Calculators / Hours calculator
Hours calculator
Find the time between a start and finish, with breaks taken out.
Clock-time calculation. Time zones and daylight saving changes are not applied.
How to calculate hours between two times
Convert each time to minutes after midnight. Subtract the start from the end, then subtract your total break time. If the finish is earlier than the start, add 1,440 minutes for an overnight shift.
Net minutes = end minutes − start minutes + overnight adjustment − break minutes
Divide net minutes by 60 to get decimal hours. The whole-number part is complete hours; the remainder is minutes. For example, 7 hours 30 minutes is 7.5 decimal hours, not 7.30 hours.
Example: a day with a lunch break
09:00 to 17:30 is 8 hours 30 minutes. Subtract a 30-minute break: 8 hours, or 480 minutes.
Example: crossing midnight
22:15 to 06:45 is 8 hours 30 minutes. With a 45-minute break, the result is 7 hours 45 minutes, or 7.75 decimal hours. The earlier finish is treated as tomorrow.
When to use the next-day option
Equal start and end times normally give zero. Select “End time is on the next day” to count a full day. For 09:00 today to 10:00 tomorrow, select the option to get 25 hours. For a multi-day duration, use the time calculator instead.
What this result does and does not measure
This calculator measures the difference between clock readings. A shift during a daylight saving change may have a different actual elapsed duration. It does not calculate wages, overtime, legal break entitlements, or payroll rounding. Decimal hours are displayed to up to four decimal places; the minutes remain exact.
Common questions
How do I enter several breaks?
Add their minutes and enter the total. Two 15-minute breaks and a 30-minute lunch are 60 minutes. Only deduct the breaks you intend to exclude.
Can the break be longer than the shift?
No. The calculator rejects that input instead of returning negative worked hours. A break equal to the full duration gives zero.
How do I enter noon or midnight?
Noon is 12:00 and midnight is 00:00 in 24-hour format. Your browser may display an AM/PM control depending on your locale.