California overtime pay calculator (2026)
California Labor Code 510: 1.5x after 8 hours in a workday OR 40 in a workweek. 2x after 12 hours in a workday or beyond 8 on the 7th consecutive day. More generous than federal FLSA, California is the daily-OT state.
Wage and hour law is fact-specific. This page summarises 2026 published guidance from the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR), the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, and California Labor Code section 510. Exempt-vs-non-exempt status, alternative workweek schedules, and industry-specific orders may modify the standard rules. Consult a wage-and-hour attorney about your circumstances.
California's daily overtime rule: more generous than federal
California Labor Code section 510 establishes one of the most worker-friendly overtime regimes in the United States. The federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) only requires overtime pay (1.5x the regular rate) for hours worked above 40 in a workweek. California adds a daily test on top of the weekly test: any hours beyond 8 in a single workday are paid at 1.5x, and any hours beyond 12 in a single workday are paid at 2x (double-time). When California and federal rules conflict, the worker is entitled to the more generous, which in California is almost always state law.
The practical implication: a California worker on a four-day-on / three-day-off schedule (4×10 hours = 40 weekly) is entitled to 2 hours of 1.5x premium pay on each 10-hour day, totaling 8 hours of overtime per week, even though weekly hours equal 40. In a non-California state with only the federal test, the same schedule would result in zero overtime. The 7th consecutive day rule adds a further premium: working 7 days in a row triggers 1.5x for the first 8 hours of the 7th day and 2x for any hours beyond 8 on that day, regardless of whether weekly total hours exceed 40. Per the DLSE wage page.
Worked examples: weekly gross pay with overtime
The table below shows weekly gross pay at common California hourly rates under three scenarios: a standard 40-hour week with no overtime; a 48-hour week (40 reg + 8 hours of OT at 1.5x); a 52-hour week comprising 40 reg + 8 hours at 1.5x + 4 hours at 2x (the worker did one 14-hour day, triggering 4 hours of double-time on hours 13-14). Rates start at California's 2026 statewide minimum wage of $16.50 (per the DIR) and the San Francisco minimum wage of $18.67 (per the SF Office of Labor Standards Enforcement).
| Hourly rate | 40-hr week | 48-hr week (8 OT @ 1.5x) | 52-hr week (with 2x) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $17/hr | $660 | $858 | $891 |
| $19/hr | $747 | $971 | $1,008 |
| $20/hr | $800 | $1,040 | $1,080 |
| $25/hr | $1,000 | $1,300 | $1,350 |
| $30/hr | $1,200 | $1,560 | $1,620 |
| $40/hr | $1,600 | $2,080 | $2,160 |
| $50/hr | $2,000 | $2,600 | $2,700 |
| $75/hr | $3,000 | $3,900 | $4,050 |
Gross figures only. Net take-home depends on the worker's annual gross, filing status, and pre-tax deductions. Use the calculator on the homepage or the hourly calculator page to convert to net.
How overtime is taxed in California
Overtime wages are taxed exactly like regular wages. There is no separate "overtime tax rate". The 22% federal supplemental withholding and 6.6% California supplemental withholding that apply to bonuses do NOT apply to overtime. Overtime is taxed at the worker's W-4 / DE 4 marginal rate, plus standard FICA (6.2% Social Security on wages up to the $176,100 cap + 1.45% Medicare with no cap) and SDI (1.1% with no cap, per January 2024 SB 951). Per IRS Publication 15.
The reason overtime sometimes feels heavily taxed is the marginal-bracket effect: an extra $200 of overtime on top of $50,000 base salary is taxed at the worker's current 12% federal marginal rate + 6% California marginal rate + 7.65% FICA + 1.1% SDI = approximately 27% combined. The take-home from $200 of overtime is approximately $146. This feels heavier than the worker's effective rate because effective rate averages all bracket dollars. The marginal rate on the next dollar is what determines OT take-home. For high-volume OT workers, the cumulative marginal rate can push a portion of OT into the 22% federal bracket (above $48,475 single taxable income), shifting the take-home rate further. Per-band detail: $50,000 after taxes, $70,000 after taxes.
Exempt employees: when overtime does NOT apply
California Labor Code provides certain exemptions from the overtime rules. The most common are the executive, administrative, and professional exemptions, modeled loosely on federal FLSA but with stricter California-specific tests. To be exempt under California law, a worker must (a) earn at least two times the state minimum wage for full-time work, in 2026, approximately $1,320 per week or $68,640 annual, per the IWC Wage Orders; AND (b) primarily perform exempt duties (managing a department, supervising two or more employees, exercising independent judgment in matters of significance, holding a learned profession requiring advanced knowledge in a field of science or learning).
Both prongs must be satisfied. A worker earning $80,000 a year as a "Marketing Manager" who spends 90% of their time on routine production work (not management or supervision) is likely non-exempt despite the title, and entitled to overtime. The California DLSE conducts wage-and-hour investigations and issues citations to employers for misclassification; per the DLSE 2024 enforcement summary, misclassification was the second-most-common wage violation type. Other narrow exemptions exist for outside salespersons (true outside sales, not field service), licensed real estate agents, and a few other specific occupations.
Computer software employees have their own exemption test (Labor Code 515.5): they must earn at least the annual computer software employee threshold ($118,657.43 in 2024, adjusted annually by the DIR) AND primarily perform exempt computer-software duties (systems analysis, programming, software design). Healthcare workers in certain settings have alternative workweek arrangements (8/80 schedules in hospitals, for instance) that modify the standard daily OT rules. When in doubt, consult a California employment attorney or contact the DLSE directly for a wage claim assessment.
Related California paycheck pages
California overtime, common questions
Overtime mechanics on this page reflect 2026 California Labor Code section 510, IWC Wage Orders, and DLSE published guidance. Exempt-vs-non-exempt status is fact-specific and may differ from the title or salary level alone. Industry-specific Wage Orders (hospitality, agriculture, healthcare) may modify the standard rules. Consult a California wage-and-hour attorney about your specific situation.