Virginia: Does the state observe daylight saving time?
Virginia observes daylight saving time under federal law and has not enacted a law to change that.
Virginia has no law exempting itself, so the federal clock change applies statewide. Two 2026 bills would have moved Virginia to year-round daylight time or year-round standard time once Congress allows it, but both were continued to 2027 in a House committee. One of them, SB 541 for year-round standard time if Maryland and D.C. do the same, passed the state Senate first. This answer is inferred from federal law plus the absence of a state exemption.
What the law says
During the period commencing at 2 o'clock antemeridian on the second Sunday of March of each year and ending at 2 o'clock antemeridian on the first Sunday of November of each year, the standard time of each zone established by sections 261 to 264 of this title, as modified by section 265 of this title, shall be advanced one hour
Sources
- 15 U.S.C. 260a (Cornell LII) Mirror of official text · law.cornell.edu
- NCSL, Daylight Saving Time State Legislation Secondary · ncsl.org
- U.S. Department of Transportation: Daylight Saving Time Official · transportation.gov
- Virginia HB 9 (2026): continued to 2027 Official · lis.virginia.gov
- Virginia SB 541 (2026): passed Senate, continued to 2027 in House Official · lis.virginia.gov
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- Virginia Division of Legislative Services
- Phone
- (804) 698-1810
- Website
- dls.virginia.gov
How bordering states compare
- Kentucky Observes DSTKentucky observes daylight saving time and has not enacted a law to change that.
- Maryland Observes DSTMaryland observes daylight saving time and has not enacted a law to change that.
- North Carolina Observes DSTNorth Carolina observes daylight saving time and has not enacted a law to change it.
- Tennessee Observes DST, law to go year-roundTennessee observes daylight saving time and has a 2019 law to stay on it all year once Congress allows it.
- West Virginia Observes DSTWest Virginia observes daylight saving time by statute and has not passed a law to change that.