Murfreesboro gets an extra hour of sleep the night after Halloween. Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday, November 1, 2026, when clocks fall back one hour to 1 a.m., according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
When to Change Your Clocks
- Date: Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026
- Time: 2 a.m. local time becomes 1 a.m.
- What to do: Set clocks back one hour before bed on Saturday, Oct. 31. Phones and most connected devices update automatically.
NIST lists the 2026 daylight saving period as running from March 8 at 2 a.m. to November 1 at 2 a.m. local time. Rutherford County is on Central Time, so after the change Murfreesboro is on Central Standard Time until daylight saving time starts again in March.
Halloween is Saturday, Oct. 31, so trick-or-treaters get one last evening on daylight time before the switch. See OnlyInMurfreesboro's Halloween 2026 events guide for what's happening that weekend.
Will Daylight Saving Time Become Permanent?
Not yet. The U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 139, the Sunshine Protection Act, on July 14, 2026, by a vote of 308 to 117, according to the House Clerk's roll call. The bill would make daylight saving time permanent nationwide. Every member of Tennessee's House delegation voted yes: Reps. Scott DesJarlais, Tim Burchett, Chuck Fleischmann, Diana Harshbarger, David Kustoff, John Rose, Steve Cohen, Matt Van Epps and Andy Ogles.
The Senate has not acted on it. GovTrack lists the bill as passed by the House, with the Senate next. Senate Majority Leader John Thune told NBC News in July, "I just don't think we want a mandate, and that was tried once before and repealed."
Until Congress changes federal law, Tennessee keeps changing its clocks twice a year.
Tennessee's Permanent Daylight Saving Time Law
Tennessee has already said it would like to stay on daylight time year-round. In 2019, the General Assembly passed HB 247 / SB 1100, sponsored by Rep. Rick Tillis and Sen. Steven Dickerson. It passed the House 86 to 5 and the Senate 29 to 1, and Gov. Bill Lee signed it on May 21, 2019, as Public Chapter 416.
The legislature's summary says the law establishes daylight saving time as Tennessee's standard time, subject to authorization from the U.S. Congress and certain other conditions. Under the bill text, it takes effect the first Sunday in November after Congress changes the federal law that currently allows states to adopt permanent standard time but not permanent daylight time.
Planning Around the Time Change
After Nov. 1 it gets dark about an hour earlier in the evening. Check the Murfreesboro weather guide for seasonal conditions, and plan evening outings with the events calendar and things to do this weekend.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does daylight saving time end in 2026?
Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday, November 1, 2026, when clocks fall back one hour to 1 a.m.
Do we gain or lose an hour in November?
You gain an hour. Clocks fall back from 2 a.m. to 1 a.m., so Sunday, Nov. 1, is 25 hours long.
Is Tennessee getting rid of daylight saving time?
Not yet. Tennessee passed a law in 2019 to observe daylight saving time permanently, but it only takes effect if Congress changes federal law. The U.S. House passed the Sunshine Protection Act in July 2026, and the Senate has not voted on it.
Did the Sunshine Protection Act pass?
The U.S. House passed it 308 to 117 on July 14, 2026. It still needs to pass the Senate and be signed by the president before it becomes law.
What time zone is Murfreesboro in?
Murfreesboro and all of Rutherford County are in the Central Time Zone. After Nov. 1, 2026, the area is on Central Standard Time.
Sources: NIST: Daylight Saving Time, U.S. House Clerk: Roll Call 238, GovTrack: H.R. 139, NBC News, Tennessee General Assembly: HB 247 and SB 1100 bill text.