Practical guide

How to Calculate an Overnight Shift

When clock-out is earlier than clock-in, add 24 hours to the ending time before subtracting the start and unpaid breaks.

By Intious · Updated September 7, 2026

Quick answer

When clock-out is earlier than clock-in, add 24 hours to the ending time before subtracting the start and unpaid breaks.

Crossing midnight

A 22:00 start and 06:30 finish spans 8.5 hours. Subtract a 30-minute unpaid break and the worked total is 8 hours. Midnight changes the calendar date, not the subtraction rule.

Keep workweeks separate

A shift that crosses the employer’s workweek boundary may need to be split between two payroll weeks. The timecard calculator treats each row as one shift and does not identify a workweek boundary automatically. Split it yourself when the boundary matters.

Daylight-saving exception

On a night when clocks change, wall-clock subtraction can differ from elapsed time by an hour. Our time-only calculator does not know the location, time zone or date. Use recorded timestamps and the employer’s payroll procedure for those shifts.

Try it with your numbers

Add clock-in and clock-out times, subtract breaks, and see regular and overtime hours.

Work Hours Calculator

Official guidance

U.S. Department of Labor: hours worked · U.S. Department of Labor: regular rate of pay

Next steps

Calculation limitations · Report a correction

Frequently asked questions

How long is 10 PM to 7 AM with a 45-minute break?

Nine hours elapse. Subtracting 45 unpaid minutes leaves 8 hours 15 minutes, or 8.25 hours.

Can I use the same rule for a 25-hour shift?

No. A time-only row cannot distinguish multiple elapsed days. Use dated timestamps or split the duration into clearly identified segments.

How do I check a 22:00–06:30 shift with a 30-minute unpaid break?

There are two hours before midnight and six and a half after it. Subtracting the half-hour break leaves eight paid hours in the time-only model.

Check the assumptions against the Work Hours Calculator and keep the inputs alongside your result. For a discrepancy, send an anonymous worked example rather than private employee records.

Explore more in Hours & Pay Calculators and Guides.