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Shift Calculator

Work out the hours in a single shift. Enter the start and end times, take off the unpaid break, and overnight shifts are handled for you.

How many hours is my shift?

Measure the time from the start to the end of the shift, then subtract the unpaid break. A 10:00 PM to 6:30 AM shift spans 8 hours 30 minutes, so after a 30-minute break you worked 8 hours. Enter your own times below.

Use 0 if the break is paid or there is none.

Time display

Your result will appear here after you press Calculate.

Calculating a normal shift

For a shift inside one day, the hours are the gap between the two clock times. 09:00 to 17:00 is 8 hours. Any unpaid break comes off that total, so the same shift with a 30-minute lunch is 7 hours 30 minutes worked.

Subtracting breaks

Only unpaid breaks should be subtracted. If your employer pays for the break, enter 0 and the full shift counts. The break is entered in minutes because that is how most rotas record it.

Overnight shifts

Night shifts finish on the following day. When the end time is earlier than the start time, the calculator adds the rollover for you, so 22:00 to 06:30 is 8 hours 30 minutes rather than a negative number. The result says clearly that the shift crossed midnight.

Decimal work hours

Payroll systems and spreadsheets usually want decimal hours. 8 hours 15 minutes is 8.25, and 7 hours 40 minutes is 7.67. The decimal figure is shown with every result, rounded to two places.

Shift Calculator or Weekly Time Card

Use this page for one shift. If you need a full week, daily subtotals, overtime rules and estimated pay, the Weekly Time Card calculator is built for that.

Worked examples

  • 09:00 to 17:00, no break: 8 hr 0 min worked, 8.0 decimal hours.
  • 09:00 to 17:00, 30-minute break: 7 hr 30 min worked, 7.5 decimal hours.
  • 22:00 to 06:30, 30-minute break: 8 hr 0 min worked, crossing midnight.
  • 23:30 to 00:30, no break: 1 hr 0 min worked.

Related tools

Weekly Time Card CalculatorAdd up a full week of shifts with breaks and overtime.Open Time Duration CalculatorCalculate hours and minutes between two times.Open Decimal Hours CalculatorConvert between hours and minutes and decimal hours.Open Hours and Minutes CalculatorAdd or subtract durations without base-60 arithmetic.Open

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate the hours in one shift?
Take the time between the start and the end of the shift, then subtract any unpaid break. A 10:00 PM to 6:30 AM shift is 8 hours 30 minutes of clock time, so a 30-minute unpaid break leaves 8 hours worked.
How are overnight shifts handled?
If the end time is earlier than the start time, the shift is treated as crossing midnight. You do not need to set a second date. The result says when this has happened.
What if the break is longer than the shift?
The calculator stops and tells you, rather than showing a negative result. Check the times or lower the break.
What happens if the start and end times are the same?
It is treated as a zero-length shift, because that is usually a typing slip. If you really worked a full 24 hours, tick the 24-hour option and the result changes to 24 hours.
How is this different from the Weekly Time Card?
This page handles one shift. The Weekly Time Card adds up a whole week of shifts and covers daily totals, overtime and estimated pay.

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Calcadian calculators are for general planning and informational use. Please verify critical deadlines, legal, payroll, tax, HR, or official requirements with the relevant authorities or a qualified professional.