Overnight Shift Hours: How to Calculate Time and Pay Past Midnight

Shifts that start in the evening and end the next morning raise questions that day shifts never do: how to subtract the times, which day the hours belong to, whether the shift counts toward one workweek or two, and how a night differential changes overtime. This guide walks through each with worked examples.

The core idea: count the hours actually worked

An overnight shift is calculated like any other shift. Take the clock-out time, add 24 hours if it falls on the next calendar day, subtract the clock-in time, and subtract any unpaid meal break. A shift from 10:00 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. spans 8 hours 30 minutes on the clock; with a 30-minute unpaid meal period, that is 8 hours of paid time. The complication is not the arithmetic. It is deciding which day and which workweek those hours belong to, because that determines overtime, daily limits in some states and which paycheck the hours land on.

Step-by-step: calculating a shift that crosses midnight

1. Write the start and end times in 24-hour form: 22:00 and 06:30.
2. Because the end is earlier than the start, the shift ends the next day. Add 24 hours to the end: 06:30 + 24:00 = 30:30.
3. Subtract: 30:30 − 22:00 = 8 hours 30 minutes.
4. Subtract unpaid breaks that are genuine, uninterrupted meal periods: 8:30 − 0:30 = 8:00.
5. Convert to decimal hours if your payroll needs them: 8 hours = 8.00. For odd minutes, see the minutes to decimal hours chart.

The Weekly Time Card Calculator handles shifts that end after midnight automatically, so you can enter 10:00 PM as the start and 6:30 AM as the end and it will total the hours correctly.

Which day and which workweek do the hours belong to?

Federal overtime is determined by the workweek, not by the calendar day. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), a workweek is a fixed and regularly recurring period of 168 hours, seven consecutive 24-hour periods. The regulations at 29 CFR 778.105 allow an employer to start the workweek on any day and at any hour, for example Sunday at 12:00 a.m. or Monday at 6:00 a.m. Hours are counted in the workweek in which they are performed. Covered non-exempt employees must receive at least one and one-half times their regular rate for hours over 40 in that workweek.

For overnight shifts, this means a single shift can be split between two workweeks if it crosses the boundary. Suppose the workweek starts Sunday at 12:00 a.m., and an employee works Saturday night from 10:00 p.m. until 6:30 a.m. Sunday with a 30-minute meal break taken after midnight. The 2 hours before midnight belong to the workweek that ends Saturday night, and the remaining 6 paid hours belong to the new workweek that began at midnight. The employee does not earn overtime for a shift just because it touches two days. Overtime depends on the total for each workweek.

Many employers who run night shifts choose a workweek that starts at a shift change, such as Sunday at 6:00 a.m. or 7:00 a.m., so that no shift is split. This is legal as long as the workweek is fixed and is not changed to avoid overtime. If you do not know your workweek, ask your employer. It should be stated in the payroll policy.

Daily overtime states: what counts as a "day"?

A few states, including California, require overtime based on hours worked in a day. For an overnight worker, the definition of a workday matters. California Labor Code section 500 defines a workday as any consecutive 24-hour period beginning at the same time each calendar day, which is why many night workers are not treated as working two partial days. Other states with daily overtime or daily double-time rules have their own definitions, so confirm yours with the state labor department. See California overtime rules for how the 8-hour and 12-hour thresholds operate.

Night shift differentials and overtime

Federal law does not require employers to pay extra for night work. Many employers do, with a shift differential, which is an additional hourly amount or percentage for working an evening, overnight or weekend shift. If you receive one, the differential is part of your regular rate, and your overtime must be based on a rate that includes it. The Department of Labor's regulations at 29 CFR 778.207(b) list shift differentials among the payments included in the regular rate.

Here is a worked example. An employee earns $20.00 an hour on day shifts and $22.00 an hour on night shifts, a $2.00 differential. In one workweek, the employee works 25 day hours and 20 night hours, for 45 hours total. Straight-time earnings are 25 × 20 + 20 × 22 = 500 + 440 = $940.00. The regular rate for the week is the weighted average, 940 ÷ 45 = $20.89. The overtime premium is one-half of the regular rate for each overtime hour, because straight time for all 45 hours is already included: 5 × 0.5 × 20.89 = $52.22. Total pay is 940 + 52.22 = $992.22. Check your own numbers with the Overtime Pay Calculator, and read how to calculate overtime pay for the full method.

Daylight saving time changes

Twice a year, clocks change and an overnight shift can run an hour longer or shorter than its schedule. In the United States, daylight saving time begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November. In 2026, clocks move forward on March 8 and back on November 1. When clocks fall back, an overnight shift that is scheduled for 8 hours on the clock is 9 hours of actual working time; when clocks spring forward, it is 7. Wage law looks at the time actually worked, so the employee should be paid for the real elapsed hours, even though a naive timesheet showing 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. might say 8. Check your payroll system's handling of those two nights, because mistakes there are common.

Meal breaks and rest on overnight shifts

The usual rules apply at night. A bona fide meal period, usually 30 minutes or more in which you are completely relieved of duty, can be unpaid, and short rest breaks of about 5 to 20 minutes are paid. If you must keep working during your meal, such as watching a monitor or answering calls, the time is compensable. See what counts as hours worked. The FLSA does not require a minimum rest period between shifts for adult employees, although some state laws and union agreements do.

Practical tips for accurate overnight timekeeping

• Record the actual date and time for both clock-in and clock-out, not just the time of day.
• Know your employer's workweek start and write it on your own log.
• Record a note whenever a break is interrupted or skipped.
• Verify the first paycheck after a daylight saving change.
• Keep your own record of your shifts; it is the best evidence if hours are ever disputed.

This guide is for general informational purposes only and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Labor laws vary by state and change over time. Confirm your specific situation with your employer, HR department, or the U.S. Department of Labor.