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Working hours, overtime & night-shift rules

State-wise comparison of working-time, overtime and night-shift rules for the five public states (Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Delhi, Telangana). Toggle between the existing regime (Factories Act and the state Shops & Establishments Acts) and the OSH Code, 2020. Every cell cites the source provision.

Direct answer

What are the working-hours, overtime and night-shift rules in India?

Under the OSH Code, 2020 and the existing Factories Act, 1948 and state Shops and Establishments Acts, daily working time is capped at 8 hours and weekly at 48 hours, with a maximum spread-over of 10.5 hours and a weekly day off. Overtime is permitted up to 125 hours per quarter under the OSH Central Rules, 2026 and is paid at twice the ordinary wage rate. Women may be employed for night-shifts (between 7 pm and 6 am) only with their written consent and subject to prescribed safety, transport and welfare conditions. State Shops and Establishments Acts continue to apply to commercial establishments until the corresponding state OSH Rules are notified.

Source:OSH Code, 2020;OSH (Central) Rules, 2026;Factories Act, 1948

Last verified: 11/05/2026

Note: The OSH Central Rules, 2026 are notified; state OSH Rules in most states are still pending notification. For state-sphere establishments, the existing Factories Rules and Shops & Establishments Act continue to apply until the corresponding state OSH Rules are notified.

Jurisdiction / Statute	Daily hours	Weekly hours	Spread-over	Overtime rate	Overtime cap	Night-shift rules for women	Weekly off
Central (Factories Act, 1948)	9 hours Factories Act, 1948 s.54	48 hours Factories Act, 1948 s.51	10.5 hours Factories Act, 1948 s.56	Twice the ordinary rate of wages Factories Act, 1948 s.59	Total hours including overtime not to exceed 60 in a week and 50 in a quarter, subject to state exemptions under s.65 Factories Act, 1948 s.64 and s.65	No woman to work between 7 pm and 6 am, subject to relaxation by the State Government under s.66 Factories Act, 1948 s.66(1)(b)	One day in every week; no worker for more than 10 days without a holiday Factories Act, 1948 s.52
Tamil Nadu (Factories Act + TN Factories Rules, 1950)	9 hours Factories Act, 1948 s.54 as applied in TN	48 hours Factories Act, 1948 s.51	10.5 hours; up to 12 hours with Chief Inspector's permission Factories Act, 1948 s.56 proviso	Twice the ordinary rate of wages Factories Act, 1948 s.59	As per s.64/s.65; TN Government notifications periodically relax overtime quarterly limits for specified industries Factories Act, 1948 s.65; TN exemption notifications	Permitted in IT/ITeS and notified industries with safeguards (transport, consent, security) under state notifications TN Government notifications under Factories Act s.66	One day per week Factories Act, 1948 s.52
Karnataka (Factories Act + KA Factories Rules, 1969)	9 hours Factories Act, 1948 s.54	48 hours Factories Act, 1948 s.51	10.5 hours Factories Act, 1948 s.56	Twice the ordinary rate of wages Factories Act, 1948 s.59	Quarterly overtime cap raised by Karnataka exemption notifications for IT/ITeS and specified sectors Factories Act, 1948 s.65; KA exemption notifications	Permitted with safeguards under Karnataka Government notifications for IT/ITeS, BPO and notified industries KA Government notifications under Factories Act s.66	One day per week Factories Act, 1948 s.52
Maharashtra (Factories Act + MH Factories Rules, 1963)	9 hours Factories Act, 1948 s.54	48 hours Factories Act, 1948 s.51	10.5 hours Factories Act, 1948 s.56	Twice the ordinary rate of wages Factories Act, 1948 s.59	Quarterly cap as per s.65 read with Maharashtra exemption notifications Factories Act, 1948 s.65; MH exemption notifications	Permitted with safeguards prescribed by Maharashtra Government notifications MH Government notifications under Factories Act s.66	One day per week Factories Act, 1948 s.52
Delhi (Factories Act + Delhi Factories Rules, 1950)	9 hours Factories Act, 1948 s.54	48 hours Factories Act, 1948 s.51	10.5 hours Factories Act, 1948 s.56	Twice the ordinary rate of wages Factories Act, 1948 s.59	Quarterly cap as per s.65 read with Delhi exemption notifications Factories Act, 1948 s.65	Permitted with safeguards under Delhi Government notifications for IT/ITeS and notified industries Delhi notifications under Factories Act s.66	One day per week Factories Act, 1948 s.52
Telangana (Factories Act + TG Factories Rules)	9 hours Factories Act, 1948 s.54	48 hours Factories Act, 1948 s.51	10.5 hours Factories Act, 1948 s.56	Twice the ordinary rate of wages Factories Act, 1948 s.59	Quarterly cap as per s.65 read with Telangana exemption notifications Factories Act, 1948 s.65; TG exemption notifications	Permitted with safeguards under Telangana notifications for IT/ITeS and notified industries TG notifications under Factories Act s.66	One day per week Factories Act, 1948 s.52

Jurisdiction / Statute	Daily hours	Weekly hours	Spread-over	Overtime rate	Overtime cap	Night-shift rules for women	Weekly off
Tamil Nadu Shops & Establishments Act, 1947	8 hours, exclusive of meal interval TN S&E Act, 1947 s.14	48 hours TN S&E Act, 1947 s.14	12 hours including interval TN S&E Act, 1947 s.14(2)	Twice the ordinary rate of wages TN S&E Act, 1947 s.31	Overtime not exceeding the limits set by the Act read with notifications TN S&E Act, 1947 s.14 and s.31	Restricted to daytime under the Act; relaxed for IT/ITeS and specified establishments by Tamil Nadu Government notifications with prescribed safeguards TN S&E Act, 1947 s.30; TN notifications	One day's holiday in a week TN S&E Act, 1947 s.13
Karnataka Shops & Commercial Establishments Act, 1961	9 hours KA S&CE Act, 1961 s.7	48 hours KA S&CE Act, 1961 s.7	Not more than 12 hours in any day KA S&CE Act, 1961 s.8	Twice the ordinary rate of wages KA S&CE Act, 1961 s.7 read with rules	Total hours including overtime not to exceed 10 hours in a day and 50 hours in a quarter (subject to state notifications) KA S&CE Act, 1961 s.7; KA exemption notifications for IT/ITeS	Women not required or allowed to work beyond 8 pm; relaxed for IT/ITeS and specified establishments under Karnataka notifications with safeguards (transport, consent, security) KA S&CE Act, 1961 s.25; KA Government notifications	One day in a week KA S&CE Act, 1961 s.10
Maharashtra Shops & Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 2017	9 hours MH S&E (RECS) Act, 2017 s.12	48 hours MH S&E (RECS) Act, 2017 s.12	10.5 hours in any day; up to 12 hours including overtime in special circumstances MH S&E (RECS) Act, 2017 s.13	Twice the ordinary rate of wages MH S&E (RECS) Act, 2017 s.14	Overtime not exceeding 125 hours in a period of 3 months MH S&E (RECS) Act, 2017 s.14	Women may work at night with written consent and prescribed safeguards (transport, security, group of not less than the prescribed number) MH S&E (RECS) Act, 2017 s.13(3) and Maharashtra Rules, 2018	One day per week MH S&E (RECS) Act, 2017 s.16
Delhi Shops & Establishments Act, 1954	9 hours Delhi S&E Act, 1954 s.8	48 hours Delhi S&E Act, 1954 s.8	Not more than 12 hours in any day Delhi S&E Act, 1954 s.8	Twice the ordinary rate of wages Delhi S&E Act, 1954 s.8(2)	Total hours including overtime not to exceed 54 hours in a week; further state notifications apply Delhi S&E Act, 1954 s.8	Women not required to work beyond 9 pm in summer and 8 pm in winter; relaxed for IT/ITeS and specified establishments by Delhi Government notifications with safeguards Delhi S&E Act, 1954 s.14; Delhi notifications	One day's holiday in a week Delhi S&E Act, 1954 s.16
Telangana Shops & Establishments Act, 1988	8 hours TG S&E Act, 1988 s.15	48 hours TG S&E Act, 1988 s.15	12 hours including rest interval TG S&E Act, 1988 s.15	Twice the ordinary rate of wages TG S&E Act, 1988 s.16	Overtime hours subject to caps in the Act read with notifications; relaxed for IT/ITeS by Telangana notifications TG S&E Act, 1988 s.15 and s.16; TG notifications	Permitted in IT/ITeS and notified establishments with safeguards under Telangana Government notifications TG notifications under TG S&E Act, 1988	One day in a week TG S&E Act, 1988 s.16

Jurisdiction / Statute	Daily hours	Weekly hours	Spread-over	Overtime rate	Overtime cap	Night-shift rules for women	Weekly off
OSH Code, 2020 (central baseline)	8 hours, with intervals for rest as prescribed OSH Code, 2020 s.25	As prescribed by the appropriate Government OSH Code, 2020 s.25 and OSH Central Rules, 2026	As prescribed by the appropriate Government OSH Code, 2020 s.25; OSH Central Rules, 2026	Twice the rate of ordinary wages OSH Code, 2020 s.29	Overtime work permitted only with worker's consent; cap to be prescribed by the appropriate Government OSH Code, 2020 s.27 read with s.29 and OSH Central Rules, 2026	Women may work between 7 pm and 6 am only with consent and after the safeguards prescribed by the appropriate Government (safety, holidays, working hours) are met OSH Code, 2020 s.43	One day in a week as prescribed OSH Code, 2020 s.25 and OSH Central Rules, 2026
Tamil Nadu (state sphere)	8 hours per the Code; state rules continue to apply for state-sphere establishments until TN OSH Rules are notified OSH Code, 2020 s.25; existing TN Factories Rules / TN S&E Act until state rules notify	As prescribed; existing TN cap of 48 hours continues until state OSH Rules notify OSH Code, 2020 s.25; TN existing rules	As prescribed by the State Government OSH Code, 2020 s.25	Twice the rate of ordinary wages OSH Code, 2020 s.29	To be prescribed by the State Government under the OSH Code; existing TN exemption notifications continue OSH Code, 2020 s.27; TN exemption notifications	Permitted with consent and safeguards prescribed by the State Government OSH Code, 2020 s.43; TN draft rules	One day per week as prescribed OSH Code, 2020 s.25
Karnataka (state sphere)	8 hours per the Code; KA Factories Rules / KA S&CE Act continue until state OSH Rules notify OSH Code, 2020 s.25; KA existing rules	As prescribed; existing 48-hour cap continues OSH Code, 2020 s.25; KA existing rules	As prescribed by the State Government OSH Code, 2020 s.25	Twice the rate of ordinary wages OSH Code, 2020 s.29	To be prescribed; existing KA exemption notifications continue OSH Code, 2020 s.27	Permitted with consent and safeguards (transport, security) prescribed by the State Government OSH Code, 2020 s.43; KA notifications	One day per week as prescribed OSH Code, 2020 s.25
Maharashtra (state sphere)	8 hours per the Code; MH S&E (RECS) Act 2017 / MH Factories Rules continue until state OSH Rules notify OSH Code, 2020 s.25; MH existing rules	As prescribed; existing 48-hour cap continues OSH Code, 2020 s.25; MH existing rules	As prescribed by the State Government OSH Code, 2020 s.25	Twice the rate of ordinary wages OSH Code, 2020 s.29	To be prescribed; existing MH 125-hour quarterly cap (under the 2017 Act) continues OSH Code, 2020 s.27; MH S&E (RECS) Act, 2017 s.14	Permitted with consent and safeguards prescribed by the State Government OSH Code, 2020 s.43	One day per week as prescribed OSH Code, 2020 s.25
Delhi (state sphere)	8 hours per the Code; Delhi S&E Act 1954 / Delhi Factories Rules continue until state OSH Rules notify OSH Code, 2020 s.25; Delhi existing rules	As prescribed; existing 48-hour cap continues OSH Code, 2020 s.25; Delhi existing rules	As prescribed by the State Government OSH Code, 2020 s.25	Twice the rate of ordinary wages OSH Code, 2020 s.29	To be prescribed; existing Delhi notifications continue OSH Code, 2020 s.27	Permitted with consent and safeguards prescribed by the State Government OSH Code, 2020 s.43	One day per week as prescribed OSH Code, 2020 s.25
Telangana (state sphere)	8 hours per the Code; TG S&E Act 1988 / TG Factories Rules continue until state OSH Rules notify OSH Code, 2020 s.25; TG existing rules	As prescribed; existing 48-hour cap continues OSH Code, 2020 s.25; TG existing rules	As prescribed by the State Government OSH Code, 2020 s.25	Twice the rate of ordinary wages OSH Code, 2020 s.29	To be prescribed; existing TG exemption notifications continue OSH Code, 2020 s.27	Permitted with consent and safeguards prescribed by the State Government OSH Code, 2020 s.43	One day per week as prescribed OSH Code, 2020 s.25

This page is a comparison aid drawn from the cited statutes and rules. Specific applicability depends on the establishment's nature, headcount and state. Read alongside the OSH Code reference and the OSH Central Rules, 2026 page.

Where the cell reads "as prescribed", the actual numerical cap is set by the appropriate Government's rules or notification. Refer to the source PDF in the Downloads hub.