North Carolina Overtime Calculator and Time Tracking Rules
Overtime in North Carolina is time and a half after 40 hours in a week. North Carolina follows the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. Use the free calculator below, check the state's wage and hour rules, and see how Clox tracks your crew's hours.
JULY 5, 2026 · BY THE CLOX TEAM
If you run an hourly crew in North Carolina, two questions come up every payroll: how much do you owe once someone crosses into overtime, and are you following the state's rules. North Carolina uses the federal 40-hour rule, so any hour past 40 in a workweek is paid at 1.5 times the regular rate. North Carolina follows the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. This page gives you a free North Carolina overtime calculator, a plain summary of the state's wage and hour rules, and a look at how Clox tracks your crew's hours.
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Free North Carolina overtime calculator
Enter the hours someone worked in a week and their pay rate to see the regular and overtime split. The math follows North Carolina rules: time and a half after 40 hours, with no daily overtime.
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North Carolina wage and hour rules
Here's the short version of the rules an hourly North Carolina employer runs into. Each figure has a source below, and the rules change over time, so confirm anything you rely on with the state.
$7.25/hr, North Carolina follows the federal minimum wage (unchanged since 2009; no increase for 2026, no state-scheduled effective date). No local variants: state law preempts cities/counties from setting a higher rate. Tipped wage is $2.13/hr plus tip credit up to $7.25; a $4.25/hr training wage may apply to workers under 20 for their first 90 days.
1.5x the regular rate for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek. NC has adopted the federal FLSA standard; overtime is calculated per workweek, and "each workweek stands on its own."
None. No daily overtime or double-time. NC DOL states pay is based on hours worked each workweek, not by hours worked each day.
The NC Wage and Hour Act does not require meal breaks for employees 16 or older. (Minors under 16 must get a 30-minute break after 5 hours.)
The NC Wage and Hour Act does not require rest breaks for employees 16 or older. If short breaks (5 to 20 minutes) are given, they are generally paid under FLSA rules.
Wages based on bonuses/commissions are due on the first regular payday after the amount can be calculated.
Confirm before you rely on these
Rates verified August 2026. North Carolina's minimum wage is tied to the federal rate and has been $7.25 since July 24, 2009, with no change scheduled. State law preempts local minimum-wage ordinances, so there are no city or county variants. This is general information, not legal or payroll advice. Check the North Carolina labor department for the current rules, and talk to a professional for your situation.
Sources: labor.nc.gov, labor.nc.gov, labor.nc.gov, labor.nc.gov.
How long to keep time records
Federal law requires keeping time cards 2 years and payroll records 3 years, and some states go longer. The full breakdown is in how long to keep timesheets and payroll records.
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Track North Carolina hours accurately with Clox
A calculator is only as accurate as the hours you put into it. Clox is time tracking built for field and trade crews, so your crew's hours are recorded accurately in the first place, then the overtime is figured for you.
- Your crew clocks in with one tap on their phone, and it works offline, so a dead zone on the job doesn't lose a punch.
- Lock clock-in to a geofenced worksite so a punch has to happen on site. It's a strong deterrent, not a foolproof guarantee, because the location comes from the phone.
- Overtime is calculated automatically on the North Carolina weekly-40 rule, so you're not doing this math by hand every Friday.
- Export payroll-ready files for QuickBooks, Gusto, ADP, and Paychex when the week is done.
If your crew moves between addresses during the day, settle how you handle drive time between job sites before you run the numbers. Those hours can count toward the weekly total, and leaving them untracked understates the overtime you owe.
You can see the plans on the pricing page, or start a free trial. It's 14 days free, no credit card to start, with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
More state guides: Virginia time tracking, South Carolina time tracking.