12-Hour Shift Calculator
Total your 12-hour shifts — overnight handled automatically. Get hours per shift, weekly hours, overtime and gross pay, with federal or state overtime rules. Built for nurses, first responders, factory and 24/7 schedules.
Overtime combines 1.5× and 2× hours. General information, not legal or payroll advice.
12-hour shift patterns
Most 12-hour schedules rotate so the weekly average lands near 36–42 hours. Common ones:
- Pitman (2-2-3): 2 on, 2 off, 3 on — every other weekend off, averages 42 h/week.
- DuPont: a 4-week rotation of day and night blocks with a 7-day break, averages 42 h/week.
- 4-on / 4-off: simple, predictable, averages 42 h/week.
Overtime on 12-hour shifts
Federal overtime is weekly: 1.5× after 40 hours, so three 12-hour shifts (36 h) has none, but four (48 h) adds 8 overtime hours. California adds daily overtime — each 12-hour shift is 8 regular + 4 overtime hours. Use the state selector to apply the right rule.
Frequently asked questions
How many hours is a 12-hour shift after breaks?
A 12-hour shift (for example 7:00 PM to 7:00 AM) is 12 paid hours before breaks. If an unpaid 30-minute meal break applies, you are paid 11.5 hours. Enter your break above to see the exact total.
Do 12-hour shifts get overtime?
It depends on your total hours and state. Under federal law, overtime is 1.5× after 40 hours per week — three 12-hour shifts (36 hours) is under 40, but four (48 hours) triggers 8 overtime hours. In California, a 12-hour shift earns daily overtime: 1.5× for hours 8–12. Pick your state above.
What are common 12-hour shift patterns?
Popular rotations include the Pitman (2-2-3, every other weekend off), the DuPont (a 4-week rotation of days and nights), and 4-on-4-off. Most average 36–42 hours per week across the cycle.
How is a night shift that crosses midnight counted?
It is counted as a single continuous shift. 7:00 PM to 7:00 AM is 12 hours — the calculator detects the cross-midnight end time automatically.
Related tools
Time Card Calculator · Overtime Calculator · Shift Differential Calculator
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