data tool
Overtime calculator for California
California pays time and a half for hours over 8 in a workday and over 40 in a workweek, and for the first 8 hours on a seventh consecutive day, and double time over 12 hours in a day and over 8 on the seventh day. Federal law pays overtime only over 40 in a week. Enter a week of hours and this calculator splits them without counting any hour twice.
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- Runs on your device, nothing is uploaded
- Free, no sign in
- No watermark, no file limit
How it works
- 1
Choose the rules
Pick California, or federal FLSA only for comparison or for employees outside California.
- 2
Enter the rate
Type the regular hourly rate.
- 3
Enter each day
Type the hours worked on each day of the workweek, in order, with 0 for days off.
- 4
Read the split
The tiles show regular, time and a half and double time hours, and gross pay for the week.
Daily against weekly
The Labor Commissioner's FAQ sets the California rule: one and a half times the regular rate for hours over 8 and up to 12 in a workday, and for the first 8 hours on the seventh consecutive day of work in a workweek; double the regular rate for hours over 12 in a workday and over 8 on the seventh consecutive day. Hours over 40 in the workweek are also paid at time and a half. Federal law, 29 USC 207, has only the 40 hour weekly rule, which is why a 10 hour day on a four day week costs overtime in California and none federally.
Hours are never counted twice
An hour that is already daily overtime does not count again towards the 40 hour weekly total. Only regular hours count towards 40. The calculator works through the week day by day: each day's first 8 hours are regular until 40 regular hours have been reached, and any regular hours after that become time and a half. A week of five 9 hour days, a 6 hour day and a 5 hour day gives 40 regular hours, 16 at time and a half and none at double time.
The seventh day
The seventh day rule applies only when the employee works all seven days of the same workweek. On that day the first 8 hours are time and a half and anything over 8 is double time, however few hours were worked earlier in the week. If any day of the workweek is a day off, the seventh day rule does not apply even if the employee works seven days in a row across two workweeks. The calculator applies it when every day has hours.
Worked week
Take a rate of $24 and days of 13, 8, 8, 8, 8, 0 and 0 hours. Monday gives 8 regular, 4 at time and a half and 1 at double time. Tuesday to Friday give 32 regular hours, which brings the regular total to 40. Under California rules that is 40 regular hours, 4 at time and a half and 1 at double time: $960 plus $144 plus $48, $1,152. Under federal rules the same 45 hours give 40 regular and 5 at time and a half: $960 plus $180, $1,140.
Recording the hours
Overtime is only as accurate as the time records behind it. Employers must keep records of hours worked each day and each week for non exempt employees under the FLSA, and California adds its own record keeping rules. A timesheet form that collects start, finish and break times per day gives the numbers this calculator needs; the AI form builder makes one from a description of the fields.
Limits
- Law checked on 21 October 2026 against the California Labor Commissioner's overtime FAQ and the FLSA. This is arithmetic, not legal advice.
- Non exempt employees only; exemptions for executive, administrative and professional staff and others are not applied.
- No alternative workweek schedules, and no regular rate adjustments for bonuses, commissions or shift differentials.
- One fixed workweek of 7 consecutive days, in the order the employer's workweek runs.
What it does not do
- It does not track meal and rest break premiums.
- It does not apply local minimum wages.
- It does not store the hours.
Questions people ask
How is overtime calculated in California?
Time and a half for hours over 8 in a day, over 40 in a week, and for the first 8 hours on the seventh consecutive day of the workweek; double time for hours over 12 in a day and over 8 on the seventh day. The higher daily or weekly figure applies, never both for the same hour.
When is double time paid in California?
For every hour over 12 in a single workday, and for every hour over 8 on the seventh consecutive day worked in a workweek. Federal law never requires double time; it is a California rule for non exempt employees. The calculator shows it as its own line.
Does federal law require daily overtime?
No. The Fair Labor Standards Act requires time and a half only for hours over 40 in a workweek. A 12 hour day within a 40 hour week owes no federal overtime, but in California it owes 4 hours at time and a half.
What is the regular rate of pay?
The hourly rate plus certain other pay for the week, such as nondiscretionary bonuses, commissions and shift differentials, spread over the hours worked. Overtime is paid on that regular rate. The calculator uses the hourly rate you type, so add those payments separately if they apply.
Can an employee waive overtime in California?
No. Overtime for non exempt employees cannot be waived by agreement. The exception is a lawfully adopted alternative workweek schedule, such as four 10 hour days voted for by the affected employees, which changes when daily overtime starts. The calculator does not model those schedules.
Does paid leave count towards the 40 hours?
Under the federal rule and in California, overtime is based on hours actually worked, so paid holidays, vacation and sick time usually do not count towards the 40 hour or daily thresholds unless the employer chooses to count them. Type only the hours actually worked.
Build a timesheet form
Take what you made here into forms.
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Background reading: the question page on this.
Written and checked by the OneCraft team. Last checked .