Can WA bars stay open an extra hour for drinks on daylight saving day? Here’s the law
Washington residents could have an extra hour to party this weekend thanks to Daylight Saving Time turning the clocks back.
At 2 a.m. on Sunday, most Americans will earn an extra hour as the clocks fall back an hour. Every year, the clocks jump forward an hour on the second Sunday of March and fall back again on the first Sunday of November.
But with the clocks falling back an hour, many Washingtonians may wonder whether the bars will follow suit and stay open an extra hour.
Good news (unless you’re a bartender): Washington bars are allowed to remain open for an extra hour if they choose after daylight saving takes effect in November.
The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board allows bars to remain open for an extra hour, LCB spokesperson Brian Smith told McClatchy News.
There’s no Washington law that directly addresses what bars should do during Daylight Saving, Smith said, and so the decision to stay open for the extra hour or to close as the clock falls back to 1 a.m. is at the discretion of the bar.
The same rules apply for liquor stores, with licensed businesses being allowed to sell liquor between 6 a.m. and 2 a.m.
This story was originally published November 2, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
