Hours Calculator
Enter a start time, an end time, and any unpaid break to get the hours worked — as hours and minutes and as the decimal hours payroll systems expect. Overnight shifts across midnight are handled automatically. For a full week, use the Time Card Calculator.
Hours between two times
Example: 9:00 to 17:30 with a 30-minute break is 8 hours.
Minutes, decimals, and the 7.5 trap
Clock arithmetic runs on 60ths while pay runs on 100ths, and mixing them up costs real money. The example above — 9:00 to 17:30 minus a 30-minute break — is 8 hours exactly; but a 9:00–17:15 day with the same break is 7 h 45 min, which is 7.75 decimal hours, not 7.45. The calculator always shows both forms so the payroll figure can be copied directly.
Common uses
Filling in timesheets, checking a payslip's hours, planning shift rosters, billing hourly client work, or verifying that a contract's "37.5 hours" matches the actual schedule. Overnight workers can enter shifts like 23:00 to 7:30 directly — the calculator recognizes the midnight crossing rather than reporting a negative day.
Frequently asked questions
What are decimal hours, and why does payroll use them?
Decimal hours express minutes as fractions of an hour: 7 h 30 min is 7.5 hours. Payroll systems multiply decimal hours by an hourly rate directly, so 7:30 must be entered as 7.5 — not 7.3, one of the most common timesheet mistakes.
How are overnight shifts handled?
If the end time is at or before the start time, the calculator assumes the shift crossed midnight and adds 24 hours — a 22:00 to 6:00 shift counts 8 hours and is labeled overnight in the result.
Can I enter times with am/pm?
Yes. Both 24-hour (17:45) and 12-hour (5:45 pm) forms are accepted, including shorthand like "9am". Minutes are optional on the hour.
Is the break paid or unpaid?
The break field is subtracted from the shift, so treat it as unpaid time. If your break is paid, leave the field at zero.
Times are processed locally in your browser and never transmitted. The engine is tested, including overnight and break edge cases — see the methodology page.