This double time pay calculator figures your total earnings when some hours are paid at the regular rate, some at time-and-a-half (1.5×), and some at double time (2×). Double time means twice your regular hourly rate — the highest standard overtime multiplier — and it is most common under California daily-overtime rules and union contracts. Enter your rate and hours below to see pay at each multiplier, your total gross, and your effective blended hourly rate, plus a California double-time rule helper.
Double time is paid at exactly 2× your regular rate. The calculator multiplies each bucket of hours by its multiplier and adds them up: regular × 1 + OT × 1.5 + DT × 2. It then divides total pay by total hours to give your blended (effective) hourly rate for the period. For a $25/hour worker with 40 regular, 4 OT, and 2 double-time hours:
| Bucket | Hours | Rate | Pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular (1×) | 40 | $25.00 | $1,000.00 |
| Overtime (1.5×) | 4 | $37.50 | $150.00 |
| Double time (2×) | 2 | $50.00 | $100.00 |
| Total | 46 | blended $27.17 | $1,250.00 |
Total gross is $1,250 for the week, and the effective blended rate is about $27.17/hour.
Time-and-a-half (1.5×) is the federal FLSA overtime standard for hours over 40 in a workweek. Double time (2×) is not required by federal law — it comes from state rules (notably California), union contracts, or employer policy. The difference is large: at $25/hour, an overtime hour pays $37.50 but a double-time hour pays $50.00. Knowing which multiplier applies to each hour is the key to calculating your check correctly.
| Multiplier | Name | Rate at $25/hr | Typically triggered by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0× | Regular | $25.00 | First 40 hours/week |
| 1.5× | Time and a half | $37.50 | FLSA: over 40 hrs/week; CA: over 8 hrs/day |
| 2.0× | Double time | $50.00 | CA: over 12 hrs/day; contracts; holidays |
California has the most detailed daily-overtime law in the country. Under California Labor Code, non-exempt employees earn:
So a California employee who works a 14-hour day earns 8 hours at regular pay, 4 hours at time-and-a-half, and 2 hours at double time. Use the buckets in the calculator to reflect exactly that split.
A California warehouse worker earning $30/hour works 14 hours in one day. The breakdown is: 8 hours × $30 = $240 regular; 4 hours × $45 = $180 at time-and-a-half; 2 hours × $60 = $120 at double time. Total for the day is $540 for 14 hours — a blended rate of about $38.57/hour.
No. Double-time pay is ordinary wages and is taxed like the rest of your paycheck — federal income tax, FICA, and any state tax all apply normally. Note, however, that for the 2026 federal no-tax-on-overtime deduction, only the FLSA-required premium counts; double time that exceeds the federal overtime requirement generally does not add to that qualified-overtime deduction.
| Regular rate | Time and a half (1.5×) | Double time (2×) |
|---|---|---|
| $15.00 | $22.50 | $30.00 |
| $20.00 | $30.00 | $40.00 |
| $25.00 | $37.50 | $50.00 |
| $30.00 | $45.00 | $60.00 |
| $40.00 | $60.00 | $80.00 |
Here are realistic weekly pay scenarios that mix regular, time-and-a-half, and double-time hours, all at a $25/hour base:
| Scenario | Reg | 1.5× | 2× | Gross | Blended |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard week + light OT | 40 | 4 | 0 | $1,150 | $26.14 |
| Long day triggers double time | 40 | 4 | 2 | $1,250 | $27.17 |
| Heavy CA week | 40 | 8 | 4 | $1,500 | $28.85 |
| 7th-day work (CA) | 40 | 8 | 8 | $1,700 | $30.36 |
Federal law does not require any premium for working holidays, but many employers and union contracts pay double time on designated holidays as a benefit. If your employer offers holiday double time, put those hours in the 2× bucket of the calculator. Note this is a policy or contract benefit, not a legal mandate — a private employer with no such policy can pay regular rate for holiday work in most states.
California's seventh-day rule is easy to misapply. When an employee works seven consecutive days in a single workweek, the first 8 hours on that seventh day are paid at time-and-a-half, and any hours beyond 8 on the seventh day are paid at double time. This is separate from the daily 8/12-hour rule. A worker who pulls a 10-hour shift on their seventh straight day earns 8 hours at 1.5× and 2 hours at 2× for that day. The calculator lets you enter those buckets directly.
On a compliant pay stub, double-time hours and pay should appear as a separate line from regular and overtime, with the rate shown (2× your base). If you see lumped "overtime" without a double-time line in a state like California where you worked over 12 hours in a day, you may be underpaid — calculate what you should have earned using the buckets above and raise it with payroll or your state labor agency.
Both overtime and double-time pay are ordinary taxable wages — there is no special tax on the higher rate itself. However, for the 2026 federal qualified-overtime deduction, only the FLSA-required premium counts (the half above your regular rate on weekly overtime). Double-time hours driven by state daily rules or contracts generally exceed the federal FLSA minimum, so the extra above 1.5× usually does not add to the federal no-tax-on-overtime deduction. It is still fully taxable income and fully yours after tax.
To sanity-check the calculator: double time is simply your regular rate doubled. At $18/hour, double time is $36/hour; at $27/hour it is $54/hour. Time-and-a-half is your rate plus half (e.g., $27 → $40.50). For a mixed week, compute each bucket separately and add — never apply a single blended multiplier to all hours, because that misstates pay when the mix of regular, 1.5×, and 2× hours changes.
California has the most comprehensive daily-overtime and double-time rules, but a few other jurisdictions have daily-overtime provisions in specific contexts. Alaska, Nevada, and Colorado have daily overtime rules of their own (generally 1.5× after a set number of daily hours), though true double time is largely a California and contract phenomenon. In most states, only the federal FLSA weekly rule (1.5× over 40 hours) applies, and double time arises only from union contracts or employer policy. Always check your state labor agency and any collective-bargaining agreement to know which multipliers apply to your hours.
Double time is not only for traditional hourly workers. A salaried non-exempt employee in California is still entitled to daily overtime and double time, calculated from an equivalent hourly rate derived from their salary. To find the base rate, divide the weekly salary by the number of hours it is intended to compensate (often 40). Then apply the 1.5× and 2× multipliers to the relevant hours. If you are salaried but non-exempt and work long days, you may be owed double time you are not receiving — compute it with the buckets above using your derived hourly rate.
If you worked hours that legally qualify for double time (for example, over 12 hours in a California workday) and your pay stub shows only regular or time-and-a-half, first calculate what you should have earned using this tool. Then raise it with your employer or payroll in writing. If it is not corrected, you can file a wage claim with your state labor commissioner (in California, the DLSE). Keep your own records of hours worked each day, as they are your evidence. Unpaid overtime and double time can often be recovered, sometimes with penalties.
For the most accurate result, enter figures straight from your own documents rather than estimates. Pull your gross pay and pay frequency from a recent pay stub, your filing status from your most recent tax return, and any pre-tax deductions (retirement, health, HSA) from your benefits enrollment. Small differences in these inputs — especially filing status and pre-tax contributions — can change your take-home by hundreds or thousands of dollars a year. The calculator uses verified 2026 federal brackets, the $184,500 Social Security wage base, and current state rules, so matching its inputs to your actual situation gives a reliable estimate you can plan around. Always treat the output as an educated estimate and confirm exact figures against your payroll provider or a tax professional, since year-to-date caps, local taxes, and W-4 elections can shift the final number.
Tax brackets, standard deductions, the Social Security wage base, and several state rates all change yearly. Using a calculator built on the correct 2026 numbers — rather than a prior-year tool — matters because the differences compound across a full year of pay. This page reflects the 2026 federal standard deductions ($16,100 single / $32,200 joint / $24,150 head of household), the 2026 bracket thresholds, the $184,500 Social Security wage base, and the latest published state rates. When the IRS and state agencies announce the following year's figures, the inputs here will be updated so your estimate stays current.
Multiply your regular hourly rate by 2, then by the number of double-time hours. For example, at $25/hour, 2 double-time hours pay $25 × 2 × 2 = $100. Add this to your regular pay and any time-and-a-half pay for total gross. The calculator does all three buckets at once.
Time and a half is 1.5× your regular rate and is the federal FLSA overtime standard for hours over 40 in a week. Double time is 2× your rate and is not required by federal law — it comes from state rules (mainly California), union contracts, or employer policy. At $25/hour, that is $37.50 versus $50.00 per hour.
Under California law, non-exempt employees earn double time for hours worked beyond 12 in a single workday, and for hours beyond 8 on the 7th consecutive day of work in a workweek. Hours 8 to 12 in a day are paid at time-and-a-half.
No. The federal Fair Labor Standards Act only requires time-and-a-half (1.5×) for hours over 40 in a workweek. Double time is required only where state law (such as California's daily-overtime rule), a union contract, or company policy provides it.
No. Double-time pay is ordinary wages taxed like your other pay — federal income tax, FICA, and any state tax apply normally. It is not subject to a special higher tax rate just because the pay rate is higher.
Your blended (effective) rate is total pay divided by total hours. For 40 regular, 4 OT, and 2 double-time hours at $25/hour, total pay is $1,250 over 46 hours, a blended rate of about $27.17 per hour. The calculator shows this automatically.