When Do the Clocks Change in New Hampshire?
Clocks go back on Sunday, November 1, 2026. At 1:59 AM local time they jump to 1:00 AM, putting New Hampshire on EST.
Time Zones in New Hampshire
New Hampshire keeps one clock statewide, covering the whole state. It is 12:26 PM there right now.
| Zone | Covers | Now | Next change |
|---|---|---|---|
| EDT UTC-4:00 | the whole state | 12:26 PM | Nov 1, 2026 (back) |
What Actually Changes: Sunrise and Sunset
The hour on the clock is not the part anyone notices. This is what the change does to daylight in Manchester, comparing the day before with the day after.
| Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, October 31 | 7:19 AM | 5:39 PM | 10h 20m |
| Monday, November 2 | 6:21 AM | 4:36 PM | 10h 15m |
The amount of daylight barely moves across those two days — roughly the same number of hours either side. What moves is where those hours sit: the clock change shifts them from the evening to the morning, or back again. Full sunrise and sunset detail for Manchester.
What Stands Out About New Hampshire
Solar noon is at 12:32 PM, not noon
The sun reaches its highest point over Manchester at 12:32 PM, so the clock runs 32 minutes ahead of the sun. That gap has nothing to do with Daylight Saving Time and never changes: it is simply where New Hampshire sits inside an hour-wide time zone.
A northern state feels the change hardest
Daylight in Manchester swings by 6h 22m across the year, from 15h 22m at midsummer down to 9h 00m in December. Losing an hour of evening on top of that is why the November change lands so much harder in New Hampshire than it does in the south.
Dark before the working day ends
After the change the sun sets in Manchester at 4:36 PM. For most of the winter that means leaving work in the dark, which is the single most common complaint about the November change and the reason states keep voting for permanent Daylight Saving Time they are not allowed to adopt.
The Next Clock Changes in New Hampshire
The next move is backwards, which is the one people notice: an hour more sleep, and sunset arriving before most of the working day is over. US clocks change on the second Sunday in March and the first Sunday in November. These are the next dates that rule produces for New Hampshire, computed from the current time zone rules rather than a fixed list — if the rules change, these dates change with them.
| Date | Direction | Clocks go |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday, November 1, 2026 | Back — autumn | 1:59 AM → 1:00 AM |
| Sunday, March 14, 2027 | Forward — spring | 1:59 AM → 3:00 AM |
| Sunday, November 7, 2027 | Back — autumn | 1:59 AM → 1:00 AM |
| Sunday, March 12, 2028 | Forward — spring | 1:59 AM → 3:00 AM |
Why New Hampshire Keeps the Clock It Does
New Hampshire is one of the northeastern states that has formally offered to move to Atlantic Time — an hour ahead, year round — provided its neighbours do the same. In practice the December sunset in Manchester lands around 4:15 PM, which is the entire argument in one number.
The practical consequence is that every time difference involving New Hampshire shifts by an hour on Sunday, November 1, 2026. Anything recurring across that date — a standing call, an automated report, a flight connection — is worth checking, especially against places that change on a different date or not at all.
To check an exact gap on an exact date, use the time zone converter, or the meeting planner for a whole group at once.
Current Time in New Hampshire Cities
Frequently Asked Questions
Does New Hampshire observe Daylight Saving Time?
Yes. All of New Hampshire moves its clocks forward on the second Sunday in March and back on the first Sunday in November, the same dates as the rest of the United States that observes it.
When do the clocks next change in New Hampshire?
On Sunday, November 1, 2026. At 1:59 AM local time the clocks go back one hour to 1:00 AM.
What time zone is New Hampshire in?
New Hampshire is entirely on EDT right now, UTC-4:00, covering the whole state.
What time will it get dark in New Hampshire after the clocks change?
In Manchester the sun sets at 5:39 PM the day before the change and 4:36 PM the day after. Sunrise moves from 7:19 AM to 6:21 AM.
How much daylight does New Hampshire get?
Manchester gets 15h 22m of daylight on the longest day of the year and 9h 00m on the shortest — a swing of 6h 22m between midsummer and midwinter.
Why does the sun set so late in New Hampshire?
Because the clock and the sun do not agree. In Manchester the sun is highest at 12:32 PM rather than noon, so the clock runs 32 minutes ahead of local solar time. Time zones are an hour wide, so every place inside one is offset from its own sun by some amount.
Could New Hampshire stop changing its clocks?
Only in one direction. Federal law lets a state opt out of Daylight Saving Time and stay on standard time all year, as Arizona and Hawaii have. Staying on Daylight Saving Time year round needs Congress, which is why the many state bills passed for permanent DST have never taken effect.