Hours Between Times Calculator
The hours between times calculator finds the total time between a start clock time and an end clock time, with an optional break deduction. Enter your shift start, shift end, and the length of any unpaid break in minutes. The calculator shows gross hours (total time on site), net hours after the break is deducted, and both values expressed as decimal hours for use in payroll calculations.
Accurate hours calculation is central to wage and hour compliance under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which requires employers to pay non-exempt employees for all hours actually worked. Unpaid meal breaks are common in US workplaces, typically 30 minutes for shifts of 6 hours or more. The FLSA does not mandate breaks, but if a break is fewer than 20 minutes it generally must be counted as paid time. Decimal hours are the standard format used by most payroll software because they allow direct multiplication by an hourly rate to get gross wages. Overnight shifts are handled automatically: if the end time is earlier than the start time, the calculator adds 24 hours to the end before computing the difference.
Formula
startMins = startHH * 60 + startMM
endMins = endHH * 60 + endMM
if (endMins < startMins) endMins += 1440 (overnight)
grossMins = endMins - startMins
netMins = grossMins - breakMins
grossHHMM = Math.floor(grossMins/60) + ":" + pad(grossMins%60)
netHHMM = Math.floor(netMins/60) + ":" + pad(netMins%60)
grossDecimal = grossMins / 60
netDecimal = netMins / 60
Gross hours vs. net hours
Gross hours is the total clock time between start and end, including any breaks. Net hours is the time actually worked after unpaid break time is removed. For payroll purposes, net hours is the figure multiplied by the hourly rate to calculate gross pay. For a shift from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM with a 60-minute unpaid lunch, gross hours is 9:00 (9 hours) and net hours is 8:00 (8 hours). At $20 per hour, gross pay is $160.00.
FLSA and break rules
The Fair Labor Standards Act does not require employers to provide meal or rest breaks, but many states do. Under federal rules, rest breaks of fewer than 20 minutes must generally be paid. Bona fide meal breaks of 30 minutes or more where the employee is completely relieved of duties may be unpaid. Always verify applicable state law, as some states require paid breaks of longer duration or impose stricter rules for minors.
Hours between times calculator: frequently asked questions
How do I calculate hours between two times?
Convert both times to minutes past midnight by multiplying the hour by 60 and adding the minutes. Subtract the start minutes from the end minutes to get the total minutes worked. Divide by 60 for decimal hours, or use Math.floor to get whole hours and the modulo operator to get remaining minutes.
What is a break deduction?
A break deduction is the amount of unpaid break time subtracted from the gross hours to produce net hours actually worked and compensable under the Fair Labor Standards Act. For example, a 30-minute unpaid lunch break on an 8-hour 30-minute shift gives 8 net hours of paid time.
What are decimal hours?
Decimal hours express time as a single decimal number rather than in hours and minutes. For example, 8 hours and 30 minutes equals 8.50 decimal hours. Decimal hours are used in payroll systems to simplify multiplication: 8.50 hours multiplied by a $20 hourly rate equals $170.00 gross pay.
How do I convert minutes to decimal hours?
Divide the number of minutes by 60. For example, 45 minutes divided by 60 equals 0.75 hours. So a shift of 7 hours and 45 minutes is 7.75 decimal hours. This calculator shows the conversion automatically for both gross and net times.
Does this calculator handle overnight shifts?
Yes. If the end time you enter is earlier than the start time, the calculator automatically assumes the shift crosses midnight and adds 24 hours (1,440 minutes) to the end time. For example, a shift from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM is treated as 8 gross hours rather than giving a negative result.
Official sources
- US Department of Labor: Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 14 June 2026. See our methodology.