How to use the time card calculator
- Hourly rate ($): what you earn per hour. Leave it blank to see hours only.
- Overtime after (hours per week) is 40 by default. Daily overtime after (hours per day) is optional. Overtime multiplier is 1.5 for time and a half.
- For each day enter In, Out and Lunch (min), the unpaid break. For a split shift also fill In 2 and Out 2; the gap is unpaid and Lunch is ignored.
- Read the table and pay summary. They update as you type and stay in this browser only. Clear times empties the grid.
How the hours and overtime are worked out
A day's time is Out minus In, minus Lunch. If Out is earlier than In the shift crosses midnight, so 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM is 8 hours. The week runs Monday to Sunday. Regular hours are the first 40 (or your weekly threshold) and the rest are overtime. Gross pay = regular hours x rate + overtime hours x rate x multiplier, to the cent.
The Department of Labor overtime fact sheet says covered employees get at least one and one-half times their regular rate for hours over 40 in a fixed 168-hour workweek. Federal law has no daily overtime, but California pays 1.5 times after 8 hours in a day and double time after 12 (DIR overtime FAQ). With a daily threshold set, hours past it count as overtime first, then regular hours past the weekly threshold.
Worked example
The page opens with this week: rate $20.00, overtime after 40 hours, Monday to Friday In 8:00 AM, Out 5:30 PM, Lunch 30 minutes. Each day is 9:00 (9.00 hrs). The week totals 45.00 hrs (45:00): 40.00 hrs regular is $800.00, and 5.00 hrs overtime at $20.00 x 1.5 = $30.00 is $150.00. Gross pay is $950.00.
Limits and edge cases
- Gross pay is before taxes. For take-home pay use the paycheck calculator, and for a yearly figure the hourly to salary calculator.
- The legal "regular rate" includes non-discretionary bonuses and shift differentials. This tool uses only the rate you type.
- Breaks of 20 minutes or less are normally paid, while meal periods of 30 minutes or more usually are not (DOL fact sheet 22). Put only unpaid time in Lunch.
- If your employer rounds punches, enter the rounded times; rounding is accepted only if it averages out (29 CFR 785.48). California double time and seventh-day rules are not calculated.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate hours worked on a time card?
Subtract the In time from the Out time, then subtract unpaid lunch. For example, 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM is 9 hours 30 minutes, and with a 30-minute lunch that is 9 hours. Add the days for the week.
How do I convert minutes to decimal hours for payroll?
Divide the minutes by 60. Fifteen minutes is 0.25 hours, 30 minutes is 0.50, 45 minutes is 0.75, and 20 minutes is 0.33. The Decimal hours column shows every day this way.
How is overtime calculated on a time card?
Under federal law, hours over 40 in a workweek are paid at one and one-half times the regular rate. For example, 45 hours at $20 an hour is 40 x $20 plus 5 x $30, which is $950.
How do I enter a shift that crosses midnight?
Enter the real start in In and the real end in Out, for example 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM. When Out is earlier than In, the calculator counts the shift into the next day, so that example is 8 hours before lunch.
Sources: U.S. Department of Labor, Fact Sheet #23; Fact Sheet #22; California DIR overtime FAQ; 29 CFR 785.48. Checked October 2026.