Use this shift hours calculator to total overnight shifts and split shifts. Add up to three shifts in one day, each with its own start and end time. Shifts that cross midnight are handled correctly, and the total appears in hours and minutes and in decimal hours.
How to use the shift hours calculator
- Choose 12-hour or 24-hour time.
- Turn on each shift you worked that day.
- Enter a start time and end time for each shift.
- For an overnight shift, enter the real end time, even if it is after midnight.
- Read the total for the day.
Example: a split shift and an overnight shift
A split shift from 7:00 AM to 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM to 7:30 PM adds 4 hours and 4 hours 30 minutes, for 8 hours 30 minutes (8.50 decimal hours). An overnight shift from 9:00 PM to 5:30 AM is 8 hours 30 minutes too, because the calculator adds 24 hours when the end time is earlier than the start time.
How split and overnight shifts are calculated
Each shift equals end time minus start time. If the end time is earlier, the shift ran past midnight, so 24 hours are added first. The calculator then adds every shift you turned on. The gap between split shifts is not counted, because it is unpaid time off the clock.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate an overnight shift?
Enter the real start and end times. If the end is earlier than the start, the calculator adds 24 hours. For 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM the result is 8 hours.
What is a split shift?
A split shift is a workday divided into two or more separate parts with an unpaid gap between them, such as a morning and an evening shift.
Is the gap between split shifts counted?
No. Only the time inside each shift is added. Some states have extra pay rules for split shifts, so check your local rules.
How do I add shift hours and minutes?
Add the hours, add the minutes, and carry each 60 minutes into one hour. The calculator does this automatically.
Can I subtract breaks?
Enter your shifts around the break. For a lunch break, split the work into a before-lunch shift and an after-lunch shift.