horacalcHours Calculator with breaks and decimal hours
To calculate hours worked, subtract the start time from the end time, then subtract unpaid breaks. 8:30 AM to 5:15 PM with a 30-minute lunch is 8 h 15 m, or 8.25 decimal hours.
Result
Hours worked
8:15
- Time on site
- 8:45
- Breaks
- 0:30
My week
No days saved yet. Your week is stored only in this browser.
Example: 8:30 AM to 5:15 PM with a 30-minute lunch
- Time between start and end: 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM is 8 hours, and 4:30 PM to 5:15 PM is another 45 minutes, so 8 h 45 m.
- Subtract the unpaid lunch from 12:00 PM to 12:30 PM: 8:45 − 0:30 = 8:15.
- Convert to decimal hours for payroll: 15 minutes ÷ 60 = 0.25, so 8:15 is 8.25 hours.
- Pay at $18.00 an hour: 8.25 × $18.00 = $148.50.
Result: 8 h 15 m worked, or 8.25 decimal hours.
How the hours calculator works
This hour calculator works out the elapsed time between two clock times and subtracts your breaks. Enter a start time and an end time, then add your breaks. Each break can be a length (30 for 30 minutes, 0:45 or 1:15) or a from–to time such as 12:00 PM to 12:30 PM. The result shows the hours worked in hours and minutes and in decimal hours, the total time on site and the total of your breaks.
You can type times the way you write them down: 8:30 AM, 8:30am, 830a, 8.30, 830 or 24-hour time like 17:15. When there is no AM or PM, 8:30 is read as morning and 17:15 as the afternoon. The second mode, Quitting time, works the other way round: enter when you start and how many hours you need to work, and it tells you when you can leave.
Hours worked, step by step
- Find the time between start and end. Count the whole hours first, then the minutes. From 8:30 AM to 5:15 PM: 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM is 8 hours, plus 45 minutes to 5:15 PM.
- Subtract unpaid breaks. A 30-minute lunch leaves 8 h 15 m.
- Convert to decimal if your timesheet needs it. Divide the minutes by 60: 15 ÷ 60 = 0.25, so 8.25 hours.
If the end time is earlier than the start time, add 24 hours to the end first: 10:00 PM to 6:30 AM is 6:30 + 24:00 − 22:00 = 8:30.
Paid and unpaid breaks
The calculator subtracts every break you enter, so enter only time you are not paid for. How breaks are treated depends on where you work:
- United States (federal): short rest breaks of about 5 to 20 minutes are hours worked and paid (29 CFR 785.18). A real meal break, usually 30 minutes or more, where you are fully relieved from duty, is not work time (29 CFR 785.19). Federal law does not require breaks at all; some states, such as California, do.
- UK: workers over 18 get a 20-minute rest break when they work more than 6 hours a day. Whether it is paid depends on your contract.
These are the general rules as the calculator applies them, not legal advice. Your state, union contract or employer policy may differ.
Hours worked in decimal
| Hours and minutes | Decimal hours |
|---|---|
| 7:15 | 7.25 |
| 7:30 | 7.50 |
| 7:45 | 7.75 |
| 8:00 | 8.00 |
| 8:10 | 8.17 |
| 8:15 | 8.25 |
| 8:20 | 8.33 |
| 8:30 | 8.50 |
| 8:40 | 8.67 |
| 8:45 | 8.75 |
For every minute from 1 to 60, see the decimal hours converter.
Weekly hours calculator: total hours for the week
Save each day with Save day and the calculator keeps a running week in this browser, with the week total and an average month (week × 13 ÷ 3, because a year has 52 weeks and 12 months). A 40-hour week averages 173:20 hours a month. For a weekly or biweekly time card with overtime after 40 hours and pay, use the time card calculator.
Sources
FAQ
How do I calculate hours worked?
Subtract the start time from the end time, then subtract any unpaid breaks. For 7:45 AM to 4:15 PM with a 30-minute lunch: 8 h 30 m − 30 m = 8 h, or 8.00 decimal hours. The calculator does this for you and accepts times like 7:45 AM, 745a or 19:45.
Should I subtract my lunch break and short breaks?
Subtract only unpaid time. Under the federal FLSA, a bona fide meal period of usually 30 minutes or more is not work time, but short rest breaks of about 5 to 20 minutes count as hours worked and are paid. State law or your employer's policy may be more generous, so enter only the breaks that are actually unpaid.
How do I convert hours and minutes to decimal hours?
Divide the minutes by 60 and add them to the whole hours: 7 h 45 m is 7 + 45 ÷ 60 = 7.75 hours. Payroll uses decimals because 7.75 × your hourly rate gives the pay directly; 7:45 is not 7.45 hours.
Does the calculator handle overnight shifts?
Yes. If the end time is earlier than the start time, the shift is treated as ending the next day: 10:00 PM to 6:30 AM is 8 h 30 m. Daylight saving changes are ignored, so a night shift on the night the clocks change is off by one hour.
How do I total my hours for the week?
Use “Save day” to keep each day in this browser, and the week list adds them up. For a full week with overtime and pay, send the day to the time card calculator, which handles one or two weeks and overtime after 40 hours.
How long a break do I get in the UK?
In the UK, adult workers are entitled to one uninterrupted 20-minute rest break if they work more than 6 hours a day. The break does not have to be paid, so check your contract before you subtract it.