The 4 on 3 off schedule has you work four days, then take three off, on a seven-day cycle that lines up with the calendar week. On 10-hour shifts it lands at exactly 40 hours a week with a standing three-day weekend. Choose your start date above to see your work and off days as a printable calendar.
The 4 on 3 off rotation
Unlike most rotations, 4 on 3 off uses a seven-day cycle, so it stays fixed to the week: if you work Monday through Thursday this week, you do every week, with Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off. That predictability is the whole appeal — a permanent three-day weekend without the drifting pattern of an eight- or fourteen-day rotation.
It is most often run on four 10-hour shifts (the classic "4/10"), which is why it totals a clean 40 hours. Police departments are the best-known adopters; the 4/10 is a fixture of patrol scheduling because three teams on staggered four-on-three-off patterns can blanket the week.
Hours and who works it
Four 10-hour days is 40 hours a week, full-time with no built-in overtime — a key difference from the 12-hour rotations that average 42. If your employer runs 4 on 3 off on 12-hour shifts instead, the same pattern becomes 48 hours a week, so check your shift length. Beyond policing, you'll find it in IT and network operations, maintenance crews, warehousing, and customer-support centres that want extended daily coverage without night-and-day rotation.
Worked example
With a Monday start, you work Monday–Thursday and take Friday–Sunday off, then repeat the identical week indefinitely. Three crews can cover all seven days: one off Fri–Sun, another off Mon–Wed, a third off mid-week, so the building is always staffed. Set your start date above to confirm your own three-day weekend.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| A fixed three-day weekend every single week | 10-hour days are longer than a standard 8 |
| Exactly 40 hours — no creeping overtime (on 4/10) | Needs three teams for full 24/7 cover |
| Lines up with the calendar week, easy to plan | Fewer total days off than 12-hour rotations |
Frequently asked questions
How many hours is a 4 on 3 off schedule?
On 10-hour shifts it's 40 hours a week; on 12-hour shifts the same pattern is 48.
Is the weekend always off on 4 on 3 off?
It can be. Because the cycle is exactly seven days, your three off days stay on the same weekdays every week — set those to Friday–Sunday and the weekend is permanent.
Why do police use the 4/10 schedule?
Ten-hour shifts overlap at the busiest times and three teams on staggered four-on-three-off patterns cover all seven days, while officers keep a standing three-day weekend.
How do I calculate pay for these shifts?
Map the days here, then enter your in/out times into the time card calculator for hours, breaks, and any overtime.