Twice a year, most of America changes its clocks—springing forward in March and falling back in November. But if you’ve ever been in Pennsylvania and thought, “Wait, do they even do Daylight Saving Time (DST) here?”—you’re not alone.
The truth is, there’s a lot of confusion about whether Pennsylvania still follows the clock-changing tradition. Let’s clear it up, and also reveal the one U.S. state that absolutely doesn’t bother with DST at all.
Does Pennsylvania Follow Daylight Saving Time?
Yes—Pennsylvania still observes Daylight Saving Time.
Despite growing national debate around scrapping the biannual time change, Pennsylvania has not opted out. Every March, clocks spring forward by one hour, and every November, they fall back. So if you’re living in or visiting Pennsylvania, you’ll still need to adjust your clocks—just like most of the country.
So Why the Confusion?
There are a few reasons people often think Pennsylvania doesn’t follow DST:
Proposals to end it: Over the years, several lawmakers in Pennsylvania have pushed to get rid of DST, introducing bills to keep the state on Standard Time or Daylight Time all year. But none of those bills have passed yet.
Surrounding states’ discussions: Nearby states like New Jersey and Ohio have also debated changes to DST rules, making it seem like the region is shifting—but nothing has officially changed.
Public frustration: A lot of Pennsylvanians (like many Americans) openly dislike switching the clocks, so there’s often talk online and in the news about ending the practice.
Why Does Daylight Saving Time Still Exist in Pennsylvania?
Here’s the very simple reason: Because federal law requires it—unless the state opts out entirely.
Under the Uniform Time Act of 1966, all U.S. states must follow DST unless they pass legislation to remain on Standard Time year-round. But here’s the catch—no state can move to permanent Daylight Time without approval from Congress. That’s why it’s not as easy as it sounds.
So far, Pennsylvania hasn’t made a permanent switch either way, so it still follows the standard clock changes.
The ONE State That Doesn’t Do DST
The only U.S. state that completely skips Daylight Saving Time is Arizona (except for the Navajo Nation, which still observes it).
Why Arizona doesn’t do DST:
The state’s hot climate makes longer sunny evenings unbearable.
Arizonans prefer cooler, darker evenings—not more sunlight.
The state legally opted out under the Uniform Time Act in 1968.
Because of this, Arizona stays on Mountain Standard Time (MST) all year round—no changing clocks, no lost sleep.
What About Hawaii?
Good catch—Hawaii also doesn’t observe Daylight Saving Time. Like Arizona, Hawaii chose to stick with Standard Time. But it’s often overlooked in these conversations since its location and climate make DST almost irrelevant.
Will Pennsylvania Ever Get Rid of DST?
It’s possible, but not anytime soon. While there’s been strong public support and occasional political interest in changing the system, Pennsylvania lawmakers would need to either pass a bill to stay on Standard Time year-round (like Arizona) or wait for Congress to allow states to permanently adopt Daylight Time—which many states prefer.
Until then, the clock changes will keep ticking.
Despite the rumors, Pennsylvania still follows Daylight Saving Time, just like most of the U.S. The only states that don’t are Arizona (except the Navajo Nation) and Hawaii.
While many Pennsylvanians are tired of adjusting their clocks twice a year, no official change has been made yet. So if you’re in PA, don’t forget to spring forward and fall back—at least for now.
SOURCES
- (https://economictimes.com/news/international/us/when-daylight-saving-time-2025-fall-back-date-end-states-observe-what-reason-us-states-territories-do-not-follow-how-to-prepare/articleshow/123099184.cms)
- (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight_saving_time_in_the_United_States)
- (https://www.transportation.gov/regulations/daylight-saving-time)
