Every March and November, millions of Americans adjust their clocks for daylight saving time (DST)—but not everyone follows suit. Despite persistent rumors and some ongoing legislative efforts, Delaware currently does observe daylight saving time, just like the majority of U.S. states. In contrast, only two U.S. states—Hawaii and most of Arizona—do not participate in daylight saving time.
The Real Story: Delaware and Daylight Saving Time
Delaware continues to spring forward each March and fall back each November. In 2025, clocks in Delaware moved forward one hour on March 9 and will move back on November 2, following the national DST schedule. Discussions and proposed bills to keep Delaware on permanent daylight saving time have circulated in recent years, but as of August 2025, these have not been enacted—thus, Delaware still changes its clocks twice a year.
The Two States That Do NOT Observe DST
1. Hawaii
Hawaii refuses to observe DST, and the reason is both simple and tied to geography: Hawaii’s location near the equator means sunrise and sunset times vary only slightly throughout the year. As a result, there’s little benefit to shifting the clocks, and DST has never made sense for the Aloha State.
2. Arizona (except the Navajo Nation)
Arizona also opts out of daylight saving time—a tradition dating back to 1968. The state’s main reason is climate: longer daylight hours in the hot summer simply mean more time spent with air conditioners blasting. By skipping DST, Arizona residents enjoy relatively cooler evenings without extending the hottest hours of the day. The Navajo Nation, whose territory stretches across multiple states, does observe DST for consistency within its borders, but the rest of Arizona remains on standard time year-round.
Simple Reasons for Not Observing DST
Minimal Daylight Variation in Hawaii: Clocks don’t need changing when there’s little change in daylight hours year-round.
Energy Savings in Arizona: With extreme summer heat, skipping DST helps keep energy use (and electric bills) lower by bringing sunset earlier.
U.S. Territories That Also Skip DST
Besides Hawaii and Arizona, several U.S. territories — Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands — do not observe daylight saving time for similar reasons related to their proximity to the equator and minimal daylight variation.
The Verdict
Delaware does observe daylight saving time; it springs forward and falls back annually just like most U.S. states.
Hawaii and almost all of Arizona are the only two states that opt out of daylight saving time, sticking to a simple, unchanging time system year-round for practical, geographic, and climate reasons.
So, the very simple reason Delaware doesn’t join these states is that it continues to follow the national DST rules. For now, at least, Delaware’s residents have to keep adjusting their clocks every spring and fall—while Hawaii and Arizona keep things pleasantly simple.
Sources
[1] https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/why-do-these-two-american-states-skip-daylight-saving-heres-the-exact-reasons-101741556393362.html
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight_saving_time_in_the_United_States
[3] https://ddnews.gov.in/en/why-does-trump-want-to-end-us-daylight-saving-time/
[4] 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
[5] https://www.timeanddate.com/time/change/usa/delaware
