Work Hours Calculator

Calculate how many hours and minutes are between two times. Handles overnight shifts. Free tool for tracking work hours between start and end time.

Sometimes you don't know your shift length ahead of time — you just know when you started and when you finished. This calculator takes a start time and end time and tells you exactly how many hours and minutes elapsed. It handles overnight shifts correctly, so a shift from 9:00 PM to 5:00 AM correctly shows 8 hours, not negative time.

This tool is useful for verifying payroll, calculating total work time before submitting a timesheet, checking if you've hit overtime, or simply confirming your hours when your schedule doesn't follow a standard shift length.

When to use this vs. the clock-out calculator

Use this "hours between two times" tool when you already know both your start and end time and want to know how many hours you worked. Use the main clock-out calculator when you know your start time and shift length but want to find your clock-out time.

Common use cases:

- Verifying timesheet entries before submitting to payroll - Calculating hours for a freelance or consulting invoice - Confirming you've reached a daily or weekly hour target - Checking overtime eligibility based on actual hours worked - Calculating hours for a shift that ran longer or shorter than scheduled

How to use the Work Hours Calculator

  1. Enter your start time: Type or pick the time you started (or will start) your shift. Both 12-hour (AM/PM) and 24-hour formats are accepted.
  2. Pick your shift length: Select your paid shift length — 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 hours, or any custom value. Half-hour options are available.
  3. Add your unpaid break: Choose any unpaid break that extends your time at work. Common options are 15, 30, 45, or 60 minutes.
  4. Read your clock-out time: The result panel shows when you'll clock out, in both 12-hour and 24-hour formats. Overnight shifts display a +1 day badge.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I calculate hours worked between two times?

Subtract the start time from the end time. For overnight shifts (end time is earlier than start time), add 24 hours to the end time first. Example: 9 PM to 6 AM = 9 hours (6 AM + 24 hours = 30, minus 21 = 9).

What if my start and end time are on different days?

This calculator handles overnight shifts automatically. If your end time is earlier than your start time, it assumes the shift crossed midnight and calculates accordingly.

How do I account for an unpaid break in my hours calculation?

This calculator shows total time between two clock punches. To calculate paid hours, subtract your unpaid break manually. If you worked 8 hours 30 minutes with a 30-minute break, your paid hours are 8.0.

Can I use this to calculate billable hours for a freelance project?

Yes — enter your start and end time for a work session and get the exact duration. For multiple sessions, use the timecard calculator to sum several time periods.

What's the difference between this and a timecard calculator?

This tool calculates hours for a single time period. The timecard calculator adds up multiple days of work to give you a weekly total.

Sources & Disclaimer

Overtime thresholds reference the U.S. Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA, 40 hrs/week at 1.5x) plus state daily overtime rules (e.g., California Labor Code §510: 8h/day OT, 12h/day double-time). State labor laws vary — check your state's labor department. This calculator is informational only and is not legal, tax, or payroll advice.