Sunday 4 April 2027, 3am
Clocks go back one hour.
Daylight saving in New Zealand started at 2am on Sunday 27 September 2026, when clocks went forward an hour, and ends at 3am on Sunday 4 April 2027, when they go back.
The rule
It's the same every year:
- Starts at 2am on the last Sunday in September. Clocks go forward to 3am, so you lose an hour of sleep.
- Ends at 3am on the first Sunday in April. Clocks go back to 2am, so you get an hour back.
Spring forward, fall back. In daylight saving New Zealand is on NZDT (UTC+13); the rest of the year it's NZST (UTC+12).
Dates
| Summer | Starts (2am) | Ends (3am) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026–27 | Sun 27 September 2026 | Sun 4 April 2027 |
| 2027–28 | Sun 26 September 2027 | Sun 2 April 2028 |
| 2028–29 | Sun 24 September 2028 | Sun 1 April 2029 |
Do I need to change my clocks?
Phones, laptops and most smart devices change by themselves. The oven, the microwave and the car usually don't. The easy way is to change them before bed the night before.
Common questions
Does daylight saving start or end this weekend?
Check the box at the top of this page. It counts down to the next change using your device's clock.
Do I get more or less sleep?
Less in September, when the clocks go forward. More in April, when they go back.
Is Australia on the same dates?
No. The states that use daylight saving start and end on different Sundays, and Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia don't use it at all, so the time gap to New Zealand changes during the year.
Source: New Zealand Government, Daylight saving (Department of Internal Affairs). Checked October 2026.