Washington Overtime Calculator and Time Tracking Rules
Overtime in Washington is time and a half after 40 hours in a week. The Washington minimum wage is $17.13 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 9, 2026 · BY THE CLOX TEAM
If you run an hourly crew in Washington, two questions come up every payroll: how much do you owe once someone crosses into overtime, and are you following the state's rules. Washington uses the federal 40-hour rule, so any hour past 40 in a workweek is paid at 1.5 times the regular rate. The Washington minimum wage is $17.13 an hour. This page gives you a free Washington 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 Washington overtime calculator
Enter the hours someone worked in a week and their pay rate to see the regular and overtime split. The math follows Washington rules: time and a half after 40 hours, with no daily overtime.
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Washington wage and hour rules
Here's the short version of the rules an hourly Washington employer runs into. Each figure has a source below, and the rules change over time, so confirm anything you rely on with the state.
$17.13/hr in effect on Jan 1, 2026, up 2.8 percent from $16.66 in 2025. Washington sets the highest statewide minimum wage in the country and adjusts it annually for inflation. There is no tip credit; tips and service charges cannot be counted toward the minimum wage, so tipped employees must be paid the full $17.13. Workers ages 14 and 15 may be paid 85 percent of the state minimum, which is $14.56/hr in 2026. Several localities require more: Seattle is $21.30/hr, Tukwila is $21.65/hr for larger employers, Burien is $21.63/hr for the largest employers and $20.63/hr for mid-size employers, SeaTac is $20.74/hr for covered hospitality and transportation workers, Renton is $21.57/hr for covered employers (the mid-size rate rose to match the large-employer rate on July 1, 2026; the smallest employers follow the state rate), Everett and unincorporated King County also exceed the state rate, and Bellingham is $19.13/hr. Employers in areas without a local ordinance follow the $17.13 state rate.
1.5x the regular rate after 40 hours in a workweek. Washington follows the weekly overtime standard under RCW 49.46.130, consistent with the federal FLSA. There is no tip credit, so overtime is calculated on the full regular rate.
None. Washington has no daily overtime and no general double-time requirement; overtime for most employees is weekly (over 40 hours in a 7-day workweek) only. Narrow exceptions exist for specific industries such as certain agricultural piece-rate and public-works prevailing-wage settings, but these do not apply to ordinary hourly employees.
The meal period is unpaid only if the employee is fully relieved of all duties; if the employee is required to remain on duty or is interrupted, the meal period must be paid. An additional 30-minute meal period is required for shifts of 3 or more hours beyond a regular workday. Minors have more protective meal and rest rules.
Employees cannot be required to work more than 3 hours without a rest period. Denied breaks can entitle the employee to additional pay, and employers may face civil penalties.
Washington has no statute requiring immediate payment on the last day. Willful failure to pay can expose an employer to double damages and attorney fees under RCW 49.52.070.
Confirm before you rely on these
Rates verified August 2026. Washington adjusts its minimum wage for inflation each year, so the $17.13 rate will change on January 1, 2027. Seattle, Tukwila, Burien, SeaTac, Renton, Everett, unincorporated King County, and Bellingham set higher local minimums, some tiered by employer size, so check the applicable city ordinance for the exact figure. This is general information, not legal or payroll advice. Check the Washington labor department for the current rules, and talk to a professional for your situation.
Sources: lni.wa.gov, lni.wa.gov, lni.wa.gov, app.leg.wa.gov, lni.wa.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 Washington 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 Washington 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: California time tracking, Arizona time tracking.