---
kind: "section"
citation: "5 C.F.R. § 551.432"
title: "5"
number: "551.432"
heading: "Sleep time."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/5/551.432"
---

# §551.432. Sleep time.

- (a) Except as provided in [paragraph (b)](#b) of this section, bona fide sleep time that fulfills the following conditions shall not be considered hours of work if:
  - (1) The work shift is 24 hours or more;
  - (2) During such time there are adequate facilities such that an employee may usually enjoy an uninterrupted period of sleep; and
  - (3) **There are at least 5 hours available for such time during the sleep period.**
- (b) For employees engaged in law enforcement or fire protection activities who receive annual premium pay under 5 U.S.C. [5545(c)(1)](/usc/5/5545.md?p=c-1) or [(2)](/usc/5/5545.md?p=c-2), the requirements of [paragraph (a)](#a) of this section apply, except that on-duty sleep time may be excluded from hours of work only if the work shift is more than 24 hours.
- (c) The total amount of bona fide sleep and meal time that may be excluded from hours of work may not exceed 8 hours in a 24-hour period.
- (d) If sleep time is interrupted by a call to duty, the time spent on duty is considered hours of work.
- (e) On-duty sleep and meal time during regularly scheduled hours for which standby duty premium pay under [5 U.S.C. 5545(c)(1)](/usc/5/5545.md?p=c-1) is payable may not be excluded from hours of work.
- (f) For firefighters compensated under [5 U.S.C. 5545b](/usc/5/5545b.md), on-duty sleep and meal time may not be excluded from hours of work.

## Notes

### Amendments

[45 FR 85664, Dec. 30, 1980, as amended at 57 FR 59279, Dec. 15, 1992; 64 FR 69180, Dec. 10, 1999]

### Source

Source: 45 FR 85664, Dec. 30, 1980, unless otherwise noted.

### Authority

Authority: 5 U.S.C. 5542(c); Sec. 4(f) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended by Pub. L. 93-259, 88 Stat. 55 (29 U.S.C. 204f). Link to an amendment published at 91 FR 48238, July 31, 2026.

### Amendments

[45 FR 85664, Dec. 30, 1980, as amended at 57 FR 59279, Dec. 15, 1992; 64 FR 69180, Dec. 10, 1999]