California overtime calculator
In California a long day earns overtime even if the week is short. Type each day's hours and we apply the 8-hour and 12-hour daily rules, the 40-hour weekly rule and the seventh-day rule, then explain every line.
What these words mean
- Overtime
- Extra pay for extra hours. Federal law says 1.5 times your normal rate for every hour over 40 in a work week. Some states add rules for long days.
- Time and a half (1.5x)
- Your normal hourly rate plus half again. $20 an hour becomes $30.
- Double time (2x)
- Twice your normal rate. $20 an hour becomes $40. Only California requires it by law.
- Work week
- The fixed 7-day period your employer uses to count hours. It can start on any day, and overtime is counted inside it.
- True hourly rate
- What you really earn per hour once bonuses, commissions or shift extras are added in. Overtime is owed on this rate, not just your base rate.
- Exempt
- A worker who is not owed overtime because of the kind of job and a salary above a set level. Being salaried alone does not make you exempt.
Questions
What are the California overtime rules in plain words?
Time and a half after 8 hours in a day and after 40 in a week. Double time after 12 hours in a day. If you work all seven days of the work week, the seventh day is time and a half for the first 8 hours and double time after that. Source: California Labor Commissioner, checked October 29, 2026.
How does the seventh-day rule work?
It only kicks in when you work every single day of your employer's work week. On that seventh day the first 8 hours pay 1.5 times and anything beyond pays double, even if the earlier days were short.
What is the minimum wage in California right now?
$16.90 an hour across the state since January 1, 2026, going up to $17.40 on January 1, 2027. Many cities pay more. See California minimum wage.
I am paid a salary. Do I still get overtime?
Often, yes. You lose overtime only if your job duties are managerial or professional and your salary is at least twice the state minimum wage for full-time work. A salary on its own does not take away overtime.