Which states will no longer apply daylight saving time in the United States in 2025?

Daylight Saving Time (DST) in the United States is an annual time change that often impacts people’s routines, health, and work. In 2025, DST is scheduled to be implemented as usual, but calls to abolish it have become louder than ever.

On November 2, 2025, DST will end, and clocks will be turned back one hour. The country will then operate on Standard Time until March 2026. This change has been in effect for decades, beginning in the 20th century with the hope of making better use of natural daylight during the summer months and saving electricity.

However, this long-standing tradition of changing the clocks has become a source of frustration for many. Due to increasing criticism and concerns about its impact on health, several states are looking to eliminate the practice altogether. Let’s delve deeper into which states are opting out of DST in 2025, which states want to abolish it, and why this debate has become so intense.

The History of DST and Why It Was Introduced

DST was introduced in the US around 1918. This was a time when energy conservation was a priority during wartime. Since the sun sets later in the summer, it was believed that by moving the clocks forward an hour, people would use less electricity and save energy.

While this idea seemed good for energy conservation, years of experience and research have shown that:

• Energy savings are not as significant as initially thought.
• The sudden change in sleep cycles negatively impacts health.
• Schoolchildren face difficulties due to the later arrival of daylight in the mornings.
• Productivity at work is reduced for a few days after the time change.

These problems have led many states to question whether DST is still necessary.

Which States Will Not Observe Daylight Saving Time in 2025?

As of today, only two states in the US are completely exempt from DST and remain on the same time year-round.

1. Hawaii

• Hawaii observes Standard Time year-round. The main reason for this is its geographical location. 1. Hawaii
• Hawaii is located near the equator, where there is very little difference in the length of day and night throughout the year. Therefore, there is no benefit to DST, and the state has been exempt from this change from the beginning.

2. Arizona

• Arizona also does not observe DST and operates on the same time year-round.
• However, there is a special situation here —
  • The Navajo Nation, which is part of Arizona, does observe DST. This is because the area is connected to neighboring states that do observe DST. DST is implemented here to maintain uniformity.

US Territories That Do Not Observe DST

In addition to the states, there are also some US territories that do not observe DST. These include:

• Puerto Rico
• Guam
• Virgin Islands
• American Samoa
• Northern Mariana Islands

All of these territories are located in tropical or equatorial regions. The weather and daylight hours remain relatively consistent throughout the year, so the use of DST is not considered necessary.

The debate over DST has been ongoing for decades, but it has intensified significantly in the last 10-15 years. This is because numerous studies have shown that the time change has real impacts on people’s health and lives.

1. Effect on Sleep

• People’s sleep-wake cycles are disrupted. This change isn’t limited to a day or two; some people experience sleep difficulties for up to a week.

2. Health Risks

• Some studies have reported increased cases of heart attacks, migraines, and stress after the time change.

3. Road Accidents

• The delayed arrival of morning light has led to an increase in road accidents for a few days.

4. Impact on Children and the Elderly

• School-going children have to leave in the dark in the morning, which can impact both safety and health.

For these reasons, many states want a single time change instead of two times a year.

Which states want to abolish DST and why?

Not just two states, but more than 10 have passed laws that propose adopting permanent DST (year-round DST) or permanent standard time.

These states are:

• Florida
• Alabama
• Georgia
• Louisiana
• Tennessee
• Maine
• Texas
• Wyoming
• Delaware
• Oregon

These states demand that the time remain consistent year-round. This will:

• Simplify life.
• Stabilize sleep patterns
• Provide greater clarity for businesses.
• Reduce the impact on children and the elderly.

The case of California and some other states

California, Wyoming, and Delaware have passed referendums or resolutions on this issue, but they have not yet received final approval.

These states are awaiting approval from their neighboring states and the federal government.

Legal hurdles: Why is the change not being implemented?

Here’s a big question—

If so many states have passed resolutions, why isn’t this change implemented?

The reason is federal law. According to current US law:

• ✅ Any state can opt out of DST and adopt standard time.
• ❌ But no state can opt out of standard time and adopt permanent DST.

That is, states are allowed to adopt standard time, but not permanent DST. This is why state changes cannot be implemented without Congressional approval.

Daylight Saving Time Schedule for 2025

The 2025 schedule looks like this:

• DST begins: March 9, 2025
• DST ends: November 2, 2025

On this day, clocks will be set back 60 minutes and return to standard time.

Forty-eight US states currently participate in the time change.

Nowadays, most smartphones and electronic devices automatically adjust the time, so people almost never need to adjust their clocks themselves.

Could DST be abolished in the future?

This question is now a topic of debate across the country. Many experts believe that the government could make a major decision on this issue in the coming years, especially since more than half of the states have already taken some action.

If Congress changes the law:

• Either permanent DST could be implemented
• Or permanent standard time could be adopted.
• Or individual states could have the freedom to choose according to their needs.

Currently, only two states are out of DST in 2025, but this number could increase in the future.

Conclusion

In 2025, only two states in the United States—Hawaii and Arizona—will not implement DST. The remaining 48 states will continue to implement the time change. Although several states have passed laws, this change cannot be implemented nationwide until Congress gives final approval.

This issue is no longer limited to the changing times; it has become a major national debate about health, safety, economy and lifestyle.

FAQs