This Tropical Paradise is 1 of Only 2 States Without Daylight Savings Time

Hawaii, USA

While most Americans change their clocks twice a year, Hawaiians don’t bother with this ritual. Here’s how the Aloha State became one of the rare places in the U.S. that doesn’t observe Daylight Saving Time.

Hawaii Was Never Required to Adopt Standard Time Until 1947

Before 1947, Hawaii simply used its own local time based on the islands’ natural sunrise and sunset. There was no official requirement to follow any standardized time system.

That changed when the Hawaii Standard Time Act officially set the islands’ time as 10 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time. Even then, there was no mention of seasonal time changes.

Hawaii Experimented with Time Changes During WWII

Hawaii actually did try something like DST once during World War II. From 1942 to 1945, the islands followed ‘Hawaiian War Time,’ which was essentially permanent Daylight Saving Time.

This was done nationwide to conserve energy for the war effort. Once the war ended, Hawaii quickly abandoned the practice, indicating that residents were not in favor of adjusted time.

The Uniform Time Act of 1966 Included an Opt-Out Clause

When Congress passed the Uniform Time Act in 1966 to standardize Daylight Saving Time across the country, they included an opt-out provision.

The law allowed any state to exempt itself from DST through legislative action, recognizing that clock changes might not be beneficial in all regions, especially in places like Hawaii where daylight hours remain relatively constant.

Hawaii Immediately Exercised Its Right to Opt Out

Hawaii wasted no time opting out of Daylight Saving Time. Just one year after the Uniform Time Act was passed, Hawaii’s legislature voted in 1967 to exempt the state from DST.

This decision was swift and largely uncontroversial, reflecting the general sentiment of the people who saw no need for seasonal time changes.

A Legislative Study Provided the Evidence

Before finalizing their decision, Hawaiian lawmakers commissioned a study on how DST would impact the islands. The study confirmed that Hawaii’s proximity to the equator meant daylight hours varied by only about 2.5 hours throughout the year.

This was in stark contrast to northern states, where the difference could be six hours or more. The study concluded that clock changes would cause disruption without offering any real benefits.

Hawaii and Arizona Stand Together in DST Resistance

Since the Uniform Time Act took effect, only two states have consistently refused to observe DST: Hawaii and Arizona (excluding the Navajo Nation, which does observe DST).

While some U.S. territories like Puerto Rico and Guam also ignore DST, Hawaii and Arizona are the only states to have maintained this position for decades.

Hawaii’s Time Zone Designation Has Its Own Name

Hawaii operates under Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time (HST), a time zone it shares with part of Alaska’s Aleutian Islands.

However, while the Aleutians switch to DST, Hawaii remains on standard time year-round. This means that for half the year, Hawaii is three hours behind California instead of two, and six hours behind New York instead of five.

Hawaii’s DST Exemption Has Remained Unchanged for Over 50 Years

Hawaii made its decision to reject DST in 1967 and has remained steadfast in its choice for over 50 years.

While other states have periodically debated changing time policies or lobbying for permanent DST, Hawaii has consistently maintained its standard time without reconsideration.