Hours calculator
Type a start time and an end time and the calculator gives you the hours and minutes between them, as a decimal and as h:mm. Subtract an unpaid break, add as many time ranges as you need and get a total. End times earlier than the start are treated as the next day, so night shifts work. Add an hourly rate if you want pay. Nothing leaves your browser.
An end time earlier than the start time is treated as the next day. Unpaid breaks are subtracted; paid breaks are not.
How to use this calculator
- Enter the start time and the end time for the first range. Use the clock picker or type the time; AM and PM follow your device setting.
- If you took an unpaid break, enter its length in minutes. Tick Paid break if your employer pays for it, and it will not be subtracted.
- Add another time range for a second shift, a split shift or another day. Remove rows with the ✕.
- Read the total in decimal hours (for timesheets and payroll) and in hours and minutes.
- Enter an hourly rate if you want a pay estimate for the hours shown.
- Export a CSV for a spreadsheet or print the list for your records.
How to calculate hours between two times
Convert both times to minutes since midnight, subtract the start from the end, then divide by 60. 8:15 AM is 495 minutes and 4:45 PM is 1,005 minutes, so the difference is 510 minutes, which is 8.5 hours. If the end time is smaller than the start time, add 24 hours first: 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM is (360 + 1,440) minus 1,320, which is 480 minutes, or 8 hours.
To write the result as a decimal, divide the leftover minutes by 60. 7 hours 20 minutes is 7 + 20/60, which is 7.33 hours. Payroll systems use decimals; people read h:mm. The calculator shows both.
Which breaks come out of the total
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, short rest breaks of roughly 5 to 20 minutes are hours worked and must be paid (29 CFR 785.18). A bona fide meal period, ordinarily 30 minutes or more, is not work time only if you are completely relieved of duty (29 CFR 785.19). Eating at your desk while answering the phone is work time.
That is why the calculator has both a break length and a paid-break tick box. Enter the break, leave it unpaid to subtract it, or mark it paid to keep it in the total.
Rounding and the 7-minute rule
Many time clocks round punches to the nearest quarter hour. Federal rules allow rounding to the nearest 5 minutes, tenth of an hour or quarter hour, provided it does not, over time, fail to pay for all time actually worked (29 CFR 785.48(b)). This calculator uses your exact times. If your employer rounds, compare the exact total here with your pay stub; the time card calculator can apply the rounding for you and show the difference.
When hours turn into overtime
Federal law requires overtime at one and one half times the regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek (29 U.S.C. 207). This page adds up hours and does not apply overtime rules. For a full week with overtime, daily thresholds in states that have them, and gross pay, use the time card calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate hours worked between two times?
Subtract the start time from the end time. The easiest way is to convert both to minutes since midnight, subtract, then divide by 60. Subtract any unpaid break. 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM with a 30-minute lunch is 510 minutes minus 30, which is 480 minutes or 8 hours.
How do I convert minutes to decimal hours?
Divide the minutes by 60. 15 minutes is 0.25, 20 minutes is 0.33, 30 minutes is 0.5, 45 minutes is 0.75. So 7 hours 45 minutes is 7.75 hours. The calculator shows the decimal and h:mm for every row and for the total.
Does the calculator handle overnight shifts?
Yes. If the end time is earlier than or equal to the start time, it is treated as the next day. 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM is 8 hours.
Can I add up hours from several days?
Yes. Add a row for each day or shift and the total at the bottom sums them. For a whole week with a row per weekday, the hours worked calculator is laid out that way.
Should my lunch break be subtracted?
If it is an unpaid meal period of 30 minutes or more during which you are completely relieved of duty, yes. Short rest breaks of 5 to 20 minutes must be paid under federal rules and should not be subtracted. Mark a break as paid to keep it in the total.
Does this calculate overtime?
No. This page totals hours. Overtime depends on your workweek and state rules, and the time card calculator applies them and estimates gross pay.
Is my data saved?
Your rows and rate are kept in your browser on this device so you can come back to them. Nothing is uploaded. Clearing browser data removes them, so export a CSV first if you need a copy.
Related calculators
This calculator produces estimates for your own records. It is not payroll, tax or legal advice. Overtime rules vary by state, industry and employer policy. Sources: U.S. Department of Labor, 29 CFR Parts 516, 778 and 785; state labor codes named above.