A time card calculator adds your daily clock in and clock out times, minus unpaid breaks, into weekly or biweekly hours. It then splits them into regular and overtime pay using the US federal rule: hours over 40 in a workweek are overtime at 1.5 times your rate. Five days of 9:00 to 5:30 with a 30-minute lunch equals 40.0 hours.
Total hours for the period
Calculations run in your browser. Inputs are not sent to our servers; anything you Save stays in this browser only.
Saved results (0)
How to Use the Time Card Calculator
- For each day you worked, enter the clock in and clock out time as a 24-hour number: 9:00 AM is
900, 1:15 PM is1315, and 5:30 PM is1730. If a shift ends after midnight, enter the next-day time as normal (for example200for 2:00 AM) and the tool adds 24 hours for you. - Enter the unpaid break in minutes for that day, such as 30 for a half-hour lunch. Leave it blank or 0 if the break is paid.
- Fill one week (the first seven rows) for a weekly card, or use the second week of rows for a biweekly card. Add your hourly rate if you want pay. Read the total hours, the regular and overtime split, and gross pay.
What each result tells you:
| Result | What it means |
|---|---|
| Total hours for the period | Every valid day added together, in decimal hours (8h 30m shows as 8.50). |
| Regular hours | Hours paid at your normal rate, capped at 40 per workweek under the federal rule. |
| Overtime hours (1.5x) | Hours over 40 in a workweek, paid at one and a half times your rate. |
| Week 1 / Week 2 total | Each week on its own, because overtime is figured per workweek, not per two-week period. |
| Gross pay | Regular pay plus overtime pay, shown only when you enter an hourly rate. |
What Is a Time Card Calculator?
A time card calculator turns the raw clock in and clock out times on a timesheet into paid hours. It handles the two things that trip people up by hand: converting minutes into decimal hours, and shifts that run past midnight.
It is useful for hourly employees checking a paycheck, managers approving a timesheet, and small business owners running payroll without software. The tool keeps hours and pay separate, so you can total hours alone or add a rate when you want gross pay. For a single start-to-end span without breaks, the plain time calculator is simpler; this page is built for a full weekly or biweekly card.
How a Time Card and Overtime Work
The daily math is straightforward, and the overtime step follows one federal rule.
(clock out - clock in) - unpaid break, converted to decimal hours. Overtime = hours over 40 in a workweek, paid at 1.5x.- Find each day in minutes: clock out minus clock in, minus the unpaid break. If clock out is earlier than clock in, add 24 hours for an overnight shift.
- Divide by 60 to get decimal hours, so 8 hours 30 minutes becomes 8.50.
- Add the days in each workweek. Up to 40 hours a week are regular; anything above 40 is overtime at one and a half times the rate.
- On a biweekly card, each week gets its own 40-hour line, so a heavy week and a light week are not averaged together.
The 40-hour workweek and 1.5x overtime rate come from the US Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), enforced by the Department of Labor. Your rate, hours and breaks are always your own figures.
Time Card Example: a 40-Hour Week
Say you work five days, each from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM, with a 30-minute unpaid lunch.
| Day | In | Out | Break | Day hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon-Fri (each) | 9:00 | 17:30 | 30 min | 8.00 |
| Week total | 40.00 |
Each day is (17.5 - 9.0) - 0.5 = 8.00 hours, so the week is 40.00 hours: all regular, zero overtime.
Now add a sixth day from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM with no break, which is 5.00 hours. The week becomes 45.00 hours: the first 40 are regular and 5.00 are overtime. At a sample rate of $20 an hour, that is 40 x 20 = $800 regular plus 5 x 20 x 1.5 = $150 overtime, for $950 gross. The $20 rate is only an example; use your own.
What Changes Your Weekly Hours and Overtime
A few inputs drive almost every result on the card.
Unpaid Breaks
A 30-minute lunch over five days removes 2.5 hours a week. Enter only unpaid breaks; short paid rest breaks stay in your hours.
Overnight Shifts
A shift from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM crosses midnight. Enter 2200 in and 600 out and the tool adds 24 hours, giving 8.00 hours instead of a negative number.
How the Week Is Split
Overtime is per workweek, so the same 85 hours over two weeks can produce very different overtime depending on how they fall. Two even 42.5-hour weeks give 5 hours of overtime; one 50-hour week and one 35-hour week give 10.
Rounding
Switch on nearest quarter-hour rounding if your employer rounds each day to :00, :15, :30 or :45. The exact setting keeps full minutes.
Daily vs Weekly Overtime and State Rules
This calculator uses the federal weekly rule by default: overtime starts after 40 hours in a workweek. Some states add their own rules on top, and you must follow whichever gives the worker more.
| Rule | When overtime starts | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|
| FLSA weekly (default here) | Over 40 hours in a workweek | Federal floor, all states |
| Daily overtime | Over 8 hours in a single day (and double time over 12 in some cases) | Example: California and a few other states |
| Seventh-consecutive-day rules | Extra premium for working every day in a week | Varies by state |
This tool does not apply daily or seventh-day overtime. If you work in a state with daily overtime, treat the weekly figure here as a starting point and check your state labor department for the exact rule.
When to Use a Time Card Calculator
Checking a Paycheck
Add up your own card before payday and compare the regular and overtime hours with your pay stub. A few rounded minutes a day can add up over a month.
Approving a Timesheet
Managers can total a week quickly, including overnight shifts, before sending hours to payroll.
Quoting Your Own Time
Convert hours to pay with your rate, then compare with an annual figure using the salary to hourly calculator, or dig into premium pay with the overtime pay calculator.
Common Time Card Mistakes
1. Mixing Up 12-Hour and 24-Hour Time
Enter 1:00 PM as 1300, not 100. The HHMM entry avoids AM/PM confusion once you get used to it.
2. Forgetting to Subtract Lunch
An unpaid lunch is not paid time. Leaving the break at 0 overstates your hours and pay.
3. Averaging Two Weeks Together
Overtime is figured per workweek. Adding two weeks and testing against 80 hours can miss overtime owed in the busier week.
4. Assuming Everyone Gets Overtime
Some salaried and other workers are exempt from FLSA overtime. This tool shows the hours; whether overtime is owed depends on your classification.
5. Ignoring State Daily Overtime
In states with daily overtime, hours over 8 in a day can be overtime even if the week is under 40.
Accuracy and Limitations
The arithmetic matches a standard timesheet, so differences from payroll usually come from rounding rules or from pay rules this tool does not model.
What it calculates accurately
- Daily hours from clock in, clock out and unpaid break
- Overnight shifts that cross midnight
- Weekly and biweekly totals in decimal hours
- FLSA regular and 1.5x overtime split per workweek, with optional pay
What it does not account for
- Daily or seventh-day overtime in states that require it
- Double time, shift differentials and premium pay
- Whether a worker is exempt from overtime
- Taxes, deductions and your employer own rounding policy
How We Calculate Your Time Card
Frequently Asked Questions About Time Cards
How do I enter clock in and clock out times?
Use 24-hour time as a single number: 9:00 AM is 900, noon is 1200, 1:15 PM is 1315 and 5:30 PM is 1730. The tool reads the last two digits as minutes.
How does the calculator handle a shift past midnight?
If the clock out time is earlier than the clock in time, the tool treats the shift as overnight and adds 24 hours. A 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM shift counts as 8 hours.
When does overtime start?
Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, overtime starts after 40 hours in a workweek and is paid at 1.5 times your regular rate. Some states also require daily overtime, which this tool does not add.
How is overtime split on a biweekly time card?
Each week is measured on its own against 40 hours, not the two weeks against 80. A 45-hour week and a 35-hour week give 5 hours of overtime, not zero.
Do I have to enter my pay rate?
No. Leave the rate blank to total hours only. Enter an hourly rate and the tool adds regular pay, overtime pay at 1.5x, and gross pay. The rate is always your own figure.
Should I subtract my lunch break?
Subtract unpaid breaks only. Enter the unpaid minutes in the break field for that day. Paid rest breaks stay in your hours, so leave them out.
What is quarter-hour rounding?
Some employers round each day to the nearest 15 minutes (:00, :15, :30, :45). Switch on nearest quarter-hour rounding to match that; the exact setting keeps full minutes.
Does everyone get overtime pay?
No. Some salaried and other workers are exempt from FLSA overtime. This calculator shows the hours over 40; whether overtime is owed depends on your job classification and your employer.
Is my information saved?
No. The calculation runs in your browser and nothing is sent to our servers. Anything you choose to Save stays in this browser only.
Sources
- Overtime Pay (US Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, accessed October 5, 2026).
- Wages: Overtime Pay (US Department of Labor, accessed October 5, 2026).
- Fact Sheet #23: Overtime Pay Requirements of the FLSA (US Department of Labor, accessed October 5, 2026).
- 29 CFR Part 778: Overtime Compensation (Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, accessed October 5, 2026).
Related Guides
Related Calculators
Working out pay as well as hours?
Explore all finance calculatorsThis time card calculator gives educational estimates only. Overtime rules vary by state and employer, and some workers are exempt from overtime. It is not legal, tax or payroll advice. Rates and local rules vary, so confirm your hours and pay with your employer and your state labor rules. Spotted an error? Let us know.
Author
Shakeel Muzaffar is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of MultiCalculators.com, bringing over 15 years of experience in digital publishing, product strategy, and online tool development. He leads the platform's editorial vision, ensuring every calculator meets strict standards for accuracy, usability, and real-world value. Shakeel personally oversees content quality, formula verification workflows, and the platform's commitment to publishing tools that are genuinely useful for students, professionals, and everyday users worldwide.
