7-Minute Rule Calculator
Enter the time in and out for each day, plus any unpaid break. Leave a day empty if you did not work. The total updates as you type.
| Day | Time in | Time out | Unpaid break | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | min | 7:30 | ||
| Tue | min | 7:30 | ||
| Wed | min | 7:30 | ||
| Thu | min | 7:30 | ||
| Fri | min | 7:30 | ||
| Sat | min | - | ||
| Sun | min | - |
Rounding, overtime and pay
Rounding is applied to each clock-in and clock-out time, then the break is subtracted. The 7-minute rule is 15 minutes, to the nearest: 7 minutes or less rounds down, 8 or more rounds up.
Enter the limits your employer or local law uses. Leave both empty for no overtime. Daily overtime is taken first, then the weekly limit is applied to the remaining regular hours.
Optional. Adds regular pay, overtime pay and a total. Use any currency; the calculator does not convert.
- Regular hours
- 37:30
- Overtime hours
- 0:00
Estimate for checking a timesheet. Your employer's payroll rules and local law decide what is paid.
Round clock-in and clock-out times to the nearest quarter hour with the 7-minute rule and see the paid hours. · Rounding rule checked against 29 CFR § 785.48 (US Department of Labor)
Reviewed by Abdul Rafay (rounding rule source-checked, November 2026) · Published November 2026 · Rounding rule checked November 2026
The 7-minute rule rounds each clock time to the nearest 15 minutes: 7 minutes or less rounds down, 8 minutes or more rounds up. This page starts with the rule switched on so you can see what it does to a day's hours. In the United States this kind of rounding is accepted if it does not shortchange employees over time (29 CFR § 785.48(b)).
Example: a clock-in at 8:08 and a clock-out at 12:07 become 8:15 and 12:00, so the paid time is 3 hours 45 minutes.
How rounding changes your hours
Many employers round clock times to the nearest 5, 6 (a tenth of an hour), 10 or 15 minutes. The table shows how a clock-in time of 8:00 moves with the common rules.
| Rule | Clock-in at 8:07 becomes | Clock-in at 8:08 becomes |
|---|---|---|
| Nearest 5 minutes | 8:05 | 8:10 |
| Nearest 6 minutes (tenth of an hour) | 8:06 | 8:06 |
| Nearest 15 minutes (7-minute rule) | 8:00 | 8:15 |
| Always up to 15 minutes | 8:15 | 8:15 |
| Always down to 15 minutes | 8:00 | 8:00 |
How the calculator works
The rules behind the total
- 01
Time in, time out and breaks
For each day the calculator takes the time out minus the time in, then subtracts the unpaid break. A break that is longer than the shift never produces negative time.
- 02
Overnight shifts
If the time out is earlier than the time in, the shift runs past midnight and the calculator adds 24 hours. A shift from 22:00 to 06:00 with a 30 minute break counts as 7 hours 30 minutes.
- 03
Rounding clock times
Rounding is applied to the clock-in and clock-out times before the break is taken off. In the United States, rounding to the nearest 5 minutes, tenth or quarter of an hour is accepted, as long as it does not shortchange employees over time (29 CFR § 785.48(b)).
- 04
Daily and weekly overtime
You enter the limits, because overtime rules differ by country, state and contract. Hours above the daily limit are overtime. The weekly limit is then applied to the remaining regular hours, so the same hour is never counted twice.
- 05
Decimal hours
Payroll often needs hours as a decimal: 7 hours 30 minutes is 7.50. The result shows both forms. Decimal hours are rounded to two places.
- 06
Pay
With an hourly rate, regular hours are paid at the rate and overtime hours at the rate times your overtime multiplier. The calculator does not subtract tax or other deductions.
Common questions