Time Duration Calculator: Time Between Two Times
Find the hours and minutes between two times or dates, or add and subtract time.
How the time duration calculator works
Use "Between two times" for the gap between a start and an end, or "Add or subtract time" to move a time forwards or backwards.
Choose the times. Add dates only if the period lasts more than a day; otherwise an earlier end time is counted as the next day.
You get hours and minutes, decimal hours for payroll, and the total in minutes and seconds.
Calculating a working day with a lunch break? Use the work hours calculator.
How to calculate the time between two times by hand
The calculator above does this for you, but if you'd like to check its working on paper, it's four steps:
- Write both times in 24-hour form. 2:40 PM becomes 14:40. This avoids AM and PM mix-ups.
- Subtract the hours, then the minutes. From 08:15 to 14:40 is 6 hours and 25 minutes.
- Borrow an hour if the minutes go negative. From 09:50 to 13:20, the minutes give 20 − 50, so take one hour away and add 60 minutes: 3 hours 30 minutes.
- Add 24 hours if the end is "earlier" than the start. That means the time runs past midnight: 22:00 to 06:00 is 8 hours.
Need the total for payroll? Divide the minutes by 60 to turn them into decimal hours. The table below has the common ones.
Common questions: how many hours between two times?
| From | To | Time between | Decimal hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8:00 AM | 5:00 PM | 9 hours | 9 |
| 9:00 AM | 5:30 PM | 8 hours 30 minutes | 8.5 |
| 7:30 AM | 4:15 PM | 8 hours 45 minutes | 8.75 |
| 11:00 AM | 7:00 PM | 8 hours | 8 |
| 2:30 PM | 11:00 PM | 8 hours 30 minutes | 8.5 |
| 7:00 PM | 7:00 AM | 12 hours (overnight) | 12 |
| 11:00 PM | 7:30 AM | 8 hours 30 minutes (overnight) | 8.5 |
Quick reference: minutes as decimal hours
Used for timesheets and invoices. Divide minutes by 60.
| Minutes | Decimal hours | Minutes | Decimal hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 30 | 0.5 |
| 5 | 0.083 | 35 | 0.583 |
| 10 | 0.167 | 40 | 0.667 |
| 15 | 0.25 | 45 | 0.75 |
| 20 | 0.333 | 50 | 0.833 |
| 25 | 0.417 | 55 | 0.917 |
Worked examples
- 9:15 AM to 5:45 PM is 8 hours 30 minutes (8.5 hours).
- 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM crosses midnight and is 8 hours.
- 8:20 AM plus 2 hours 55 minutes is 11:15 AM.
- 1:05 PM minus 45 minutes is 12:20 PM.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate the time between two times?
Subtract the start time from the end time. If the end time is earlier on the clock than the start time, the period crosses midnight, so add 24 hours. From 9:15 AM to 5:45 PM is 8 hours 30 minutes. From 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM is 8 hours.
How many hours are between 8 AM and 5 PM?
9 hours. Count from 8 to 12 noon (4 hours), then from noon to 5 PM (5 hours). If you take a one-hour lunch, the time actually worked is 8 hours.
How much time is between two times on different days?
Enter the start date and the end date as well as the two times. The calculator counts every full day in between, so 9:00 AM Monday to 11:30 AM Wednesday comes out as 2 days 2 hours 30 minutes, or 50.5 hours.
How do I find the duration across midnight?
Leave the dates blank and just enter two times: the calculator treats an earlier end time as the next day. If the period is longer than a day, enter the start and end dates as well.
What are decimal hours?
Decimal hours write minutes as a fraction of an hour, which is what payroll and invoices usually need. 7 hours 30 minutes is 7.5 hours, and 7 hours 45 minutes is 7.75 hours. Divide the minutes by 60 to convert.
How do I add hours and minutes to a time?
Switch to "Add or subtract time", enter the starting time and the hours and minutes, and choose add or subtract. Adding 3 hours 40 minutes to 9:30 AM gives 1:10 PM.
Does this handle daylight saving time?
No. The calculator counts plain clock time and does not adjust for a clock change that happens between your start and end. If your period includes the day the clocks change, the real elapsed time can be an hour more or less.
Is my data stored anywhere?
No. Everything is calculated in your browser, and the times you enter are never sent to our server.