How this time card calculator works
For each day the calculator subtracts your start time from your end time, takes off any unpaid break, and adds the days into a weekly total. It then splits the total into regular and overtime hours and, if you enter an hourly rate, works out gross pay, which is your pay before taxes.
- Daily hours. End time minus start time minus unpaid break. A shift that ends at an earlier clock time than it started is treated as ending the next day.
- Overtime. Each 7-day workweek is figured on its own. Hours over the weekly limit, 40 by default, are overtime, and so are hours over your optional daily limit.
- Pay. Regular hours at your rate plus overtime hours at your rate times the multiplier, 1.5 by default.
Hours worked = end time - start time - unpaid break
Worked examples
Minutes to decimal hours
Payroll often needs decimal hours, which are minutes divided by 60. The calculator shows both forms for every day.
| Minutes | Decimal hours | Minutes | Decimal hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 0.08 | 35 | 0.58 |
| 10 | 0.17 | 40 | 0.67 |
| 15 | 0.25 | 45 | 0.75 |
| 20 | 0.33 | 50 | 0.83 |
| 25 | 0.42 | 55 | 0.92 |
| 30 | 0.50 | 60 | 1.00 |
Which breaks are unpaid?
The U.S. Department of Labor says short rest breaks, usually 20 minutes or less, are customarily paid and must be counted as hours worked. A bona fide meal period, typically 30 minutes or more, generally does not have to be paid, but only if you are completely relieved of duty during it. Enter only unpaid minutes in the break box. If you work through lunch, leave it at 0.
Assumptions and limits
- Times are used as entered. The calculator does not round punches to the nearest 5, 6 or 15 minutes the way some employers do, so your employer's total can differ slightly.
- Workweeks are counted as 7 days in the order shown, Monday to Sunday. Your employer sets its own workweek.
- Overtime follows the federal 40-hour rule unless you change it. Holiday, night-shift and other premiums, and California double time, are not modeled.
- Gross pay is before taxes. For take-home pay, use the paycheck calculator.
- Exempt employees are generally not owed overtime. See exempt vs non-exempt overtime.
Sources
Rules reviewed October 2026 against: U.S. Department of Labor, Fact Sheet #22: Hours Worked Under the FLSA; U.S. Department of Labor, Fact Sheet #23: Overtime Pay Requirements of the FLSA. State rules differ, so confirm yours with your state labor department.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate hours on a time card?
For each day, subtract the start time from the end time, then subtract any unpaid break. For example, 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM with a 30-minute unpaid lunch is 8 hours. Add the days together for your total hours.
How do I calculate a time card with a lunch break?
Enter the length of the unpaid lunch in the break box for that day. The calculator subtracts it from the shift. Only unpaid time should be entered there, because paid rest breaks count as hours worked.
How do I convert minutes to decimal hours?
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 calculator shows both hours and minutes and decimal hours for every day.
How do I calculate a night shift that goes past midnight?
Enter the real start and end times, such as 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM. When the end time is earlier than the start time, the calculator treats the shift as ending the next day, so 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM with a 30-minute break is 7.5 hours.
How is overtime calculated on a time card?
Under federal law, non-exempt employees earn at least 1.5 times their regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. This calculator adds up each 7-day week separately, so a short week does not cancel out overtime in a long week. Some states also count daily overtime, which you can set above.