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Hours calculator: time between two times

Enter a start and end time to see how long it is in hours and minutes, and in decimal hours for payroll. Subtract a lunch break, handle night shifts that end after midnight, and add up as many shifts as you need.

Add your rate to see what these hours pay, before tax.

Time between
8 hours
8:00 hours:minutes · 8.00 decimal hours
Total minutes
480
Decimal hours
8.00
  • Nothing is uploaded
  • Free, no sign-up
  • Works on phone and desktop

How to calculate hours between two times

  1. 1

    Enter the start time and end time. Times after midnight work too: a shift from 10 PM to 6 AM counts as 8 hours.

  2. 2

    Type any unpaid break in minutes, such as 30 for a lunch break.

  3. 3

    Need several shifts? Click Add another shift and the total updates as you go.

  4. 4

    Read the total in hours and minutes, or copy the decimal hours for payroll. Add your hourly rate to see the pay.

Features

  • Overnight shifts

    End before you start? We count it as finishing the next day, so night shifts and late closes add up correctly.

  • Decimal hours for payroll

    7 hours 45 minutes is 7.75 hours. Payroll and invoicing tools want decimals, so we show both.

  • Several shifts at once

    Add up to 14 shifts, each with its own break, for a day with split shifts or a full week of hours.

  • Optional pay

    Enter your hourly rate to see what the hours are worth before tax. For overtime, the time card calculator does the rest.

Hours and minutes vs decimal hours

Clocks count in 60s, but payroll counts in 100s. That's why 8:30 on a time sheet means 8 hours 30 minutes, while 8.30 in a payroll system would mean 8 hours 18 minutes. Mixing the two is one of the most common timesheet mistakes. To turn minutes into a decimal, divide them by 60:

MinutesDecimal hoursMinutesDecimal hours
50.08350.58
100.17400.67
150.25450.75
200.33500.83
250.42550.92
300.50601.00

Worked examples

  • A regular day: 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM with a 30-minute lunch is 8 hours 30 minutes minus 30 minutes = 8 hours (8.00).
  • A night shift: 7:00 PM to 7:30 AM with a 45-minute break is 12 hours 30 minutes minus 45 minutes = 11 hours 45 minutes (11.75).
  • A split shift: 6:00 to 10:00 AM plus 4:00 to 8:00 PM is 4 + 4 = 8 hours. Add it as two shifts.

Paid and unpaid breaks

Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, short rest breaks of about 5 to 20 minutes count as hours worked and must be paid. A bona fide meal period, usually 30 minutes or longer, where you're completely relieved of duty doesn't have to be paid. Some states, including California, also require meal and rest breaks after a set number of hours. If you're not sure whether a break is paid, check your employer's policy or your state labor department, then enter only the unpaid part here.

Rounding time clock punches

Many employers round punches to the nearest 5, 6 or 15 minutes. The US Department of Labor allows rounding as long as it averages out fairly over time. With 15-minute rounding, 1 to 7 minutes rounds down and 8 to 14 minutes rounds up (the "7-minute rule"). The time card calculator can apply this rounding for a whole week and work out overtime after 40 hours.

Need to add or subtract lengths of time instead of clock times, like 2:45 + 1:30? Use the time calculator. For 24-hour times, the military time converter turns 1730 into 5:30 PM.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate hours worked between two times?

Subtract the start time from the end time, then take off any unpaid break. For 8:45 AM to 5:15 PM with a 30-minute lunch: 8 hours 30 minutes minus 30 minutes is 8 hours. The calculator does this for you, including shifts that cross midnight.

How do I convert minutes to decimal hours?

Divide the minutes by 60. 15 minutes is 0.25 hours, 30 minutes is 0.5, 45 minutes is 0.75 and 20 minutes is about 0.33. So 7 hours 45 minutes is 7.75 hours. The result always shows the decimal version.

What if my shift goes past midnight?

Just enter the times as they are. When the end time is earlier than the start time, the calculator treats it as the next day: 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM is 8 hours.

Should breaks be subtracted?

Only unpaid breaks. In the US, federal rules treat short rest breaks (usually 5 to 20 minutes) as paid work time, while meal breaks of 30 minutes or more where you are fully relieved of duty are usually unpaid. Some states have their own break rules.

Does it work with 24-hour time?

Yes. The time fields follow your device settings, so they show 24-hour or AM/PM time to match your phone or computer.

Is my data saved or sent anywhere?

No. Everything is calculated in your browser. If you copy the link, the times are stored in the link itself so you can share or bookmark the result.

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