How to fill in your time card
- For each day, enter the time you clocked in and clocked out.
- Enter your unpaid break in minutes (usually a 30- or 60-minute meal break). Short paid rest breaks should not be entered.
- Check the overtime settings. In the US, the federal rule is overtime after 40 hours in a workweek. Some states, like California, also pay overtime after 8 hours in a day – enter 8 in “Daily OT after” to apply it.
- Add your hourly rate to see regular pay, overtime pay and the gross total. Use Download CSV or Print to keep a record.
How the time card totals are worked out
Each day is calculated as clock-out − clock-in − unpaid break. The daily totals are added up for the week. If daily overtime is switched on, any time above the daily limit is counted as overtime first; then any remaining regular time above the weekly limit (40 hours by default) also becomes overtime – so the same hour is never counted twice.
Example: Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM with a 30-minute lunch is 9 hours a day, 45 hours a week. With a 40-hour threshold that is 40 regular hours and 5 overtime hours. At $20/hour, regular pay is $800 and overtime is 5 × $30 = $150, for $950 gross.
Why decimal hours matter on timesheets
Payroll software multiplies hours by a rate, so it needs decimal hours. 38 hours 45 minutes must be entered as 38.75, not 38.45. Every total here is shown both ways. If you need to convert a single value, use the minutes to decimal converter.
Who uses a time card calculator?
Hourly employees checking a paycheck, freelancers and contractors billing by the hour, small business owners and managers doing payroll for a few people, and HR staff double-checking paper or punch-clock time cards. If you are paid every two weeks, the biweekly time card calculator handles 14 days with overtime calculated per week.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate my time card with a lunch break?
For each day subtract the clock-in time from the clock-out time, then subtract the unpaid lunch. 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM with a 30-minute lunch is 8 hours. The calculator does this for every day and adds up the week.
When does overtime start?
Under the US Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees earn at least 1.5 times their regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. Some states and countries have daily limits or different rules, so check your local labor laws or employment contract.
Are breaks paid or unpaid?
In the US, short rest breaks (typically 5 to 20 minutes) are generally paid work time, while bona fide meal breaks of 30 minutes or more where you are fully relieved of duty can be unpaid. Only enter unpaid breaks in the break column.
Can I use military (24-hour) time?
Yes. The time fields follow your device's clock format; you can type times like 17:30 on a 24-hour device. To convert by hand, see the military time converter.
Is this time card calculator free?
Yes – completely free, no account needed. Your time card is saved in your browser so it is still there if you refresh the page.