What Time Does Trick-or-Treating Start and End?

There's no official start time for Halloween across the country. But most neighborhoods follow the same unwritten schedule, and it's built around one thing: the sun going down.

The usual window

In most U.S. neighborhoods, trick-or-treating runs from about dusk to around 8:30 p.m.

• Around 5:00–6:00 p.m.: The early shift. Toddlers and little kids in costume, often with a parent, while it's still light out.
• After dark: The main rush. Families and bigger groups, moving fast from lit porch to lit porch.
• 8:00–9:00 p.m.: The tail. Older kids and teens, a few stragglers, then the street goes quiet.

Most porches see the bulk of their night in a window of just a couple of hours. If you're only going to be at the door for part of the evening, make it the stretch right after full dark.

Halloween 2026 is on a Saturday

No school the next morning and no commute that evening. Families can start earlier and stay out later, and parties pull some older kids off the street. Expect the night to start a little early and run a little late. Plan your candy for a longer night than a weeknight Halloween.

In Southern California, sunset on October 31 is close to 6 p.m. (Daylight saving time doesn't end until the next morning, November 1.) Farther north and east, it gets dark earlier.

Check for official hours

Some cities, towns, and HOAs publish recommended trick-or-treating hours, and a few move the date when Halloween falls on a Sunday. If your area does this, it's usually on the city website or in local news a week or two ahead. When there's an official window, most families stick to it.

In Riverside, CA? We put together what to expect locally, including sunset time and the city's Halloween events.

When to turn off the porch light

The porch light is the signal. When it's off, kids skip you, and nobody thinks twice about it. (More on that in what your porch light means on Halloween.)

A good rule: once ten or fifteen minutes go by without a knock after 8:30, you're probably done. If you still have candy, a lit porch at 9:00 usually means a few happy teenagers.

Your street has its own clock

Every neighborhood has its own rhythm. Some streets peak at 6:45 and are empty by 8. Destination neighborhoods can stay busy past 9.

The best way to know yours is to watch it once. TreatCounter logs each knock with a timestamp, and when you close out the night it shows your peak window. Next year, you'll know when to be at the door, and when you can step away for dinner.