California Daily Overtime 8 & 12 Hour Threshold Rules 2026
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Want to crunch the numbers yourself? Use these free tools:
- California Overtime Calculator: Free Daily OT Pay (No Signup) — California Overtime Calculator: Free Daily OT Pay (No Signup)
- When Does Double Time Kick In? Calculator 2026 — When Does Double Time Kick In? Calculator 2026
- Overtime Pay Calculator 1.5x — Overtime Pay Calculator 1.5x
The Core California Daily Overtime Formula
California stacks three triggers on top of the federal weekly rule.
Formula: 1.5× for hours 9–12 in a workday, 2× for hours 13+ in a workday, plus 1.5× for hours over 40 in the workweek, plus 7th-day rules (1.5× first 8 hrs, 2× over 8 hrs)
So a single day can have three pay tiers stacked: regular, time-and-a-half, and double-time. The federal 40-hour weekly rule still applies on top — but in California, the daily triggers usually fire first.
Step-by-Step: Calculating California Daily Overtime
Let’s say you earn $24/hr in California and work an 11-hour shift.
- Split the day into tiers. Hours 1–8 regular, hours 9–11 at 1.5×.
- Regular pay. 8 × $24 = $192.
- Time-and-a-half tier. 3 × $36 = $108.
- Double-time tier. $0 (you didn’t cross 12 hours).
- Day total. $192 + $108 = $300.
Same shift in Texas would have paid 11 × $24 = $264 flat, with no daily premium. That $36 difference is the California daily OT rule doing its job.
The california-overtime-calculator automates the tiered split across a whole week, including the 7th-day logic. For just the 2× piece, the double-time-pay-calculator isolates the double-time hours.
2026 Real Case: Long Day at a San Diego Bakery
Tomas works at a bakery in San Diego making $20/hr. During a holiday rush in May 2026 he pulled a 13-hour day, his only long shift that week.
- Hours 1–8 (regular): 8 × $20 = $160
- Hours 9–12 (1.5×): 4 × $30 = $120
- Hour 13 (2×, over 12 in a day): 1 × $40 = $40
- Day total: $320
Compare that to straight time: 13 × $20 = $260. The California tiers added $60 to that single day. Tomas told me he didn’t even realize hour 13 was at double time until his manager pointed it out — he’d been leaving early on long shifts to “avoid overtime,” not realizing the 2× tier actually made staying more profitable per hour than his base wage. Once he saw the math, he stopped volunteering to clock out early.
Where do people mess this up? They apply only the weekly 40-hour rule and miss the daily tiers entirely. In California, you can hit daily overtime even if you’re well under 40 for the week.
California Overtime Tiers at a Glance
The full set of California triggers for 2026, assuming a non-exempt employee.
| Trigger | Premium | Multiplier Example ($20 base) |
|---|---|---|
| Hours 1–8 in a workday | Regular | $20/hr |
| Hours 9–12 in a workday | Time and a half | $30/hr |
| Hours 13+ in a workday | Double time | $40/hr |
| Hours over 40 in the workweek | Time and a half | $30/hr |
| 7th consecutive day, first 8 hrs | Time and a half | $30/hr |
| 7th consecutive day, over 8 hrs | Double time | $40/hr |
A single shift can hit three rows of that table at once. The trick is computing each tier separately and adding them up.
Sample Day Pay at $20/Hour, Various Shift Lengths
How a California workday pays out as hours climb.
| Shift Length | Regular | 1.5× Hours | 2× Hours | Day Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 hrs | $160 | $0 | $0 | $160 |
| 10 hrs | $160 | $60 | $0 | $220 |
| 12 hrs | $160 | $120 | $0 | $280 |
| 13 hrs | $160 | $120 | $40 | $320 |
| 14 hrs | $160 | $120 | $80 | $360 |
| 15 hrs | $160 | $120 | $120 | $400 |
Notice the jump from hour 12 to hour 13: that single extra hour adds $40 instead of $30, because you’ve crossed into the 2× tier. Each hour past 12 is worth double your base rate.
The 7th Consecutive Day Rule
California has a separate rule for working seven days in a row. On the 7th consecutive workday in a workweek:
- First 8 hours: 1.5×
- Any hours over 8: 2×
This applies even if your weekly total is under 40. So someone working 6 hours a day for 7 straight days (42 hours total) hits the 7th-day rule on day 7 — all 6 hours that day at 1.5× — plus 2 hours of weekly overtime. The overtime-pay-calculator factors in the 7th-day logic alongside the daily tiers.
For a broader comparison of how California stacks against other big states, the double-time eligibility comparison shows which states have daily and double-time triggers, and the California daily overtime rules overview covers edge cases like make-up time and alternative workweek schedules.
Exempt vs. Non-Exempt in California
California’s exempt salary threshold is higher than federal. To be exempt in 2026, a salaried employee generally must earn at least twice the state minimum wage for full-time work — a much higher dollar figure than the federal $684/week threshold restored in May 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are California’s daily overtime thresholds in 2026?
California requires 1.5x pay for hours over 8 in a workday and 2x pay for hours over 12 in a workday. The federal 40-hour weekly rule also applies, so hours over 40 in the workweek get 1.5x as well.
Does California pay double time after 12 hours?
Yes. Any hours worked beyond 12 in a single workday in California are paid at 2 times your regular rate. Hours 9 through 12 are paid at 1.5 times your regular rate.
What is the 7th consecutive day rule in California?
On the 7th consecutive day of work in a workweek, the first 8 hours are paid at 1.5x and any hours over 8 are paid at 2x. This is separate from the daily 8- and 12-hour thresholds.
Does California daily overtime apply to salaried employees?
Only to non-exempt salaried employees. Exempt employees who meet the duties test and earn at least twice the state minimum wage for full-time work are not entitled to daily overtime.
The Bottom Line
California overtime fires on three triggers — over 8 hours a day (1.5×), over 12 hours a day (2×), and over 40 hours a week (1.5×) — plus the 7th-consecutive-day rule. A single long shift can stack all three tiers. Run your real daily hours through the california-overtime-calculator to see exactly which tier each hour lands in.