Work Hours Calculator: Free Time Card and Overtime Tool

Enter times

Add start and end times for each day.

Add breaks

Type unpaid minutes or set an auto lunch.

Read totals

See hh:mm, decimal hours, overtime, and pay.

How to Calculate Work Hours With This Tool

Work hours are the time between clocking in and clocking out, minus unpaid breaks. Type a start time and an end time for each day. Then add your break in minutes. The totals update as you type.

Pick a start and end time for each day you worked.
Enter unpaid break minutes, such as 30 for lunch.
Choose your overtime rule and, if you want pay, an hourly rate.
Read your total in hh:mm and decimal hours.

The grid covers seven days, Monday through Sunday. Use it for one workweek at a time. Press Try an example to see a full week fill in.

What the Calculator Handles

Overnight shifts. If the end time is earlier than the start time, the tool adds a day. The shift counts on the day you entered the start.
Auto lunch. Set a number of minutes, and the tool deducts them on any shift longer than 5 hours where you left the break blank.
Rounding. Start and end times round to the nearest 5, 6, or 15 minutes before the tool subtracts.
Weekly target. Enter a goal, and a progress bar shows how many hours remain.
Exports. Copy a one-line summary, print the page, or download a CSV of the week.

Hours and Minutes to Decimal Hours

Payroll systems multiply decimal hours by a pay rate. To convert minutes, divide by 60. These values come up most.

Minutes	Decimal hours	Minutes	Decimal hours
6	0.10	36	0.60
15	0.25	45	0.75
20	0.33	50	0.83
30	0.50	54	0.90

Say you worked 41 hours 15 minutes at $20 an hour. 15 ÷ 60 is 0.25, so the total is 41.25 hours. Multiply by $20 for $825 before overtime. If overtime applies after 40 hours, the extra 1.25 hours pay at 1.5 times your rate. That gives $800 + $37.50, or $837.50. The decimal hours guide has a longer chart and spreadsheet formulas.

How the Overtime Rules Work

The Fair Labor Standards Act requires overtime pay of at least 1.5 times the regular rate after 40 hours in a workweek for covered, non-exempt employees. Some states add daily rules, and employers may offer more than the law requires. The tool gives you four choices.

Rule	What the tool does
Weekly	Regular hours above your weekly limit (40 by default) become overtime
Daily	Hours above your daily limit (8 by default) become overtime
Daily and weekly	Daily overtime comes out first. Then regular hours above the weekly limit join overtime, so no hour counts twice
No overtime	Every hour pays at the regular rate

The weekly vs. daily overtime guide compares the rules with examples. The overtime pay guide shows how bonuses change the regular rate.

Rounding Clock Times

Some employers round punches to the nearest 5, 6, or 15 minutes. Under the 7 minute rule, a punch up to 7 minutes after a quarter hour rounds down, and 8 or more minutes rounds up. Federal rules allow rounding only when it does not shortchange workers over time. Run a week once with rounding off and once with it on to see the difference. The 7 minute rule guide explains how to judge fairness.

Tips for Accurate Results

Copy times exactly as they appear on your time card or punch report, including the am or pm.
Enter unpaid breaks only. Paid rest breaks stay in your hours.
Choose the overtime rule that matches your job. Most U.S. hourly workers use the weekly rule after 40 hours.
Turn on rounding only if your employer rounds punches.
Compare the total with your pay stub. If the two differ by more than a few minutes, ask payroll to explain.

What This Calculator Does Not Do

I built the tool to be simple and checkable by hand, so it has limits. It does not adjust for daylight saving time. It uses one overtime multiplier, so it cannot show double time after 12 hours in California. It does not add bonuses or shift differentials to the regular rate. It shows gross pay before taxes and deductions. If a start and end time are identical, it reads the shift as 24 hours. Treat each result as a careful estimate. The method section on the About page lists every rule.

Guides That Go With the Calculator

These guides explain the reasoning behind each number.

Back to the homepage or browse all guides. Results are estimates and general information, not legal or payroll advice.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I calculate work hours with a lunch break?

Subtract the break from the time between your start and end. A shift from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm with a 30 minute lunch is 8 hours of work.

How do I convert hours and minutes to decimal hours?

Divide the minutes by 60 and add the whole hours. For example, 7 hours 45 minutes is 7 + 45/60, which equals 7.75 hours.

Can this calculator handle overnight shifts?

Yes. If your end time is earlier than your start time, the calculator treats the shift as crossing midnight. A 10:00 pm to 6:00 am shift counts as 8 hours before breaks. The shift is placed on the day you entered the start time.

When does overtime start?

In the United States, the Fair Labor Standards Act sets overtime at 1.5 times the regular rate after 40 hours in a workweek for most non-exempt employees. Some states and employers also use daily limits. Pick the rule that matches your job.

Does the calculator save my times?

It saves your entries in your own browser so they are there when you return. Nothing is sent to a server. Clearing your browser data removes them.

What is the 7 minute rule?

It is a rounding method that rounds clock times to the nearest quarter hour. Pick the 15 minute option in Rounding to use it. Federal rules allow rounding only if it averages out fairly over time.

Why does my result differ from my pay stub?

Your employer may round punches, add shift differentials or bonuses to the regular rate, or follow state rules this tool cannot see. The tool also shows gross pay before taxes. Compare the hours first, then the rate.