Count Hours Calculator

Count the hours and minutes worked between a start time and an end time, subtract any unpaid break, and see decimal hours, overtime, and gross pay.

Quick Facts

Formula
Hours worked = (End time − Start time) − Break, then converted to decimal hours
Decimal hours × hourly rate = pay; under US FLSA, overtime is paid at 1.5× beyond the set threshold.

Your Results

Calculated
Hours worked
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Time on the clock, after breaks
Decimal hours
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For payroll and timesheets
Gross pay
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Regular + overtime pay
Overtime hours
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Hours beyond your threshold, at 1.5×

Ready

Enter your start time, end time, and break, then press Calculate.

How the Count Hours Calculator works

This tool counts the time worked in a single shift from a clock-in time and a clock-out time, subtracts an unpaid break, and converts the result into decimal hours and pay. It follows the same logic used by paper timesheets and payroll time-card tools: elapsed clock time minus break time equals hours worked.

The formula

  • Elapsed time = End time − Start time. If the end time is earlier on the clock than the start time (an overnight shift, like 22:00 to 06:00), 24 hours is added automatically.
  • Hours worked = Elapsed time − Unpaid break.
  • Decimal hours = Hours worked, expressed as minutes ÷ 60 (for example, 7 hours 30 minutes = 7.50).
  • Regular pay = min(Decimal hours, Overtime threshold) × Hourly rate.
  • Overtime pay = max(0, Decimal hours − Overtime threshold) × Hourly rate × 1.5.
  • Gross pay = Regular pay + Overtime pay.

The overtime assumption

The default overtime threshold is 8 hours, a common daily-overtime rule used by some states and employers, paid at the standard 1.5× (time-and-a-half) rate required by the US Fair Labor Standards Act for hours beyond 40 in a workweek. Since this calculator evaluates a single shift, treat the 8-hour default as a placeholder — change the Overtime threshold field to match your actual employer policy or state law, or set it to a high number (like 24) to turn overtime off entirely.

Practical context

Use the decimal-hours result for payroll spreadsheets and timesheet software, which expect hours as a fraction rather than hours-and-minutes. For pay figures that affect an actual paycheck, confirm your employer's rounding rules and overtime policy, since some workplaces round punches to the nearest 5 or 15 minutes before totaling.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I calculate hours worked from a start and end time?
Subtract the start time from the end time to get total elapsed time, then subtract any unpaid break. For example, working from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM with a 30-minute break gives 8.5 elapsed hours minus 0.5 hours, or 8 hours worked. If the end time is earlier than the start time, the calculator assumes the shift crosses midnight and adds 24 hours.
What are decimal hours and why does payroll use them?
Decimal hours express time as a fraction of an hour instead of hours and minutes. For example, 7 hours 30 minutes becomes 7.50 decimal hours, since 30 minutes divided by 60 equals 0.5. Payroll systems use decimal hours because they multiply directly by an hourly rate: 7.50 times $20 per hour equals $150.00.
How is overtime calculated?
In the US, the Fair Labor Standards Act requires overtime pay of at least 1.5 times the regular rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek, and some states and employers also apply daily overtime beyond 8 hours in a single shift. This calculator lets you set your own overtime threshold and applies a 1.5x multiplier to hours worked beyond it; check your local labor law or employer policy for the rule that applies to you.
What if my shift crosses midnight?
If the end time you enter is earlier on the clock than the start time, such as a start of 22:00 and an end of 06:00, the calculator assumes the shift runs into the next day and adds 24 hours before subtracting the break. That gives the correct 8-hour total instead of a negative result.

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