California Overtime Calculator – CA OT Pay Calculator
Calculate California overtime pay with daily overtime, double time, and 7th day rules. Enter your hourly rate and daily hours to see accurate pay breakdown.
What Is California Overtime?
California has the most employee-friendly overtime laws in the United States. Under California Labor Code Section 510, non-exempt employees earn overtime based on both daily and weekly hours worked. Daily overtime kicks in after 8 hours in a single workday at 1.5x your regular rate, and double time applies after 12 hours. Additionally, working 7 consecutive days triggers special overtime rules: the first 8 hours on the 7th day are paid at 1.5x, and any hours beyond 8 are paid at 2x. These rules provide significantly more overtime protection than federal FLSA standards.
California Overtime Formula
Daily Regular = Hours up to 8 per day
Daily OT (1.5x) = Hours 8-12 per day
Daily DT (2x) = Hours over 12 per day
Weekly OT (1.5x) = Regular hours over 40 (not already OT)
7th Day = First 8h at 1.5x, over 8h at 2x
California overtime rules are more complex than federal FLSA. Daily overtime and weekly overtime do not stack—hours already paid at overtime rates for daily overtime are not counted again for weekly overtime calculations.
Calculation Examples
Real California overtime scenarios showing how daily and weekly rules interact. All examples assume a 22% combined tax rate.
| Scenario | Regular | Daily OT | Weekly OT | Gross | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $25/hr, 5 days × 10h | $1,000 | $375 | $0 | $1,375 | $1,073 |
| $30/hr, 4 days × 12h + 1 day × 8h | $1,200 | $720 | $0 | $1,920 | $1,498 |
| $20/hr, 7 consecutive days × 8h | $960 | $0 | $240 | $1,440 | $1,123 |
Common California Overtime Mistakes
Double-counting overtime hours
Hours paid at daily overtime rates should not be counted again for weekly overtime. If you worked 10 hours on Monday, the 2 hours of daily OT are already compensated—they don't count toward the 40-hour weekly threshold.
Misunderstanding the 7th day rule
The 7th consecutive day rule applies to working 7 days in a row within your employer's defined workweek, not just any Sunday. If your workweek starts Wednesday, working Wed-Tue triggers the 7th day premium on Tuesday.
Ignoring daily overtime for short weeks
Even if you work less than 40 hours in a week, you still earn daily overtime for any day over 8 hours. A 4-day week with 10-hour shifts means 8 hours of daily overtime, even though total hours are only 40.
Using federal rules instead of California rules
Federal FLSA only requires weekly overtime after 40 hours. California requires both daily (after 8 hours) and weekly overtime. Using a federal calculator will significantly underestimate your California overtime pay.
How to Use
Enter your hourly rate
Input your base hourly wage. If you are salaried non-exempt, divide your weekly salary by 40 to get the hourly equivalent. Include shift differentials if applicable.
Enter daily hours for each day
Input the hours worked for each day of the week (Monday through Sunday). The calculator automatically applies California's daily overtime rules: 1.5x for hours 8-12, and 2x for hours over 12.
Set your tax rate
Enter your estimated combined federal and state tax rate. California has higher state income tax, so consider using 25-30% for accurate estimates. The default 22% is a conservative starting point.
Review your detailed breakdown
See your gross pay and net pay with a complete breakdown: regular pay, daily overtime (1.5x), daily double time (2x), weekly overtime, and 7th day premium if applicable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Under California Labor Code Section 510, you earn 1.5x your regular rate for hours 8-12 in a single workday, and 2x for any hours beyond 12. This applies regardless of your weekly total. For example, working 14 hours on Monday means 8 hours at regular rate, 4 hours at 1.5x, and 2 hours at 2x.
If you work 7 consecutive days in your employer's defined workweek, the 7th day has special overtime rules: the first 8 hours are paid at 1.5x your regular rate, and any hours beyond 8 are paid at 2x. This applies even if your total weekly hours are under 40.
No. Hours already compensated at daily overtime rates are not counted again for weekly overtime. If you work 50 hours in a week with 10 hours of daily overtime, only the remaining 40 regular hours count toward the weekly 40-hour threshold. You would not receive additional weekly overtime in this case.
Non-exempt employees in California are entitled to overtime. This includes most hourly workers and some salaried employees. Exempt employees must meet specific salary thresholds (currently 2x minimum wage for full-time) and duties tests for executive, administrative, or professional exemptions.
A workweek is any 7 consecutive 24-hour periods (168 hours total) established by your employer. It can start on any day and at any time, but once established, it must remain consistent. Your employer cannot change the workweek to avoid overtime obligations.