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Overtime Calculator
Enter your hourly rate and the hours you worked each day to see your overtime pay. Choose federal rules (over 40 hours a week) or California rules (daily overtime, double time and the seventh-day rule).
Estimate only. This uses one hourly rate. Your real regular rate can include shift differentials and some bonuses.
How to use the overtime calculator
- Enter your regular hourly rate. This is your normal pay per hour, before overtime.
- Choose the rules. Pick Federal if you only get overtime after 40 hours in a week. Pick California if you work in California and want daily overtime and double time included.
- Enter the hours you worked each day. Use decimals: 8.5 is 8 hours and 30 minutes. Leave days off at 0.
- Press Calculate overtime. You will see regular, overtime and double-time hours, the pay for each, and your total gross pay for the week.
How do you calculate overtime pay?
Follow three steps:
- Add up your hours for the workweek. Hours above 40 are overtime under federal law.
- Find your overtime rate. Multiply your regular hourly rate by 1.5. At $20 an hour, the overtime rate is $30.
- Add the two parts. Regular pay is your regular hours times your rate. Overtime pay is your overtime hours times your overtime rate. Your total is the sum.
Formula: Total pay = (regular hours × rate) + (overtime hours × rate × 1.5)
For example, 45 hours at $20: regular pay is 40 × $20 = $800. Overtime pay is 5 × $30 = $150. The total is $950.
Overtime examples
These examples use the same formulas as the calculator. California rows include daily overtime and double time. All use a $20 regular rate and show pay before taxes.
| Rule | Schedule | Regular hrs | Overtime hrs | Double time hrs | Rate | Weekly pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal rule | 5 days x 9 hours | 40 | 5 | 0 | $20.00 | $950.00 |
| Federal rule | 4 days x 10 hours | 40 | 0 | 0 | $20.00 | $800.00 |
| California | 4 days x 10 hours | 32 | 8 | 0 | $20.00 | $880.00 |
| California | One 14-hour day, 4 days x 8 | 32 | 4 | 2 | $20.00 | $840.00 |
| California | 7 days x 8 hours | 40 | 16 | 0 | $20.00 | $1,280.00 |
Compare the second and third rows. Four 10-hour days add up to 40 hours, so federal law gives no overtime and the pay is $800. In California the same schedule has 2 overtime hours each day, so the week pays $880. Daily overtime is the big difference between the two sets of rules.
What does time and a half mean?
Time and a half means you are paid 1.5 times your regular hourly rate. If you earn $16 an hour, your time-and-a-half rate is $16 × 1.5 = $24 an hour. Double time means 2 times your rate, so $32 an hour in the same example. The table shows the rates for common hourly wages.
| Regular rate | Time and a half (1.5x) | Double time (2x) |
|---|---|---|
| $12 | $18.00 | $24.00 |
| $15 | $22.50 | $30.00 |
| $18 | $27.00 | $36.00 |
| $20 | $30.00 | $40.00 |
| $25 | $37.50 | $50.00 |
| $30 | $45.00 | $60.00 |
| $40 | $60.00 | $80.00 |
Time and a half pay chart by overtime hours
Use this chart to see how much overtime (OT) pay you earn at common hourly rates. The amount is the overtime hours multiplied by your time-and-a-half rate, and it is paid on top of your regular pay.
| Regular rate | Time and a half rate | 2 OT hours | 5 OT hours | 8 OT hours | 10 OT hours | 15 OT hours | 20 OT hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $15.00 | $22.50 | $45.00 | $112.50 | $180.00 | $225.00 | $337.50 | $450.00 |
| $18.00 | $27.00 | $54.00 | $135.00 | $216.00 | $270.00 | $405.00 | $540.00 |
| $20.00 | $30.00 | $60.00 | $150.00 | $240.00 | $300.00 | $450.00 | $600.00 |
| $25.00 | $37.50 | $75.00 | $187.50 | $300.00 | $375.00 | $562.50 | $750.00 |
| $30.00 | $45.00 | $90.00 | $225.00 | $360.00 | $450.00 | $675.00 | $900.00 |
How many overtime hours do you have in a 45, 50 or 60 hour week?
Under the federal rule, overtime hours are your total hours minus 40. A 45-hour week has 5 overtime hours, a 50-hour week has 10 and a 60-hour week has 20. The table shows the pay for each week at $20 an hour, spread over five equal days.
| Hours worked in the week | Regular hours | Overtime hours | Weekly pay at $20/hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 hours | 40 | 0 | $800.00 |
| 45 hours | 40 | 5 | $950.00 |
| 48 hours (4 x 12-hour shifts) | 40 | 8 | $1,040.00 |
| 50 hours | 40 | 10 | $1,100.00 |
| 55 hours | 40 | 15 | $1,250.00 |
| 60 hours | 40 | 20 | $1,400.00 |
A 48-hour week from four 12-hour shifts has 8 overtime hours under the federal rule. In California the same week would also trigger daily overtime and double time, so switch the calculator to California rules to compare.
What is OT, and how do I calculate OT hours?
OT is short for overtime. Your OT hours are the hours you work beyond what the rules call regular time. Under federal law that means every hour over 40 in a workweek. To find your OT hours, add up the hours you worked in the week and subtract 40. To find OT pay, multiply those hours by 1.5 times your hourly rate. If you need to total your hours first, use the Work Hours Calculator for one day or the Time Card Calculator for the whole week.
How does federal overtime work?
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is the main US federal wage law. It requires employers to pay covered non-exempt employees at least 1.5 times their regular rate for each hour over 40 in a workweek. A few points that people often get wrong:
- The workweek is a fixed 168-hour period. It is seven days in a row, and your employer picks the start day and time. It does not have to be Monday.
- Each week stands alone. You cannot average two weeks. Working 30 hours one week and 50 the next means 10 hours of overtime, not zero.
- There is no federal daily overtime. A 12-hour day does not create overtime by itself if your week stays at or below 40 hours.
- There is no federal weekend or holiday premium. Working on Saturday or a holiday only counts as overtime if it pushes your week over 40 hours, unless your employer or contract adds a premium.
- Paid time off usually does not count. Hours you are paid for but do not work, such as vacation or sick leave, generally do not count toward the 40 hours.
Which states have daily overtime?
States can add their own rules, and when a state rule gives you more than the federal rule, the state rule applies to you. A few states, including California, Alaska, Nevada and Colorado, have some form of daily overtime. The details differ a lot from state to state. Some apply only to certain workers, certain wages or certain hours. Check your state labor department's website before you rely on a result, and use California mode in this calculator only if California law applies to your job.
How does California overtime work?
California has some of the strictest overtime rules in the country. For most non-exempt employees, the California Department of Industrial Relations explains these rules. For a California-only calculator with meal break premiums, see the California Overtime Calculator.
- 1.5 times the regular rate for hours worked over 8 in a workday, up to 12 hours.
- 1.5 times the regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek.
- 1.5 times the regular rate for the first 8 hours worked on the seventh consecutive day of work in a workweek.
- Double time (2 times the regular rate) for hours worked over 12 in a workday.
- Double time for hours over 8 on the seventh consecutive day of work in a workweek.
Our California mode applies those daily, weekly and seventh-day rules. Hours that were already paid as daily overtime are not counted again toward the weekly 40. There are exceptions for certain industries and agreements, such as some alternative workweek schedules, so your real pay may be different.
Do salaried employees get overtime?
It depends on whether the job is exempt. An employee who is paid a salary and also meets the duties test for an exempt role, such as many executive, administrative and professional jobs, does not get overtime. Being paid a salary is not enough by itself. If a salaried employee is non-exempt, overtime is owed. To use this calculator for a non-exempt salaried employee, first find the hourly rate by dividing the weekly salary by the hours the salary is meant to cover, usually 40. For example, $1,000 a week for 40 hours is $25 an hour.
What counts as your regular rate?
Overtime is based on your regular rate of pay, not always your base hourly wage. The regular rate can include some extra pay, such as shift differentials, commissions and non-discretionary bonuses, but it leaves out things like gifts and some discretionary bonuses. If you get more than one hourly rate, your regular rate is usually a weighted average. This calculator uses the single hourly rate you enter, so it is an estimate.
Is overtime taxed more?
No. Overtime pay is taxed as ordinary wages. It can look like more tax is taken out because the larger paycheck may be withheld at a higher rate on that one check. Your total tax for the year is based on your total income, not on whether some of it was overtime. To see what a bigger check looks like after tax, enter your gross pay from this page into our Paycheck Calculator.
Common overtime mistakes
- Using the pay period instead of the workweek. Overtime is figured per workweek, even if you are paid every two weeks.
- Forgetting unpaid meal breaks. A bona fide unpaid lunch does not count as hours worked. Use our Work Hours Calculator to get your daily hours right first.
- Writing minutes as a decimal. 7 hours 45 minutes is 7.75 hours, not 7.45.
- Mixing up the multiplier. Time and a half is 1.5, and double time is 2. Do not add 1.5 to your rate, multiply it.
- Assuming comp time replaces overtime. Private employers generally cannot give you time off instead of overtime pay under federal law.
What if you think you were not paid overtime?
Start with your own records: the dates, start and end times and breaks. Compare them with your pay stubs. Our Time Card Calculator can total the week from your clock-in and clock-out times. Ask your payroll or HR department about any gap. If the problem is not fixed, you can contact the Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor or your state labor agency. There are time limits for claims, so do not wait too long.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate overtime pay?
Multiply your regular hourly rate by 1.5 to get the overtime rate, then multiply that by your overtime hours and add it to your regular pay. For example, 45 hours at $20 an hour is 40 x $20 plus 5 x $30, which is $950.
How is overtime calculated in the USA?
Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, most non-exempt employees must be paid at least 1.5 times their regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. Some states, such as California, also require overtime after a certain number of hours in a day.
What is time and a half?
Time and a half means 1.5 times your regular hourly rate. At $16 an hour, time and a half is $24 an hour.
How many overtime hours is a 50-hour week?
Under the federal rule, a 50-hour week has 10 overtime hours (50 minus 40). At $20 an hour, that is 40 regular hours at $20 plus 10 overtime hours at $30, which is $1,100 before taxes.
What does OT mean on a paycheck?
OT means overtime. It is the pay for hours worked beyond the regular limit, usually hours over 40 in a workweek, at 1.5 times the regular hourly rate.
What is double time?
Double time means 2 times your regular hourly rate. Federal law does not require it, but California requires it after 12 hours in a workday and after 8 hours on the seventh consecutive day of work in a workweek. Some employers and contracts also offer it.
Does overtime start after 8 hours or 40 hours?
Under federal law it starts after 40 hours in a workweek. Some states, including California, also pay overtime after 8 hours in a single day. Check your state's rules.
Is overtime calculated daily or weekly?
Federal overtime is calculated weekly. California calculates both daily and weekly, plus a seventh-day rule. This calculator has a mode for each.
Do salaried employees get overtime?
Only if they are non-exempt. Being paid a salary does not make a job exempt. Exempt status depends on the salary level and the kind of duties the employee performs.
Is overtime pay taxed at a higher rate?
No. Overtime is taxed as regular income. A paycheck with overtime can have more withheld because the check is larger, but your real tax for the year depends on your total income.
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Sources and further reading
- U.S. Department of Labor: Fact Sheet #23, Overtime Pay Requirements of the FLSA
- U.S. Department of Labor: Fact Sheet #22, Hours Worked Under the FLSA
- California Department of Industrial Relations: Overtime FAQ
This calculator gives estimates for information only. It is not financial, tax, legal or medical advice. Found a mistake? Tell us and we will fix it.