History of Daylight saving time in Timeline

Daylight Saving Time (DST) is the practice of advancing clocks, typically by one hour, during the spring or late winter months. This is done to better align waking hours with sunlight, effectively shifting darkness to a later time. In autumn, clocks are set back by one hour, returning to standard time. This is often remembered by the mnemonic "spring forward and fall back". DST is also known as daylight saving(s), daylight savings time, daylight time, or summer time, depending on the region.

1907: Willett's Proposal in Britain

In 1907, Willett's proposal in Britain used the term daylight saving.

1907: William Willett conceives DST

In 1907, William Willett independently conceived Daylight Saving Time (DST) during a pre-breakfast ride when he observed how many Londoners slept through a large part of a summer day. Willett published the proposal two years later.

1907: William Willett proposes British Summer Time in 1907

In 1907, William Willett proposed the adoption of British Summer Time as a way to save energy, but although it was seriously considered by Parliament, it was not implemented until 1916.

1907: Willett's 1907 DST Proposal

Willett's 1907 proposal for Daylight Saving Time attracted supporters such as Arthur Balfour and Churchill, but also faced opposition from figures like Prime Minister H. H. Asquith.

February 1908: First Daylight Saving Bill introduced in Britain

On February 12, 1908, Liberal Party member of parliament Robert Pearce introduced the first Daylight Saving Bill to the British House of Commons. A select committee was set up to examine the issue, but Pearce's bill did not become law.

July 1908: Port Arthur Enacts DST

On July 1, 1908, Port Arthur, Ontario, Canada, became the first city in the world to enact Daylight Saving Time (DST).

1908: First DST implementation in Port Arthur, Ontario

In 1908, Port Arthur in Ontario, Canada, became the first city to implement Daylight Saving Time (DST), but it was only a local implementation, not nation-wide.

May 1909: DST bill dies in committee in US House of Representatives

In May 1909, Andrew Peters introduced a Daylight Saving Time (DST) bill to the US House of Representatives, but it soon died in committee.

1911: Summer Time Replaces Daylight Saving Time

By 1911, the term summer time replaced daylight saving time in draft legislation in Britain.

1911: Orillia, Ontario introduces DST

In 1911, DST was introduced in Orillia, Ontario, Canada by William Sword Frost during his time as mayor, continuing until 1912.

1911: Similar DST bills introduced every year from 1911 through 1914

Willett's allies introduced similar bills to the parliament for Daylight Saving Time every year from 1911 through 1914, but to no avail.

1912: Orillia, Ontario continues DST

In 1912, DST was implemented in Orillia, Ontario, Canada during William Sword Frost's mayorship, continuing from 1911.

1914: Similar DST bills introduced every year from 1911 through 1914

Willett's allies introduced similar bills to the parliament for Daylight Saving Time every year from 1911 through 1914, but to no avail.

1915: Death of William Willett in 1915

William Willett, who independently conceived DST in 1907, lobbied for the proposal in the UK until his death in 1915.

April 1916: Germany and allies introduce DST in April 1916

In April 1916, Germany and its allies led the way in introducing Daylight Saving Time (DST) during World War I to alleviate hardships due to wartime coal shortages and air-raid blackouts.

April 1916: German Empire and Austria-Hungary Adopt DST

In April 1916, the German Empire and its World War I ally Austria-Hungary commenced Daylight Saving Time (DST) nationally as a way to conserve coal during wartime.

April 1916: Nationwide DST implementations by German and Austro-Hungarian Empires

In April 1916, the German and Austro-Hungarian Empires were the first to implement Daylight Saving Time nation-wide. Since then, many countries have adopted DST at various times, particularly since the 1970s energy crisis.

May 1916: United Kingdom used DST for the first time in May 1916

The United Kingdom used Daylight Saving Time (DST) for the first time on May 21, 1916.

1916: British Summer Time implemented in 1916

In 1916, British Summer Time was finally implemented, following William Willett's 1907 proposal to save energy.

1916: Germany's adoption of DST in 1916

Since Germany's adoption of Daylight Saving Time (DST) in 1916, the world has seen many enactments, adjustments, and repeals of DST, with similar politics involved.

1917: US entry into war overcomes DST objections in 1917

The US' 1917 entry into the war overcame objections to Daylight Saving Time (DST), leading to its implementation.

1918: DST started in the US in 1918

Daylight Saving Time (DST) started in the US in 1918 after the US entry into the war overcame objections to it.

1918: First Implementation of DST in the US

In 1918, DST was first implemented in the US with the Standard Time Act, a wartime measure during World War I to conserve energy resources.

1918: United States Adopts DST

In 1918, the United States adopted Daylight Saving Time (DST).

1919: Congress repealed DST after 1919

After World War I ended, Congress repealed DST after 1919. However, President Woodrow Wilson vetoed the repeal twice, but his second veto was overridden.

1922: Warren G. Harding ordered District of Columbia federal employees to start work at 8 am rather than 9 am during the summer of 1922

In 1922, President Warren G. Harding opposed DST as a "deception", and ordered District of Columbia federal employees to start work at 8 am rather than 9 am during the summer. Some businesses followed suit, though many others did not, and the experiment was not repeated.

1928: DST implemented in New Zealand

In 1928, New Zealand finally implemented George Hudson's proposal to change clocks, albeit in a different form than his original suggestion. Hudson had initially proposed the idea in 1895.

1939: Germany dropped DST from 1919 to 1939

Germany dropped Daylight Saving Time (DST) from 1919 to 1939 and from 1950 to 1979.

1950: Germany dropped DST from 1950 to 1979

Germany dropped Daylight Saving Time (DST) from 1919 to 1939 and from 1950 to 1979.

May 1965: St. Paul and Minneapolis kept different clocks in May 1965

In May 1965, St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota, kept different clocks for two weeks: St. Paul switched to daylight saving time, while Minneapolis followed the later date set by state law.

1966: Standardization of DST in the US by Federal Law in 1966

In 1966, Daylight Saving Time (DST) was standardized in the US by federal law.

1966: Uniform Time Act

In 1966, the Uniform Time Act in the United States permitted states to opt out of DST and observe permanent standard time, but it does not permit permanent DST.

1966: Uniform Time Act standardizes DST in 1966

In 1966, the Uniform Time Act standardized Daylight Saving Time (DST) in the United States.

1966: No standardization of peacetime DST until 1966

Since Germany's adoption of DST in 1916, the history of time in the United States features DST during both world wars, but no standardization of peacetime DST until 1966.

1966: Uniform Time Act formalizes US DST Period in 1966

The Uniform Time Act of 1966 formalized the United States' period of Daylight Saving Time (DST) observation as lasting six months. It was previously declared locally.

1968: UK Experiments with Year-Round Summer Time

The United Kingdom experimented with year-round summer time between 1968 and 1971.

1971: UK Experiments with Year-Round Summer Time

The United Kingdom experimented with year-round summer time between 1968 and 1971.

December 1973: Support for Permanent DST During the Oil Crisis

During the Oil Crisis in December 1973, the NORC found 79% of those interviewed were in favor of permanent DST.

1974: Permanent DST enacted for winter of 1974

Permanent daylight saving time was enacted for the winter of 1974, but there were complaints of children going to school in the dark and working people commuting and starting their work day in pitch darkness during the winter, and it was repealed a year later.

1978: Daylight Savings Time More Common

As explained by Richard Meade in the English Journal of the (American) National Council of Teachers of English, in 1978 the form daylight savings time (with an "s") was already much more common than the older form daylight saving time in American English.

1979: Germany dropped DST from 1950 to 1979

Germany dropped Daylight Saving Time (DST) from 1919 to 1939 and from 1950 to 1979.

1986: DST Period Extended to Seven Months in 1986

In 1986, the period of Daylight Saving Time (DST) observation in the United States was extended to seven months.

1987: Daylight Saving Time Coalition behind the 1987 extension to US DST

In the mid-1980s, Clorox and 7-Eleven provided the primary funding for the Daylight Saving Time Coalition behind the 1987 extension to US DST. Both senators from Idaho, Larry Craig and Mike Crapo, voted for it based on the premise that fast-food restaurants sell more French fries (made from Idaho potatoes) during DST.

1992: Referendum on DST in Queensland, Australia defeated

In 1992, a referendum on the introduction of Daylight Saving Time (DST) took place in Queensland, Australia, after a three-year trial. It was defeated with a 54.5% "no" vote, with regional and rural areas strongly opposed, and those in the metropolitan southeast in favor.

1996: Mexico Observes Summertime DST

In 1996, Mexico started observing summertime daylight saving time.

1996: European Summer Time observed since 1996

Since 1996, European Summer Time has been observed from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October; previously the rules were not uniform across the European Union.

2000: Estimated Economic Loss on US Stock Exchanges

It has been argued that clock shifts correlate with decreased economic efficiency and that in 2000, the daylight-saving effect implied an estimated one-day loss of $31 billion on US stock exchanges.

2003: Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents supported a proposal to observe year-round DST in 2003

In 2003, the United Kingdom's Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents supported a proposal to observe year-round daylight saving time, but it has been opposed by some industries, by some postal workers and farmers, and particularly by those living in the northern regions of the UK.

2005: DST Period Extended to Eight Months in 2005

In 2005, the Daylight Saving Time (DST) period in the United States was extended to eight months, motivated in part by lobbyists from the candy industry seeking to increase profits by including Halloween (31 October) within the DST period.

2005: Lobbying for DST Extension

In 2005, the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association and the National Association of Convenience Stores lobbied for the extension to US DST.

2006: Indiana Begins DST Participation

In 2006, Indiana began participating in daylight saving time.

2007: US DST Extension

In 2007, a DST extension in the US was successfully lobbied for by the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association and the National Association of Convenience Stores.

2007: TZ Values for Eastern US

In 2007, the TZ='EST5EDT,M3.2.0/02:00,M11.1.0/02:00' value was specified for the Eastern United States, which must be updated whenever DST rules change, potentially mishandling older timestamps.

2007: DST changes in US and Canada starting 2007

Starting in 2007, most of the United States and Canada observed Daylight Saving Time (DST) from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November, almost two-thirds of the year.

2007: Computer System Upgrades Required

The 2007 change to DST rules in North America required many computer systems to be upgraded, especially e-mail and calendar programs.

December 2008: Registration of DS4SEQ Political Party

In December 2008, the Daylight Saving for South East Queensland (DS4SEQ) political party was officially registered in Queensland, advocating for a dual-time-zone arrangement for daylight saving in South East Queensland.

2008: US Department of Energy Report on Motor Gasoline Consumption

A 2008 United States Department of Energy report found no significant increase in motor gasoline consumption due to the 2007 United States extension of DST.

2008: Differing DST change dates in Australian states in 2008

In 2008, most states in Australia that observed Daylight Saving Time (DST) changed clocks forward on October 5, but Western Australia changed on October 26, highlighting differences in local times and dates.

March 2009: DS4SEQ Contests Queensland State Election

In March 2009, the DS4SEQ political party contested the Queensland state election with 32 candidates and received approximately one percent of the statewide primary vote.

2009: Summer time began annually on the last Sunday in March under a European Community directive since 2009

As of 2009, summer time began annually on the last Sunday in March under a European Community directive, which may be Easter Sunday (as in 2016).

April 2010: Daylight Saving Referendum Bill Introduced

On 14 April 2010, Queensland Independent member Peter Wellington introduced the Daylight Saving for South East Queensland Referendum Bill 2010 into the Queensland parliament, calling for a referendum on the introduction of daylight saving into South East Queensland under a dual-time-zone arrangement.

June 2011: Queensland Parliament Rejects Daylight Saving Bill

On 15 June 2011, the Queensland parliament rejected Peter Wellington's bill regarding a referendum on daylight saving in South East Queensland.

2011: Russia Declares Permanent DST

In 2011, Russia declared it would stay in DST all year long (UTC+4:00), and Belarus followed suit.

October 2014: Russia Reverts to Standard Time

On 26 October 2014, Russia changed its clocks to standard time (UTC+3:00) permanently after experiencing widespread complaints about the dark winter mornings under permanent DST.

2014: Russia Switched Back to Standard Time

In 2014, Russia switched permanently back to standard time after having tried permanent DST since 2011.

2016: Summer time began annually on the last Sunday in March, which may be Easter Sunday as in 2016

As of 2009, summer time began annually on the last Sunday in March under a European Community directive, which may be Easter Sunday (as in 2016).

2016: Troll Research Station shifts two hours directly between CEST and GMT

Since 2016, Troll (research station) has shifted two hours directly between CEST and GMT.

2017: Meta-Analysis on Electricity Savings

A 2017 meta-analysis of 44 studies found that DST leads to electricity savings of 0.3% during the days when DST applies.

2017: Study on Deaths Caused by DST Transition

A 2017 study in the American Economic Journal: Applied Economics estimated that "the transition into DST caused over 30 deaths at a social cost of $275 million annually", primarily by increasing sleep deprivation.

September 2018: European Commission Proposal to End Clock Changes

In September 2018, the European Commission proposed to end seasonal clock changes as of 2019, giving member states the option of observing either daylight saving time or standard time all year round.

2018: European Parliament Reviews Abolition of DST

In 2018, the European Parliament, reviewing a possible abolition of DST, approved a more in-depth evaluation examining the disruption of the human body's circadian rhythms. Data suggests a 24% increase in heart attacks and a 6% increase in fatal crashes each year when the time changes.

2018: Marco Rubio Files Bills to Extend DST

Since 2018, Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio has repeatedly filed bills to extend daylight saving time permanently into winter, without success.

March 2019: European Parliament Approves Proposal to End Clock Changes

In March 2019, the European Parliament approved the commission's proposal to end seasonal clock changes, while deferring implementation from 2019 until 2021.

2019: Survey Indicates Preference for Permanent Standard Time

A 2019 survey by the National Opinion Research Center indicates more Americans would prefer permanent Standard Time.

2019: Morocco's DST adjustments since 2019

Since 2019, Morocco observes DST every month but Ramadan. During Ramadan, the country's civil clocks observe Western European Time (UTC+00:00), and at the close of that month, its clocks are turned forward to Western European Summer Time (UTC+01:00).

October 2020: Decision on Clock Changes Not Confirmed

As of October 2020, the decision to end seasonal clock changes in the European Union has not been confirmed by the Council of the European Union.

2021: Deferred Implementation of Ending Clock Changes

In March 2019, the European Parliament approved the commission's proposal to end seasonal clock changes, while deferring implementation from 2019 until 2021.

2021: Survey Indicates Preference for Permanent DST

Surveys reported in 2021 by the National Sleep Foundation, YouGov, CBS, and Monmouth University indicate more Americans would prefer permanent DST.

2022: Rubio's Sunshine Protection Act Passed Senate

In 2022, Florida senator Marco Rubio's "Sunshine Protection Act" passed the United States Senate without committee review by way of voice consent, but was stopped in the US House.

2022: Opposition to DST Extensions

In 2022, in the US, Orthodox Jewish groups opposed extensions to DST, as well as a 2022 bipartisan bill that would make DST permanent.

2022: Study on Sleep Loss and Altruism

In 2022, research demonstrated that sleep loss affects the human motivation to help others, and that the transition to daylight saving time reduces altruistic giving compared to controls.

2022: Mexico Restores Permanent Standard Time

In late 2022, Mexico's clocks "fell back" for the last time, in restoration of permanent standard time.

2022: Survey Indicates Preference for Permanent DST

Surveys reported in 2022 by the National Sleep Foundation, YouGov, CBS, and Monmouth University indicate more Americans would prefer permanent DST.

2023: DST Adoption in 2023

As of 2023, approximately 34% of the world's countries use Daylight Saving Time (DST), with some countries observing it only in specific regions. In Canada, some regions do not observe DST. It's observed by four Australian states and one territory. In the United States, Hawaii and Arizona (except for the Navajo Nation) do not observe DST.

2025: Expected Increase in Electricity Consumption During DST

A publication from 2025 anticipates that, due to changes in consumption patterns such as air conditioning systems, additional electricity consumption is expected to occur more frequently during daylight saving time in the future.

2025: Majority in US favor abolishing DST

As of 2025, polls in the United States indicate a majority favor abolishing Daylight Saving Time (DST), with momentum building to switch permanently to standard time or make DST permanent due to health risks, economic costs, lost sleep, and disruptions to daily routines.

2025: Polling Data on Permanent DST

Polling as of 2025 shows a majority of Americans polled now prefer to permanently end DST, with 54% of Americans reporting that a permanent switch to standard time would be preferrable.