40 hours a week calculator
Find the hours still needed to reach 40 this week, or the hours per day that make a 40-hour week.
Not legal, tax or payroll advice. General information only; results are estimates. Read the full notice.
Example: after 8 h, 8 h and 7.5 h, the calculator estimates 16 h 30 min still to reach 40, which is 8:15 a day over 2 more days.
Estimate based on what you entered. Not legal or payroll advice; check it against your employer's records.
How to use it
- For hours still needed, use How many hours do I still need this week? Type the hours you worked on each day so far.
- Pick the number in Days you still plan to work.
- For a plan from scratch, use Hours per day for a weekly target and pick the Days per week.
- Change the Weekly target in hours from 40 to any other number if you like.
40 hours across different week lengths
| Days worked | Each day |
|---|---|
| 3 | 13 h 20 min |
| 4 | 10 h |
| 5 | 8 h |
| 6 | 6 h 40 min |
| 7 | 5 h 43 min (rounded up) |
40 hours does not split into whole minutes over 7 days, so those rows are rounded up to the next minute and add up to slightly more than 40 hours.
Estimate based on what you entered. Not legal or payroll advice; check it against your employer's records.
What federal law says about hours over 40
The federal Fair Labor Standards Act (29 U.S.C. § 207) sets overtime pay at not less than 1.5 times the regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek, for employees it covers who are not exempt.
HoursPad does not decide whether this applies to a particular job. Your employer or your state labor department can confirm what applies to yours. To see overtime on a time card, use the HoursPad time card.
Questions
How many hours a day is 40 hours a week?
Spread over 5 days it is 8 h a day. For 4 days it is 10 h a day. The Hours per day for a weekly target calculator shows any number of days from 1 to 7.
How do I find how many hours I still need this week?
Type your target and the hours you worked each day. The calculator subtracts the total from the target and spreads what is left over the days you still plan to work.
Can I change 40 to another number?
Yes. Type any weekly target, such as 32 or 37.5, in either calculator.
Is 40 hours a legal limit?
HoursPad does not say. 40 is only the target you type. What federal law says about hours over 40 in a workweek is quoted below, with links to the sources.
Official sources
-
29 U.S.C. § 207(a)(1) (opens in new tab), U.S. Government Publishing Office (U.S. Code).
“for a workweek longer than forty hours unless such employee receives compensation for his employment in excess of the hours above specified at a rate not less than one and one-half times the regular rate at which he is employed.”
Checked November 11, 2026. Rules change; verify with the source. -
Overtime Pay (Wage and Hour Division) (opens in new tab), U.S. Department of Labor.
“Unless exempt, employees covered by the Act must receive overtime pay for hours worked over 40 in a workweek at a rate not less than time and one-half their regular rates of pay.”
Checked November 11, 2026. Rules change; verify with the source.
These are summaries of what the official sources say, not legal advice. Laws change and exceptions apply. Check with your employer or your state labor department about your own job.