Security guard overtime calculator
Enter a shift pattern and pay rate to see regular, overtime and double-time hours and pay per guard, under a 40-hour weekly rule or a daily rule like California's. Free, no sign-up.
How do you calculate overtime for a security guard?
Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, a non-exempt guard is paid at least time and a half for every hour over 40 in a workweek, so a guard who works four 12-hour shifts (48 hours) gets 40 regular hours and 8 overtime hours. Some states add daily overtime: in California, hours over 8 in a day are overtime and hours over 12 in a day are double time. Multiply each type of hour by the pay rate and its multiplier, then add them up.
Work out overtime hours and pay
Results update as you type. Shifts are assumed to be the same length and worked on consecutive days of one workweek.
Per guard, per week
- Weekly pay
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- Overtime hours
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- Total hours
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- Regular hours
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- Double-time hours
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- Average pay per hour
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| Item | Hours | Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Regular | – | – |
| Overtime | – | – |
| Double time | – | – |
| Weekly pay per guard | – | – |
| Premium paid for overtime | – | |
| All – guards, per week | – | – |
| All guards, per month (52 ÷ 12 weeks) | – |
| Day | Hours | Regular | Overtime | Double |
|---|
This is an estimate, not legal or payroll advice. Overtime rules vary by state and city, and exemptions, alternative schedules, pay that changes the regular rate (such as some bonuses and shift differentials) and union agreements are not included. Check with your payroll provider or an employment lawyer.
Free calculator from ForceVera · forcevera.com/tools/security-guard-overtime-calculator
How the calculation works
The federal rule is weekly; a few states also count overtime by the day. The calculator applies whichever you choose.
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Add up the hours
Multiply the shift length by the number of shifts the guard works in the workweek.
Weekly hours = shift length × shifts per week.
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Apply the weekly rule
Hours over the weekly threshold are overtime. Under the federal FLSA the threshold is 40 hours in a fixed workweek of 168 hours, and hours cannot be averaged over two weeks.
Overtime hours = the larger of 0 and (weekly hours − 40).
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Apply a daily rule if your state has one
With a daily rule, hours over the daily threshold are overtime and hours over the double-time threshold are double time. Regular hours that push the week over the weekly threshold also become overtime, without counting any hour twice.
Per day: regular = up to 8 h, overtime = 8–12 h, double time = over 12 h (California example).
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Work out the pay
Pay each type of hour at the regular rate times its multiplier and add them together.
Weekly pay = regular hours × rate + overtime hours × rate × 1.5 + double-time hours × rate × 2.
Worked example: four 12-hour shifts at $20 an hour
Weekly rule: 48 hours = 40 regular + 8 overtime. Pay = 40 × $20 + 8 × $30 = $1,040. California-style daily rule: each shift is 8 regular + 4 overtime hours, so the week is 32 regular + 16 overtime hours. Pay = 32 × $20 + 16 × $30 = $1,120.
Federal rule: US Department of Labor, overtime pay. State rules: see our pages for California, Texas, Florida, New York and Illinois.
Questions, answered
When is a security guard owed overtime?
Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, covered non-exempt employees, which includes most hourly security guards, are owed at least time and a half their regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. States can set stricter rules, and a few, such as California, also have daily overtime. Check the rules for your state and your guards' classification.
Do 12-hour shifts mean overtime?
Under a 40-hour weekly rule, only when the guard works more than 40 hours in the workweek: three 12-hour shifts (36 hours) have none, four (48 hours) have 8 overtime hours. Under California's daily rule, every 12-hour shift includes 4 hours of overtime unless an exception applies.
Is overtime paid for weekends and holidays?
The federal FLSA does not require extra pay for working weekends or holidays; those hours count toward the 40-hour week like any other. Your contracts, union agreements or company policy may pay a premium anyway.
Can overtime be averaged over two weeks?
Not under the federal FLSA. Each workweek is a fixed period of 168 hours and stands alone, so a guard who works 48 hours one week and 32 the next is owed 8 overtime hours for the first week.
Is this calculator legal advice?
No. It is a free estimate for planning. Overtime rules vary by state and city, and exemptions, alternative schedules, what counts toward the regular rate (such as some bonuses and shift differentials) and union agreements all change the answer. Ask your payroll provider or an employment lawyer before you rely on it.
Is my data saved?
No. The calculation runs in your browser and your figures are not sent to ForceVera. They are kept only in the page address so you can bookmark or share the estimate.
See the hours your guards actually worked
ForceVera's geofenced time clock turns clock-ins into timesheets with hours and breaks that export to CSV or Excel for payroll, and client invoices can bill hours over a weekly threshold at the overtime rate (billing is included in Enterprise and an add-on for Basic and Pro). ForceVera does not calculate daily overtime. See the time clock, plan headcount with the 24/7 coverage calculator, or price the contract with the cost and bid calculator.
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