12 Hour Shift Calculator
Find when a 12-hour shift ends, your weekly hours for 3 or 4 shifts, and your pay with overtime.
Weekly overtime uses the federal rule of 1.5× after 40 hours. In California, hours over 8 in a day are also overtime unless you have an approved alternative workweek. See the California overtime calculator.
What time does a 12-hour shift end?
Most 12-hour shifts run 7 to 7. A 7:00 AM start with an unpaid 30-minute break ends at 7:30 PM; with paid breaks it ends at 7:00 PM. Night shifts from 7:00 PM end at 7:00 or 7:30 AM the next day.
| Shifts per week | Weekly hours | Federal overtime hours |
|---|---|---|
| 3 × 12 | 36 | 0 |
| 4 × 12 | 48 | 8 |
| 5 × 12 | 60 | 20 |
12-hour shifts and overtime
Three 12-hour shifts are 36 hours, common in nursing and health care, with no weekly overtime. Four 12-hour shifts are 48 hours with 8 hours of overtime under federal law. In California, hours 9 to 12 of each shift are daily overtime, and any hour past 12 is double time.
Related calculators
Track a full week of clock-in and clock-out times with the time card calculator, work out one shift with the hours calculator, or see other shift lengths: 8 hour and 10 hour shifts.
Frequently asked questions
How many hours is three 12-hour shifts?
36 hours. That is below 40, so there is no weekly overtime under federal law.
What time does a 12-hour shift end if I start at 7am?
At 7:00 PM if breaks are paid, or 7:30 PM with an unpaid 30-minute break.
Is a 12-hour shift overtime?
Not by itself under federal law. Overtime depends on weekly hours over 40. In California, hours over 8 in a day are overtime and hours over 12 are double time.