When Do the Clocks Change in Virginia?
Clocks go back on Sunday, November 1, 2026. At 1:59 AM local time they jump to 1:00 AM, putting Virginia on EST.
Time Zones in Virginia
Virginia keeps one clock statewide, covering the whole state. It is 11:07 AM there right now.
| Zone | Covers | Now | Next change |
|---|---|---|---|
| EDT UTC-4:00 | the whole state | 11:07 AM | 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 Virginia Beach, comparing the day before with the day after.
| Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, October 31 | 7:26 AM | 6:08 PM | 10h 41m |
| Monday, November 2 | 6:29 AM | 5:05 PM | 10h 36m |
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 Virginia Beach.
What Stands Out About Virginia
Solar noon is at 12:50 PM, not noon
The sun reaches its highest point over Virginia Beach at 12:50 PM, so the clock runs 51 minutes ahead of the sun. That gap has nothing to do with Daylight Saving Time and never changes: it is simply where Virginia sits inside an hour-wide time zone.
Daylight swings by 5h 03m across the year
Virginia Beach gets 14h 41m of daylight at midsummer and 9h 38m in December. The clock change does not add or remove any of that — it moves an hour of it from the evening to the morning, which is why the same rule feels completely different in June and November.
The Next Clock Changes in Virginia
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 Virginia, 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 Virginia Keeps the Clock It Does
Virginia runs on Eastern Time from the Atlantic to the Cumberland Gap, where it meets the Central zone at the Kentucky and Tennessee borders. Northern Virginia's commute into Washington means the state's clock politics are effectively decided in the D.C. metro area.
The practical consequence is that every time difference involving Virginia 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.
Crossing the State Line
These neighbouring states are on a different clock from Virginia today. A state border is the most common place to lose or gain an hour without expecting to.
| State | Difference from Virginia |
|---|---|
| Tennessee | 1 hour behind |
Current Time in Virginia Cities
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Virginia observe Daylight Saving Time?
Yes. All of Virginia 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 Virginia?
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 Virginia in?
Virginia is entirely on EDT right now, UTC-4:00, covering the whole state.
What time will it get dark in Virginia after the clocks change?
In Virginia Beach the sun sets at 6:08 PM the day before the change and 5:05 PM the day after. Sunrise moves from 7:26 AM to 6:29 AM.
How much daylight does Virginia get?
Virginia Beach gets 14h 41m of daylight on the longest day of the year and 9h 38m on the shortest — a swing of 5h 03m between midsummer and midwinter.
Why does the sun set so late in Virginia?
Because the clock and the sun do not agree. In Virginia Beach the sun is highest at 12:50 PM rather than noon, so the clock runs 51 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 Virginia 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.