Free hours between two times calculator 2026. Calculate duration between any two clock times with overnight shift support. See hours and minutes, decimal hours, and total seconds. Perfect for shift work, billing, and event planning.
Enter the start time (e.g., 9:00 AM).
Enter the end time (e.g., 5:30 PM).
Toggle "Overnight shift" if end time is the next day (e.g., 10:00 PM → 6:00 AM).
Click Calculate Hours to see duration in hours:minutes, decimal hours, and total seconds.
For multi-day durations, use our Time Difference Calculator.
The duration between two clock times is the end time minus the start time. If the end time is earlier than the start (e.g., 10 PM → 6 AM), add 24 hours to indicate an overnight span. The result is shown in hours:minutes (8h 30m), decimal hours (8.50h), and total seconds (30,600 sec).
9:00 AM to 5:30 PM = 8h 30m = 8.50 decimal hours = 30,600 seconds. With 30-min unpaid lunch = 8.0h payable.
10:00 PM to 6:00 AM (overnight) = 8h 0m = 8.00 decimal hours = 28,800 seconds. Typical 3rd-shift duration.
8:00 AM to 7:30 PM = 11h 30m = 11.50 decimal hours. California: hours 9-11.5 = 2.5h daily OT at 1.5×.
1:30 PM to 3:15 PM = 1h 45m = 1.75 decimal hours = 6,300 seconds. Useful for billing and meeting tracking.
End of meeting 1: 11:30 AM. Start of meeting 2: 1:00 PM. Gap = 1h 30m = 1.5h = enough for lunch + 30-min break.
Find answers to the most common questions about hours between two times calculator.
Subtract start time from end time. If end < start (overnight), add 24h. Example: 9 AM to 5 PM = 8h. 10 PM to 6 AM = (24 + 6) - 22 = 8h. For payroll, multiply decimal hours by hourly rate. Use our Payroll Hours Calculator for full pay calculation.
If clock-out is earlier than clock-in (e.g., 10 PM → 6 AM), add 24 hours to the result. The shift spans midnight. Most time-tracking systems handle this automatically. FLSA overtime still applies to total weekly hours, not daily — overnight shifts do not inherently trigger OT.
Decimal hours = hours + (minutes / 60). Example: 8h 30m = 8 + 30/60 = 8.50 decimal hours. Payroll systems typically use decimal hours for wage calculation: 8.50h x $22/hr = $187. Common decimal conversions: 15min = 0.25h, 30min = 0.50h, 45min = 0.75h.
Use our Time Difference Calculator — it accepts both date and time inputs. For single-day spans under 24 hours, use this calculator. For multi-day spans (e.g., project duration, age, elapsed time), Time Difference Calculator returns days, hours, minutes, and total hours.
FLSA allows rounding to nearest 5, 6, 10, or 15 minutes IF it averages out over time. Common 15-min rule: 1-7 min after hour rounds down, 8-15 min rounds up. Rounding must not consistently favor employer. Modern time clocks typically track to the minute to avoid disputes (29 CFR 785.48).
For consultants/lawyers: billable hours = duration between clock-in/out minus non-billable time (admin, breaks). Track to the 0.1h (6-min) increment for legal billing. Multiply by hourly billable rate. See our Billable Hours Calculator and Utilization Rate Calculator for full billable revenue tracking.
Calculations and computational models on QuickBizCalc are verified against published regulatory standards and statutory tax tables:
Publication 15-T (Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods) & Publication 15 (Employer's Tax Guide).
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA 29 U.S.C. § 207) regulations on overtime hours, recordkeeping, and minimum wage.
OASDI taxable maximum wage base limits and statutory FICA tax rates (6.2% Social Security + 1.45% Medicare).
Formulas and worked examples are checked against the sources above before publishing. For advice on your own situation, consult a licensed tax professional or accountant.
Formats: 9:00 AM, 9am, 17:30
Duration Between Times
8h 0m
