Hours Between Two Times Calculator

Hours Between Two Times: key details

h1: hours between two times calculator

8:00 AM to 5:00 PM looks like nine hours on a clock face. It is not. It is eight. The error is counting the starting hour as a worked hour. Elapsed time is the difference between two points. Count only the gap.

How to use the calculator

Enter a start time. Enter an end time. The calculator subtracts. The result is duration in hours and minutes. You can add multiple segments across a day.

Entering start and end times

Use 12-hour format with AM/PM selectors, or switch to 24-hour time. The calculator accepts times like 8:30 AM and 5:15 PM. The difference is 8 hours and 45 minutes.

How the calculator handles AM/PM and midnight

12:00 AM is midnight. 12:00 PM is noon. A shift from 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM spans two calendar days. The calculator adds 12 hours to any PM time and treats times after midnight as the next day. The result for 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM is 8 hours.

Subtracting breaks from the total

Clock out for lunch? Subtract that block. Enter the break start and end, or deduct it manually. A 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM shift with a 30-minute unpaid lunch is 7.5 hours.

Without the break, it is 8.

Converting the result to decimal hours

Payroll runs on decimals. Divide the minute count by 60.

15 minutes is 0.25 of an hour. 30 minutes is 0.50. 45 minutes is 0.75.

A 7-hour 45-minute shift becomes 7.75 hours. The calculator handles this. For a full conversion table, use the Minutes to Decimal Hours Converter.

Common use cases

Daily time cards. Shift planning. Billable client work. For a weekly time card, enter each day's start and end, subtract breaks, sum the daily totals. The Time Card Calculator handles the full week. For project work, track each task's start and end separately.

This tool is not for time zone differences or date duration calculations.

Frequently asked questions

Is 12:00 AM midnight or noon?

12:00 AM is midnight. 12:00 PM is noon. To avoid confusion, use 24-hour time: 00:00 and 12:00.

How do I calculate hours between 8 AM and 5 PM?

Subtract 8 from 17. 17 minus 8 is 9 hours. With a 1-hour lunch, the result is 8 hours.

What is 7 hours and 30 minutes in decimal hours?

Divide 30 by 60. That is 0.50. Add the 7 hours. Total: 7.50 hours.

Can I use this for overnight shifts?

Yes. Enter 10:00 PM as the start and 6:00 AM as the end. The calculator recognizes the span crosses midnight. It returns 8 hours.

What if I work 9 AM to 5 PM with an unpaid 30-minute lunch?

The elapsed time is 8 hours. Subtract the 0.5-hour lunch. Paid time is 7.5 hours. Enter 7.50 on your time card.

Should I round my time card to the nearest quarter hour?

Only if your employer's policy requires it. The FLSA permits rounding to the nearest 5, 6, or 15 minutes. The rule must be neutral. It cannot systematically underpay you. If your actual punch is 8:07 AM, a quarter-hour rounding policy might record 8:00 AM. That is legal only if the rounding goes both ways, fairly, across the whole pay period. Some states, including California, have restricted rounding when exact time is available. Check your state's labor department.

Hours Between Two Times