WASHINGTON — This weekend’s switch to daylight saving time will rob D.C. bars and clubs of an hour of business, so the District is giving that hour back to them.
Daylight saving time kicks in at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 11, bumping the clock ahead to 3 a.m., making Sunday a 23-hour day.
District law allows on-premises establishments that normally close at 3 a.m. to operate until 4 a.m. on the morning of March 11. That includes restaurants, taverns, nightclubs and multipurpose facilities.
Liquor license holders do not have to register with the D.C. Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration to participate in the spring daylight saving time rule. The D.C. ABRA allows for extended operations for bars, restaurants and clubs several times a year during certain holidays.
The next time licensees enrolled in the Holiday Extended Hours program are eligible to operate with extended hours is April 16, the D.C. Emancipation Day holiday. Those enrolled will be allowed to stay open until 4 a.m. on April 17.
Establishments can register for the Extended Hours program for free. Once registered and approved, they are eligible for the extended hours for the calendar year they register and for each year thereafter.
Here is a list of all Extended Hours program holidays approved by the D.C. ABRA.
