Time Duration Calculator
Calculate duration between two times — hours, minutes, and total minutes. Handles times that cross midnight.
What is a time duration calculator?
The time duration calculator finds the elapsed time between two clock times — useful for timesheets, overnight shifts, flight duration, cooking, and any math where minutes need to be added or subtracted.
Enter times in 24-hour format (13:45) or with AM/PM (1:45pm) — the calculator handles either. Overnight shifts that cross midnight are supported.
Formula
Convert each time to total minutes since midnight: T = hours × 60 + minutes.
Duration = End − Start. If End is before Start and overnight mode is on, add 1,440 minutes (24 hours) to cross midnight.
Paid hours = Duration − unpaid break.
Worked example
Shift from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM with a 30-minute unpaid lunch:
- Start = 540 min, End = 1,050 min
- Duration = 510 min = 8 h 30 m
- Paid = 510 − 30 = 480 min = 8.0 paid hours
How to use this calculator
- Type start and end times in 24-hour (17:30) or 12-hour (5:30pm) format.
- If your shift crosses midnight (e.g., 22:00 → 06:00), keep "overnight" mode on.
- Enter any unpaid break in minutes to see paid hours.
Frequently asked questions
Can I type "5pm" or do I need "17:00"?
Both work. Accepted formats: 17:30, 17.30, 5:30pm, 5:30 PM, 530pm. The parser is case-insensitive and ignores extra whitespace.
Why is a 9 AM to 9 AM shift sometimes 0 and sometimes 24 hours?
In "overnight" mode, equal start/end is treated as a full 24 hours. In "same day" mode it is 0. Switch modes if you get the wrong answer.
Do I pay overtime on this?
Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), non-exempt U.S. employees earn 1.5× pay for hours over 40 in a workweek — the total workweek, not per shift. States like California add daily overtime rules (1.5× over 8 hours, 2× over 12).
Can I add multiple time ranges?
Not in this calculator — run each range separately and add the decimal-hour results.