Quick answer: A time card calculator totals your weekly work hours from daily clock-in and clock-out times. Each day = clock-out minus clock-in minus the unpaid break. Hours over 40 in a week are overtime, usually paid at 1.5x under the Fair Labor Standards Act. A 40-hour week at $25 an hour is $1,000 before overtime.
Last reviewed: October 2026
Key facts
- Enter times like 9:00, 17:00, or 5:00 PM; overnight shifts are handled automatically.
- The unpaid break is subtracted once per worked day; leave a day blank if you did not work.
- Overtime kicks in after 40 hours per week, paid at 1.5x the regular rate (FLSA).
- Results show decimal hours (for example, 7.5 h), the format payroll systems use.
A time card calculator turns a week's clock-in and clock-out times into total hours, regular hours, overtime hours, and gross pay. Enter each day's times, your unpaid break, and your hourly rate, and it totals the week with overtime at time and a half.
Adding up daily timesheets by hand invites errors, especially with lunch breaks and overtime. The calculator applies the standard US rule set: subtract the unpaid meal break daily, cap regular time at 40 hours, and pay the rest at 1.5x.
How to use
- Enter each day's clock-in and clock-out time; leave weekend days blank if you did not work.
- Enter your unpaid break in minutes per day (30 or 60 are typical).
- Enter your hourly pay rate.
- Click Calculate to see total hours, regular and overtime hours, and gross pay.
Time card formula
Daily hours = clock-out - clock-in - unpaid break. The week's hours are summed; the first 40 count as regular time and anything above as overtime. Clock-out times earlier than clock-in are treated as overnight shifts (for example, 22:00 to 6:00 = 8 hours).
Worked examples
Standard week: 9 to 5, one-hour lunch
Monday-Friday 9:00 to 17:00 with a 60-minute unpaid break at $25/hour. Each day = 8 - 1 = 7 hours. Total = 35 hours, all regular. Gross pay: $875.
Long days plus a Saturday shift
Weekdays 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Saturday 9:00 to 13:00, 60-minute breaks, $25/hour. Weekdays = 12 - 1 = 11 hours each (55 total); Saturday = 4 - 1 = 3 hours. Total = 58 hours: 40 regular + 18 overtime. Pay = 40 x 25 + 18 x 37.50 = $1,675.
Overtime quick reference (US federal)
| Weekly hours | Regular | Overtime | Pay at $25/hr |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35 | 35 h | 0 h | $875 |
| 40 | 40 h | 0 h | $1,000 |
| 45 | 40 h | 5 h | $1,187.50 |
| 50 | 40 h | 10 h | $1,375 |
Frequently asked questions
Does the calculator handle overnight shifts?
Yes. If the clock-out time is earlier than the clock-in time (for example, in 22:00, out 6:00), the calculator treats it as a shift crossing midnight and adds 24 hours to the clock-out, giving 8 hours.
When does overtime start?
Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, overtime starts after 40 hours in a workweek, paid at 1.5x the regular rate. Some states add daily overtime rules (for example, California after 8 hours a day); check your state if that applies.
What are decimal hours?
Payroll systems record time in decimals: 7 hours 30 minutes = 7.5 h, 15 minutes = 0.25 h. The calculator shows decimal hours alongside the hours-and-minutes total so the numbers drop straight into payroll software.
Are lunch breaks paid?
Genuine meal breaks of 30 minutes or more, during which you are fully relieved of duties, are usually unpaid and are subtracted here. Short rest breaks (5-20 minutes) are generally paid working time under the FLSA. When in doubt, follow your employer's policy.
What about 15-minute rounding?
Some employers round clock times to the nearest quarter hour. The calculator uses your exact entered times, which is more precise; if your employer rounds, round each entry to the quarter hour before entering it.
Is overtime counted per week or per pay period?
Per workweek, not per pay period. Each 7-day workweek stands alone, so a biweekly schedule of 50 hours in week one and 30 hours in week two still gives 10 overtime hours in week one, even though the two-week total is 80 hours. Your employer defines the workweek start day, and the 40-hour threshold applies separately to each week.
Are short breaks paid time?
Generally yes: under US federal rules, short rest breaks of 20 minutes or less count as paid work time, while a bona fide meal period (typically 30 minutes or more) during which you are fully relieved of duties is unpaid. So a 10-minute paid break stays in your hours, but a 30-minute unpaid lunch comes out of them, which is why the calculator asks for unpaid break minutes only.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Labor: Fair Labor Standards Act, overtime after 40 hours
- U.S. Department of Labor, Fact Sheet 22: hours worked, meal and rest periods
Key takeaways
- Daily hours = clock-out minus clock-in minus the unpaid break.
- Federal overtime starts after 40 hours a week at 1.5x the regular rate.
- Overnight shifts are detected automatically from clock times.
- Decimal hours are the payroll-ready format; minutes/60 gives the decimal part.
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