Double time calculator
Work out your double-time rate and what your double-time hours pay. Enter hours by pay rate, or the hours of one workday to split it under California's daily rules.
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Double-time rate
Enter your hourly rate.
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How to use the double time calculator
- Enter your hourly rate. Your double-time rate, and your time-and-a-half rate for comparison, show straight away.
- Enter your hours by pay rate. Double-time hours, plus any time-and-a-half and regular hours you want in the total.
- Or split one California workday. Type the hours worked that day and the calculator splits them at 8 and 12 hours. Tick the seventh-day box if it was your seventh day in a row in the workweek.
- Copy the result. It lists each line, so you can match it against your pay stub.
How double time is calculated
Double-time rate = hourly rate × 2.
Gross pay = regular hours × rate + time-and-a-half hours × rate × 1.5 + double-time hours × rate × 2.
Each type of hour is counted once. In a 14-hour California workday, the first 8 hours are regular, hours 9 to 12 are time and a half, and only the last 2 are double time: 8 × $20 + 4 × $30 + 2 × $40 = $360.
Common mistakes
- Paying every hour of a long day at double time. Only the hours past the double-time point get 2×.
- Paying the same hour twice, once as time and a half and again as double time.
- Expecting double time from federal law. It only comes from state law, a contract or a policy.
- Counting unpaid meal breaks as hours worked when you split the day.
Where double time actually applies
Federal law: not required. The Fair Labor Standards Act sets overtime at time and a half for hours over 40 in a workweek, and does not require extra pay for weekends or holidays as such (US Department of Labor, Fact Sheet #23, checked 10 October 2026).
California: double the regular rate for hours over 12 in any workday, and for hours over 8 on the seventh consecutive day of work in a workweek. Hours over 8 in a workday, over 40 in a workweek and the first 8 on the seventh day are time and a half (California Labor Commissioner's overtime FAQ, checked 10 October 2026). Alternative workweek schedules and exempt jobs follow other rules.
Contracts and policies: union agreements and employer handbooks can pay double time for holidays, call-backs or very long shifts. Their own wording decides when it starts.
For a whole California week, with the weekly 40-hour rule as well, use the gross pay calculator with the Daily (CA) rule.
Double time examples
| Situation | Rate | Pay |
|---|---|---|
| 12-hour California workday (8 regular + 4 at 1.5×) | $20.00 | $280.00 |
| 14-hour California workday (8 + 4 at 1.5× + 2 at 2×) | $20.00 | $360.00 |
| 10 hours on the seventh day in a row (8 at 1.5× + 2 at 2×) | $20.00 | $320.00 |
| 6 holiday hours paid at double time under a contract | $24.00 | $288.00 |
| Week of 40 regular + 8 at 1.5× + 4 at 2× | $22.00 | $1,320.00 |
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate double time?
Multiply your hourly rate by 2, then multiply by the double-time hours. At $17.50 an hour, double time is $35 an hour, so 3 double-time hours pay $105. Add your regular and time-and-a-half pay for the total.
Is double time required by federal law?
No. The federal Fair Labor Standards Act requires time and a half for hours over 40 in a workweek, and nothing higher. Double time comes from state law, such as California's, or from a union contract or employer policy.
When do you get double time in California?
According to the California Department of Industrial Relations, for hours over 12 in a workday, and for hours over 8 on the seventh consecutive day of work in a workweek. The first 8 hours on that seventh day are paid at time and a half.
Does double time apply on holidays?
Only if your employer, contract or state says so. Federal law doesn't require extra pay for working a holiday as such. Some union contracts and employers pay double time for holiday work, so check your contract or handbook.
What is double time and a half?
A rate of 2.5 times your hourly wage that some contracts pay for holiday work. This page uses 2×. For any other multiplier, the overtime pay calculator lets you set your own rate.