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4 on 4 off Schedule Calendar
On a 4 on 4 off schedule you work four 12-hour shifts and then get four days off, an 8-day cycle. Pick a day you start work and get your whole year.
4 on 4 off Schedule at a glance
- Cycle
- 8 days
- Shift length
- 12 hours
- Crews for 24/7
- 4
- Hours a week
- 42
- Hours a year
- 2,190
- Days off per cycle
- 4
What is a 4 on 4 off schedule?
On a 4 on 4 off schedule you work four 12-hour shifts and then get four days off, an 8-day cycle. With days only, two crews cover the day shift; the rotating version adds 4 nights after the 4 days off, a 16-day cycle for four crews.
One cycle, crew by crew
Days only (8 days)
Rotating days/nights (16 days)
Employers often shift the start or swap the order of blocks. If your rota differs, change the start date until the calendar matches a week you already know.
Printable 4 on 4 off schedule template
Working a 4 on 4 off schedule
On a 4 on 4 off schedule you work four 12-hour shifts and then have four days off, an 8-day cycle. Two crews cover days and, in 24/7 plants, two more cover nights. Because 8 days is one more than a week, your working days move one day later each week, so every crew gets weekends off in turn.
A popular rotating version adds nights: 4 days, 4 off, 4 nights, 4 off, a 16-day cycle. The four days off after the nights are partly lost to sleep, so the real break feels shorter than on paper.
With four shifts of leave you get 12 days off in a row (4 off, 4 shifts of leave, 4 off). The weeks alternate between 4 shifts (48 hours) and 3 shifts (36 hours) in runs, so federal overtime comes in some weeks and not others.
Overtime on a 4 on 4 off schedule: it depends on the workweek
Federal overtime is due for hours over 40 in a workweek, a fixed 7-day period that your employer chooses and that does not have to start on Monday (29 CFR 778.105). With the same shifts, the day it starts changes how the hours fall into weeks, and so the overtime. Crew A, cycle starting on a Monday:
| Workweek starts | Hours in each week | Overtime hours a year |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 48, 48, 48, 48, 36, 36, 36, 36 | 208 |
| Tuesday | 36, 48, 48, 48, 48, 36, 36, 36 | 208 |
| Wednesday | 36, 36, 48, 48, 48, 48, 36, 36 | 208 |
| Thursday | 36, 36, 36, 48, 48, 48, 48, 36 | 208 |
| Friday | 36, 36, 36, 36, 48, 48, 48, 48 | 208 |
| Saturday | 48, 36, 36, 36, 36, 48, 48, 48 | 208 |
| Sunday | 48, 48, 36, 36, 36, 36, 48, 48 | 208 |
Compare this pattern with every other 24/7 option in 24/7 shift schedules compared. Federal rule only, before leave and swaps. Daily overtime states such as California count differently: use “Your pay” in the calendar or the shift pay calculator.
How many hours is a 4 on 4 off schedule?
| Version | Cycle | Crews | Avg hours a week | Hours a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Days only | 8 days | 2 | 42 | 2,190 |
| Rotating days/nights | 16 days | 4 | 42 | 2,190 |
Hours a year = hours worked in one cycle × 365 ÷ days in the cycle. Days only: 48 h × 365 ÷ 8 = 2,190 h. These are scheduled hours; overtime, leave and swaps change your own total.
4 on 4 off pay calculator: hours, overtime and pay a year at your hourly rate.
4 on 4 off Schedule pros and cons
Pros
- Four days off every time.
- Simple to remember.
- The working days move through the week, so everyone gets some weekends.
Cons
- Four 12-hour shifts in a row are tiring.
- Weekends off only come round now and then.
- The rotating version means a full switch to nights.
4 on 4 off Schedule calendar 2027
An example year with Crew A starting its cycle on Monday, January 4, 2027; the other crews follow 4 days apart. For your own dates, use the calendar at the top of the page.
| Crew | Shifts in 2027 | Hours | Full weekends off |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 182 | 2,184 | 21 |
| B | 183 | 2,196 | 18 |
Day shifts yellow, nights blue, 24-hour shifts red, US federal holidays with an orange corner.
January 2027
February 2027
March 2027
April 2027
May 2027
June 2027
July 2027
August 2027
September 2027
October 2027
November 2027
December 2027
Who uses the 4 on 4 off schedule?
Manufacturing, warehouses, security and some police and ambulance services, especially in the UK and Canada.
Similar patterns
- Pitman Schedule14-day cycle, 42 h a week
- Panama Schedule28-day cycle, 42 h a week
- DuPont Schedule28-day cycle, 42 h a week
- 3 on 3 off Schedule6-day cycle, 42 h a week
- 2 on 2 off Schedule4-day cycle, 42 h a week
- 4-3-3-4 Schedule14-day cycle, 42 h a week
Questions
How many hours a week is a 4 on 4 off schedule?
On average 42 hours a week: 4 shifts of 12 hours every 8 days. Over a year that is about 2,190 scheduled hours, before overtime, leave or Kelly days.
How many crews does a 4 on 4 off schedule need?
2 crews for this version, with exactly one crew on each shift every day.
How many hours a year is a 4 on 4 off schedule?
About 2,190 scheduled hours a year: about 183 shifts of 12 hours. Overtime, leave and shift swaps change your own total; the pay calculator works it out at your hourly rate.
How long is the 4 on 4 off schedule cycle?
8 days. After that the same days repeat, so the calendar for any year follows from one start date.
How do I add my shifts to Google Calendar or my iPhone?
Pick your pattern and a day you start a block, press "Add to calendar" and open the file. Google Calendar, Apple Calendar and Outlook import it as all-day events, so daylight saving time does not move them.
Can my family see my schedule?
Yes. Press "Copy link" ("Share" on a phone) and send it. The link holds your pattern and start date, so it opens the same calendar on any phone. Nobody needs an account.
Can I download it to Excel?
Yes. Press "Excel" to download the year as a CSV file that opens in Excel, Google Sheets or Numbers. With "All crews" selected you get one column per crew, ready to print or post for the whole team.