DayStartEndBreak (min)Hours
Total hours this week
–
Decimal hours–
Regular hours–
Overtime hours–
Gross pay–

How to fill in your time card

  1. For each day you worked, enter the time you started and the time you finished.
  2. Enter any unpaid break, such as a 30-minute lunch, in minutes.
  3. Leave days you did not work blank.
  4. Add your hourly rate to see gross pay, including overtime for hours over 40.

If a shift ends after midnight, just enter the real end time. The calculator knows the shift ran into the next day.

Worked example

Working Monday to Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM with a 30-minute unpaid lunch gives 8 hours a day, or 40 hours for the week. At $20 an hour, that is $800 gross. Stay until 7:30 PM on Friday and the week becomes 42 hours: 40 regular hours plus 2 overtime hours at $30, for $860.

Hours and minutes vs. decimal hours

Time cards are often written as hours and minutes (38:45), while payroll usually uses decimal hours (38.75). Mixing them up is a common payroll mistake: 38:45 is not 38.45 hours. The calculator shows both so you can copy whichever your employer needs.

Tips for accurate time tracking

  • Record times as you go rather than from memory at the end of the week.
  • Check your employer's rounding rules. Some round to the nearest 5, 6 or 15 minutes.
  • Keep your own copy of your hours to compare with your pay stub.

Last reviewed October 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate hours worked on a time card?

For each day, subtract the start time from the end time and take off any unpaid break. Add up the days for the weekly total. The calculator does this for every row and handles shifts that end after midnight.

How do I turn hours and minutes into decimal hours for payroll?

Divide the minutes by 60. 38 hours 45 minutes is 38.75 hours. The calculator shows both formats.

When does overtime start?

Under federal law, non-exempt employees earn overtime at 1.5 times their regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. Some states also have daily overtime rules, so check your state if you work long days.

Are breaks paid?

Under federal rules, short breaks (usually 5 to 20 minutes) are generally paid, while bona fide meal breaks of 30 minutes or more where you are fully relieved of duty are usually unpaid. State laws can add requirements. Enter only unpaid breaks in the break column.

Is my time card data saved?

No. Everything stays in your browser and is cleared when you leave the page. Copy or screenshot the totals if you need to keep a record.