Washington time zone and daylight saving time

Pacific Time Next clock change: Nov 1

Seattle, UTC−7Sunrise 7:51 a.m. · Sunset 5:55 p.m. · 10 h 4 min of daylight

Washington at a glance

Time zone
Pacific
Daylight saving time
Observed. UTC−7 in summer, UTC−8 in winter.
Upcoming clock changes
  • Sunday, November 1, 2026: clocks fall back
  • Sunday, March 14, 2027: clocks spring forward
  • Sunday, November 7, 2027: clocks fall back
  • Sunday, March 12, 2028: clocks spring forward
Each change happens at 2:00 a.m. local time.
Permanent daylight time law
Enacted in 2019. It needs federal approval before it can take effect.

All of Washington uses Pacific Time and observes daylight saving time: UTC−7 in summer and UTC−8 in winter.

Time zones in bordering states

Washington matches both its U.S. neighbours all year. Its border with Canada is different since British Columbia stopped changing its clocks.

Select a state on the map to see its time zone details.

Time zone map of Washington and surrounding states. Each state is a link to its page.Counties are shaded by time zone. Hatched counties are split between two zones; dotted areas do not observe daylight saving time.MontanaOregonIdaho

Current time in each zone

  • Mountain
  • Pacific

County split between two zones; the exact line isn't drawn

  • Oregon: same time all along the border.
  • Idaho: same time; northern Idaho shares Washington’s Pacific Time.
  • British Columbia: since March 2026, British Columbia has stayed on UTC−7 all year. Washington matches it in summer and is 1 hour behind it in winter.

What permanent time would mean for Washington

Ending clock changes would mean keeping one time all year: either permanent daylight time or permanent standard time. Here’s how each would shift sunrise and sunset in Seattle. Because Washington is so far north, its winter days are short either way.

Permanent daylight time

Later winter mornings

8:55 a.m.

Sunrise on the shortest day, December 21 (now 7:55 a.m.).

Winter sunset: 5:20 p.m. (now 4:20 p.m.).

Permanent standard time

Earlier summer evenings

8:11 p.m.

Sunset on the longest day, June 21 (now 9:11 p.m.).

Summer sunrise: 4:12 a.m. (now 5:12 a.m.).

Times for Seattle, calculated for 2026. Actual sunrise and sunset can differ by a few minutes with terrain and weather.

Washington and permanent daylight time

In 2019, Washington enacted a law (House Bill 1196, signed by Governor Jay Inslee on May 8, 2019) to observe Pacific Daylight Time all year if federal law changes to allow it. Washington is among the 19 states the Congressional Research Service lists as having enacted such a law.

Washington’s choice affects its neighbours: Idaho’s law applies to northern Idaho only once Washington makes the change, and Oregon’s law takes effect only once both Washington and California do. Lawmakers have since considered bills to keep Washington on standard time year-round until Congress acts, but none has become law.

Any switch to permanent daylight time would need Congress to act first. The U.S. House passed the Sunshine Protection Act in July 2026, and it is now with the Senate.

Common questions

Does Washington observe daylight saving time?

Yes. All of Washington springs forward in March and falls back in November.

Is Seattle on the same time as Vancouver, B.C.?

In summer, yes. Since British Columbia stopped changing its clocks in 2026, Vancouver is 1 hour ahead of Seattle in winter.

Didn’t Washington pass a law to stop changing clocks?

Washington passed a law in 2019 to observe daylight saving time year-round, but it takes effect only if Congress allows it. Until then, clocks keep changing.

Sources: U.S. Department of Transportation (49 CFR Part 71); Congressional Research Service; Congress.gov.

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