Overtime and pay

California Overtime Calculator: Daily, Double Time and Seventh Day

Written and reviewed by Abdul Baseer, accountant · Published · Updated

Shows every day of the week with the hours paid at 1x, 1.5x and 2x and the reason for each, then compares the week with the federal weekly-40 rule so you can see what the California rules add.

In short

California pays 1.5 times the regular rate for hours over 8 in a workday, double time over 12, 1.5 times for the first 8 hours on the seventh consecutive day and double after, and 1.5 times over 40 in a week. At $20 an hour, four 10-hour days pay $880. Enter your week below.

  • Daily overtime
  • Double time
  • Seventh day
  • Runs in your browser

Private by design. Nothing you type is uploaded or saved. Add this tool to your phone or computer for one-tap access.

Page last updated

How to use the california overtime calculator

  1. Enter your hourly rate and the hours you worked on each day of your workweek, in order.
  2. Add a non-discretionary bonus for the week if you had one; it raises the regular rate.
  3. Read each day split into straight time, 1.5 times and double time, with the reason.
  4. Compare the total with the federal weekly-40 pay, then copy or print the result.

How is California overtime calculated?

Each workday is split on its own: hours up to 8 are straight time, hours over 8 up to and including 12 are paid at 1.5 times the regular rate, and hours over 12 at double time. If all seven days of the workweek are worked, the first 8 hours on the seventh day are paid at 1.5 times and the rest at double time. Straight-time hours beyond 40 in the week are paid at 1.5 times, and an hour already paid at a premium is not counted again. A non-discretionary bonus is added to straight-time pay before dividing by all hours to get the regular rate, and the premium is that regular rate times half the overtime hours plus all the double-time hours. The same week is also priced under the federal weekly-40 rule so you can see what the California rules add. Alternative workweek schedules and wage-order exceptions are not modelled.

For example, an employee in California paid $20 an hour who works four 10-hour days earns $880: 32 straight-time hours at $20 and 8 hours of daily overtime at $30. A federal weekly-40 calculation would pay only $800. A 14-hour day adds double time, 8 hours at $20, 4 at $30 and 2 at $40, which is $360. The hours and rate are made up; yours come from what you type.

Who should use the california overtime calculator

  • California employees checking a pay stub for daily overtime and double time
  • Small employers and bookkeepers in California working out a payroll week
  • Anyone on 10-hour or 12-hour shifts or a seven-day stretch

Who should not use this

  • Employees under an alternative workweek schedule or a collective bargaining agreement with its own overtime rules
  • Employees in an exempt role, or covered by an industry wage order with different rules
  • Anyone who needs a legal opinion on a wage claim; the DLSE or an employment lawyer decides that

Limitations

  • Alternative workweek schedules, union contracts and some wage-order exceptions are not modelled. The tool applies the standard daily and seventh-day rules.
  • Meal and rest period premiums, minimum wage, split-shift pay and reporting-time pay are separate and not included.
  • Each day you enter is one workday as your employer defines it; a shift that crosses midnight must be entered under the workday it belongs to.
  • The DLSE manual cited is the 2002 edition; check current wage orders and the DLSE site for changes.
  • Results are estimates, not legal, tax or payroll advice.
  • Nothing is uploaded or stored on a server. Clearing your browser data also removes the saved profile.

How is California overtime calculated?

California counts overtime by the day as well as by the week. Hours over 8 in a workday are paid at one and a half times the regular rate, hours over 12 at double time, and the seventh consecutive day of the workweek has its own premium. Hours over 40 in the workweek that were not already paid at a premium are paid at one and a half times.

California overtime rules, from the Labor Code and the DLSE overtime FAQ
HoursPay rateKind
First 8 hours in a workday1×No overtime
Over 8 up to and including 12 hours in a workday1.5×Daily overtime
Over 12 hours in a workday2×Daily double time
First 8 hours on the seventh consecutive day of the workweek1.5×Seventh-day overtime
Over 8 hours on the seventh consecutive day2×Seventh-day double time
Over 40 hours in the workweek (not already paid at a premium)1.5×Weekly overtime

At $20.00 an hour, four 10-hour days (Monday to Thursday) are 40 hours. Each day has 8 straight-time hours and 2 overtime hours, so 8 hours are paid at $30.00. The week pays $880.00. Federal law alone, with overtime only after 40 hours a week, would pay $800.00, so the California rules add $80.00.

Four 10-hour days at $20 an hour, hours by day
DayHours workedStraight-time hoursHours at 1.5×Hours at 2×
Monday10820
Tuesday10820
Wednesday10820
Thursday10820
Overtime calculatorFor federal weekly overtime, bonuses and the no-tax-on-overtime deduction, use the overtime calculator.

When is California double time paid?

Double time starts after 12 hours in a workday. A 14-hour day at $20.00 an hour is 8 hours at straight time, 4 hours at $30.00 and 2 hours at $40.00. That is $360.00 for the day.

A workday is any consecutive 24-hour period that starts at the same time each calendar day. It does not have to start with the employee’s shift, and averaging hours across days is not allowed. A long shift that runs past midnight is counted within one workday.

How does the seventh consecutive day work?

When you work all seven days of a workweek, the first 8 hours on the seventh day are paid at one and a half times and any hours beyond 8 at double time, however few hours you worked on the earlier days. Six 8-hour days and a 9-hour seventh day at $20.00 an hour pay $1,320.00: the seventh day alone has 8 hours at $30.00 and 1 hour at $40.00.

Six 8-hour days and a 9-hour seventh day at $20 an hour
DayHours workedStraight-time hoursHours at 1.5×Hours at 2×
Monday8800
Tuesday8800
Wednesday8800
Thursday8800
Friday8800
Saturday8080
Sunday9081

The workweek is any seven consecutive 24-hour periods that start on the same day each week and are fixed and recurring. If an employer has not set one, the DLSE manual says it uses the calendar week from Sunday to Saturday. Some wage orders, such as the one for household occupations, have different rules for a low-hours week, so check yours.

Does weekly overtime still apply?

Yes, for hours that were not already paid at a daily premium. Six 8-hour days are 48 hours with no daily overtime, so the last 8 hours are weekly overtime: 40 hours at straight time and 8 at $30.00, $1,040.00 in all. The same as the federal result.

The calculator does not pay the same hour twice. Five 10-hour days are 50 hours, but 10 of them are already daily overtime, so only 40 hours are left to count towards the weekly threshold and there is no extra weekly overtime.

What do 4 × 10 and 3 × 12 schedules pay?

Without a valid alternative workweek schedule, hours over 8 in a day are overtime even when the week totals 40. Four 12-hour days at $20.00 an hour are 48 hours: 32 at straight time, 16 at $30.00, and none at double time because no day passes 12 hours. The week pays $1,120.00. A schedule of four 10-hour days does not change the regular rate, which is still worked out on 40 hours a week.

An employer with an adopted alternative workweek schedule may pay daily overtime later in the day. The calculator uses the standard daily rule and does not model those schedules, so check yours.

How do bonuses change California overtime?

A non-discretionary bonus is part of the regular rate, so it raises the overtime rate. A $80.00 production bonus in the four-10-hour-day week above lifts the regular rate from $20.00 to $22.00 an hour and the week to $968.00. A truly discretionary bonus, such as a holiday gift not tied to hours, is left out.

Sources and review

Reviewed on 02 Nov 2026 against the published sources below. Rules and prices change, so check the current position before you rely on a figure.

Common questions

How is overtime calculated in California?

Hours over 8 in a workday are paid at 1.5 times the regular rate, hours over 12 at 2 times, and hours over 40 in a workweek at 1.5 times. The seventh consecutive day pays 1.5 times for the first 8 hours and 2 times after. At $20.00 an hour, four 10-hour days pay $880.00.

When does double time start in California?

After 12 hours in a workday, and after 8 hours on the seventh consecutive day of the workweek. Double time is two times the regular rate of pay.

Do you get overtime for working 10 hours a day in California?

Yes, in most cases. Hours 9 and 10 each day are paid at 1.5 times the regular rate even if the week is only 40 hours. At $20.00 an hour, four 10-hour days pay $880.00 instead of $800.00. An adopted alternative workweek schedule can change when it starts.

How does seventh-day overtime work in California?

If you work all seven days of the workweek, the first 8 hours on the seventh day are paid at 1.5 times your regular rate and anything over 8 at double time. It applies even if you worked few hours on the other days.

Is overtime counted daily or weekly in California?

Both. Daily overtime applies after 8 hours in a workday, and weekly overtime applies after 40 hours in a workweek for hours not already paid at a premium. The calculator counts each hour once.

Does a bonus change my California overtime rate?

A non-discretionary bonus is included in the regular rate, so it raises the overtime rate. An $80 bonus on 40 hours adds $2.00 to the regular rate. A discretionary bonus is not included.

What is a workweek in California?

A workweek is any seven consecutive 24-hour periods starting on the same day each week, fixed and regularly recurring. If an employer has not set one, DLSE uses Sunday through Saturday for enforcement.

Is the federal overtime rule enough in California?

No. Federal law requires overtime only after 40 hours in a week. California adds daily overtime, double time and a seventh-day premium, so a California employer follows the rule that pays the employee more.

Related tools

Overtime calculator12 hour shift pay calculatorTime and a half calculatorOvertime rate adjustment calculatorTimesheet calculator

Results are estimates, not legal, tax, payroll or financial advice. They follow the rules and rates named under Sources, leave out anything the page does not mention (such as other income, credits, local rules or your employer’s own policy), and can differ from a payroll run, a tax return or an agency’s decision. See the disclaimer. Found a mistake? Report an error in a calculation.