# Hours Calculator

Calculate hours and minutes between two times. Supports overnight shifts. Get results in hours:minutes and decimal format for timesheets and payroll.

## What this calculates

How many hours between two times? Enter a start and end time to instantly calculate the duration in hours and minutes. The overnight toggle handles shifts that cross midnight, and the decimal-hours output is ready for payroll systems.

## Inputs

- **Start Hour** — min 0, max 23 — Start hour in 24-hour format (0-23)
- **Start Minute** — min 0, max 59 — Start minute (0-59)
- **End Hour** — min 0, max 23 — End hour in 24-hour format (0-23)
- **End Minute** — min 0, max 59 — End minute (0-59)
- **Overnight Shift** — Enable if the end time is the next day (e.g. 10 PM to 6 AM)

## Outputs

- **Hours** — Whole hours between the two times
- **Minutes** — Remaining minutes beyond whole hours
- **Decimal Hours** — Total duration expressed as decimal hours (useful for timesheets)

## Details

This calculator takes two times in 24-hour format and computes the difference. For a standard workday from 9:00 to 17:30, you get 8 hours and 30 minutes (8.50 decimal hours).

For shifts that cross midnight (such as 22:00 to 06:00), enable the Overnight Shift toggle. This tells the calculator that the end time is the following day, so it adds 24 hours before computing the difference.

The decimal-hours format is widely used in payroll, billing, and project management. For example, 7 hours 45 minutes equals 7.75 decimal hours, which simplifies multiplication by an hourly rate.

## Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: How do I enter times in 24-hour format?**

A: In 24-hour format, 1 PM is 13, 2 PM is 14, and so on up to 11 PM which is 23. Midnight is 0. So 9:00 AM is hour 9, minute 0, and 5:30 PM is hour 17, minute 30.

**Q: When should I use the overnight toggle?**

A: Enable it whenever the end time is the next day. For example, a shift from 10 PM (22:00) to 6 AM (06:00) crosses midnight, so you need the overnight toggle to get the correct 8-hour result.

**Q: What are decimal hours?**

A: Decimal hours express time as a decimal number rather than hours and minutes. 30 minutes = 0.50 hours, 15 minutes = 0.25 hours, 45 minutes = 0.75 hours. This makes payroll calculations easier: 8.50 hours × $20/hr = $170.

**Q: Can I calculate hours across multiple days?**

A: This calculator handles up to a 24-hour span (with the overnight toggle). For multi-day durations, use the Time Calculator or Date Difference calculator.

**Q: Does this include break time?**

A: No, this shows the gross time between two clock times. For net work hours minus a lunch break, use the Time Card calculator which has a lunch-break deduction.

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Source: https://vastcalc.com/calculators/everyday/hours-calculator
Category: Everyday Life
Last updated: 2026-04-21