the wild west of timekeeping. Until 2006, some counties in Indiana observed DST while others didn't. It was so confusing that some towns practically functioned on two different times depending on which side of the street you were on. Eventually, the state legislature stepped in and forced everyone to follow the same clock, mostly for the sake of business and sanity.
The Growing "Lock the Clock" Movement
Lately, people are getting fed up. You've probably seen the headlines about states trying to make Daylight Saving Time permanent. They want to "lock the clock" so we never have to switch again.
As of 2026, over 19 states have passed some form of legislation or resolution to stay on permanent DST. Florida was a pioneer here, and states like Washington, Oregon, and Tennessee have followed suit. There's just one giant problem: they can't actually do it yet.
Under the Uniform Time Act, states are allowed to opt out of DST (like Arizona did), but they are not allowed to stay on DST year-round without a literal act of Congress.
The Sunshine Protection Act: Is It Still Happening?
The bill that was supposed to fix all of this, the Sunshine Protection Act, has been bouncing around Washington D.C. for years. Senator Marco Rubio and others have pushed for it repeatedly. In 2022, it actually passed the Senate by a fluke (unanimous consent is a weird thing), but it died in the House.
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The debate isn't just about extra light for golf or shopping. Sleep experts, like those at the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), actually hate the idea of permanent Daylight Saving Time. They argue that Standard Time is better for our bodies. They say that "Springing Forward" causes a permanent misalignment between our internal biological clocks and the sun.
When the sun rises later in the morning, it's harder for our brains to wake up. This leads to:
- Higher risks of heart attacks in the week following the change.
- More fatal car accidents due to sleep-deprived drivers.
- Kids waiting for school buses in pitch-black darkness during the winter.
Actionable Tips for the Next Time Change
Since most of us are still stuck with the switch for now, the best thing you can do is prepare your body a few days in advance.
- Shift your schedule early: Three days before the "spring forward," start going to bed 15 minutes earlier each night.
- Get morning light: As soon as you wake up on that first groggy Sunday, open the curtains. Natural light tells your brain to stop producing melatonin.
- Check your tech: Most phones update automatically, but your oven and car probably won't. Set them the night before so you don't show up an hour late to Sunday brunch.
- Audit your sleep hygiene: If the time change wreaks havoc on your mood, it might be time to cut the afternoon caffeine or the late-night blue light from your phone.
The map of what states have daylight savings time might seem fixed for now, but with dozens of states pushing for change and Congress constantly reintroducing bills, we might be looking at a very different clock in a few years. For now, just keep those extra batteries ready for your smoke detectors—and maybe an extra shot of espresso for that first Monday in March.
Keep a close eye on your local state legislature’s website for "Time Zone" or "Daylight Saving" bills. Many states are passing "trigger laws" that will automatically move them to permanent time the moment the federal government gives the green light. You can also contact your representative to voice whether you prefer permanent Standard Time (better for sleep) or permanent Daylight Saving (more evening sun). Understanding the specific laws in your state helps you plan for future travel and business calls, especially when dealing with the time-jump "islands" like Arizona and the Navajo Nation.