Hours Calculator
Hours between two clock times, also across midnight: shown in hours and minutes, as decimal hours, in total minutes and as a share of an 8-hour day.
Calculate the hours and minutes between two times.
Difference
8 Hours 30 min
Decimal hours
8.50 h
Total minutes
510 min
As percentage (8h day)
106.3 %
Calculation
From 08:00 to 16:30 = 8h 30min
Deduct breaks: Working Time Calculator · Work out pay: Hourly Wage Calculator
Note: These calculations are for informational purposes only and do not replace professional tax or financial advice. All information without guarantee.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I convert hours and minutes into decimal hours?
Divide the minutes by 60 and add the result to the full hours: 7 hours 45 minutes = 7 + 45 ÷ 60 = 7.75 h. Note that 8:30 is 8.5 h, not 8.3 h. The other way round, multiply the decimal part by 60: 0.4 h × 60 = 24 minutes. The hours calculator shows both notations at once.
How do I calculate hours across midnight, e.g. for a night shift?
Tick "Across midnight". If the end time is then before the start time, the calculator adds 24 hours: 22:00 to 06:00 gives 8 hours. Without the tick it shows a negative difference (−16 hours), because it treats both times as belonging to the same day.
Are breaks deducted automatically?
No. The hours calculator measures the whole span between start and end. For net working time subtract the break yourself, e.g. 8 hours 30 minutes − 30 minutes = 8 hours, or use the Working Time Calculator. By law, a break of at least 30 minutes is required for more than 6 hours of work and 45 minutes for more than 9 hours (§ 4 ArbZG).
What does the percentage in the result mean?
It compares the calculated span with an 8-hour day (480 minutes = 100 %). 6 hours equal 75 %, 8 hours 30 minutes equal 106.3 %. That shows at a glance whether a working day is longer or shorter than a full eight-hour day. To see what the hours are worth in euros, use the Hourly Wage Calculator.
Guide
What is the Hours Calculator?
The hours calculator works out the time span between two clock times, for example between starting and finishing work, the start and end of a shift, or departure and arrival. It shows the result in hours and minutes, in decimal hours, in minutes and as a share of an 8-hour day.
How does the Hours Calculator work?
Enter the start and end time (hh:mm). The calculator converts both times into minutes after midnight and subtracts the start from the end. If the period ends on the following day, for example a night shift from 22:00 to 06:00, tick "Across midnight" and 24 hours are added to the end time. Without this option, an end time before the start time is shown as a negative difference. Breaks are not deducted; the Working Time Calculator does that.
Key Data and Facts
1 hour = 60 minutes, 1 day = 1,440 minutes. Minutes to decimal hours: minutes ÷ 60. Common values: 6 min = 0.1 h, 15 min = 0.25 h, 20 min ≈ 0.33 h, 30 min = 0.5 h, 45 min = 0.75 h. The percentage refers to an 8-hour day: 480 minutes = 100 %. Minimum statutory break under § 4 ArbZG: 30 minutes for more than 6 hours and 45 minutes for more than 9 hours of work.
Step-by-Step Guide
How to calculate a time span step by step: 1. Enter the start: time in 24-hour format, e.g. 08:00. 2. Enter the end: e.g. 16:30. If the period ends on the next day, tick "Across midnight". 3. Read the difference: end minus start in minutes, here 990 − 480 = 510 minutes = 8 hours 30 minutes. 4. Use decimal hours: divide the minutes by 60 (510 ÷ 60). Timesheets, invoices and payroll need this decimal value because 8:30 cannot be multiplied by an hourly rate directly. 5. Deduct the break: the calculator measures the whole span. For net working time subtract the break (8:30 − 0:30 = 8:00) or use the Working Time Calculator. 6. Work out pay: multiply the decimal hours by the hourly rate; the Hourly Wage Calculator converts between monthly salary and hourly wage.
Calculation Example
Early shift: 06:00 to 14:15 = 8 hours 15 minutes = 8.25 decimal hours = 495 minutes (103.1 % of an 8-hour day). Night shift with "Across midnight" ticked: 22:00 to 06:30 = 8 hours 30 minutes = 8.5 h. Without the tick the calculator shows −15 hours 30 minutes for the same times, because the end lies before the start. Short appointment: 13:40 to 15:05 = 1 hour 25 minutes = 85 minutes ≈ 1.42 h.
Sources
Official sources
Calculations are based on applicable German laws and official data:
Full methodology at Methodology.
Reviewed by Konstantin Iakovlev · Last updated:
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