Hours Calculator
Calculate how many hours you worked between a start and end time. Deduct unpaid breaks, apply a rounding rule used by payroll systems, and optionally calculate gross pay split into regular and overtime hours. Night shifts that cross midnight are handled automatically.
Formula
Worked example
09:00 to 17:00 is 480 minutes. Subtract a 30-minute lunch break: 450 minutes. Rounded to the nearest 15 minutes: 450 minutes (no change). 450 / 60 = 7.5 hours. At $20/hour with an 8-hour threshold, all 7.5 hours are regular pay: 7.5 x $20 = $150 gross.
How the hours are counted
The calculator converts both times to minutes past midnight, subtracts the start from the end, and divides by 60. If the end time is earlier than the start time the shift is assumed to run overnight, so 24 hours are added before subtracting. For example, 22:00 to 06:00 correctly returns 8 hours. Any unpaid breaks entered are then deducted from the raw duration before the division.
Decimal hours versus hours and minutes
Payroll systems work in decimal hours because pay equals rate multiplied by decimal hours. The calculator shows both formats: the decimal figure for multiplying by a rate, and the familiar hours-and-minutes format for checking at a glance. Thirty minutes is 0.5 hours, fifteen minutes is 0.25, and ten minutes is approximately 0.167. If your employer uses a 6-minute (0.1-hour) rounding rule, every 6-minute block becomes exactly 0.1 hours, which keeps timesheet arithmetic clean.
Rounding rules in payroll
Many employers round start and end times to the nearest 5, 10, or 15 minutes before calculating pay, and US law (the Fair Labor Standards Act) allows this provided the practice does not consistently favor the employer. The most common rule is nearest-15-minute rounding using the 7-minute principle: 1-7 minutes rounds down, 8-14 minutes rounds up. A 6-minute rule is equivalent to rounding to the nearest tenth of an hour (0.1 h), which some payroll software uses. Select the rule your employer uses for an accurate pay estimate.
Overtime calculation
Once you enable pay, the calculator splits hours into regular and overtime. In the US, the FLSA requires overtime pay of at least 1.5x the regular rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek, though some states (California, Colorado, Alaska) also require daily overtime after 8 hours. The calculator defaults to 8 hours per day and 1.5x; change these to match your contract or jurisdiction. Salaried exempt employees are generally not entitled to overtime under the FLSA, but non-exempt hourly workers are.
Using the weekly timesheet view
Switch on the schedule table to see your shift repeated across all 7 days. This gives you a quick total for a standard work week and a rough weekly gross pay estimate. Real timesheets rarely repeat the same hours every day, so treat this as a planning tool and adjust your individual day totals manually. For a 5-day, 8-hour work week the total will be 40 hours and your weekly gross will be rate multiplied by 40.
Common shift durations at a glance
| Shift | Gross time | After 30-min break | Decimal hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part-time | 4h 00m | 3h 30m | 3.50 |
| Standard | 8h 00m | 7h 30m | 7.50 |
| 9-to-5 | 8h 00m | 7h 30m | 7.50 |
| Long day | 10h 00m | 9h 30m | 9.50 |
| 12-hour shift | 12h 00m | 11h 30m | 11.50 |
| Overnight (8h) | 8h 00m | 7h 30m | 7.50 |
Net hours after a 30-minute unpaid break, no rounding.
Frequently asked questions
Does it handle shifts that cross midnight?
Yes. If the end time is before the start time, the calculator adds 24 hours automatically, so an overnight shift from 22:00 to 06:00 correctly returns 8 hours. No date input is needed because all overnight shifts are assumed to fit within one 24-hour period.
How do I convert minutes to decimal hours?
Divide the number of minutes by 60. Fifteen minutes is 0.25 hours, thirty minutes is 0.5, forty-five minutes is 0.75. The calculator shows both the decimal and the hours-and-minutes format so you can cross-check easily.
Is the pay before or after tax?
It is gross pay: hours multiplied by your rate, before any taxes, pension contributions or other deductions. Your take-home pay will be lower. For an accurate net figure, apply your effective tax rate to the gross total.
What rounding rule should I use?
Use whichever rule your employer states in your contract. The most common in the US is nearest-15-minute rounding. If you are unsure, leave it on "No rounding" for the exact figure, then switch to the rule to see the difference.
When does overtime apply?
Under the US Fair Labor Standards Act, overtime applies to non-exempt workers once they exceed 40 hours in a workweek, at a minimum rate of 1.5x. Several US states also require daily overtime after 8 hours. The threshold and multiplier inputs let you match your specific situation.
Can I calculate hours for a full week?
The weekly schedule table repeats your shift across 7 days so you can see a full-week total instantly. For varied daily hours, use the calculator once per day and add the daily totals together.