Double time is twice your regular hourly rate. It’s rarer than time-and-a-half — here’s when it’s required, and how to calculate it for 2026.
Enter your regular rate and double-time hours to see your 2× pay.
Gross (pre-tax). For after-tax take-home with overtime and double time, use the hourly paycheck calculator.
Double-time pay is 2× your normal hourly wage. If you earn $28 an hour, double time is $56 an hour. Unlike time-and-a-half (1.5×), which federal law requires for overtime, double time is not required by the federal FLSA at all. It comes from state law, employer policy, or a union/employment contract.
The biggest source of mandatory double time is California’s daily overtime law:
Outside California, double time usually comes from a contract or company policy — common for holidays, Sundays, or emergency call-ins in union, healthcare, manufacturing, and public-sector jobs. Always check your agreement; there is no federal holiday-pay or double-time mandate.
| Regular rate | Double time (2×) |
|---|---|
| $15.00 | $30.00 |
| $18.00 | $36.00 |
| $20.00 | $40.00 |
| $22.00 | $44.00 |
| $25.00 | $50.00 |
| $28.00 | $56.00 |
| $30.00 | $60.00 |
| $35.00 | $70.00 |
| $40.00 | $80.00 |
Time and a half (1.5×) is federal overtime for hours over 40 in a week. Double time (2×) is an extra step that only applies where a state or contract requires it. When more than one rule could apply to the same hour, you generally get the higher one — you don’t stack 1.5× and 2× on the same hour.
No — double-time wages are ordinary income taxed at your normal brackets, just like any other pay. A heavy double-time week can look over-withheld on one check but reconciles at filing. The 2025–2028 No Tax on Overtime deduction can also reduce federal tax on qualifying overtime premiums.
Calculate your after-tax pay →
Double time is 2× your regular hourly rate. For a $28/hour worker, double time is $56/hour. It is not required by federal law — it comes from state rules (like California daily overtime) or an employer/union contract.
Most commonly under California law: over 12 hours in a single day, or over 8 hours on the 7th straight workday. Otherwise, double time applies only when a contract or company policy provides it (often holidays or Sundays).
Not automatically. Federal law does not require extra pay for holidays. Double-time holiday pay only applies if your employer or union contract specifically provides it.
Multiply your regular hourly rate by 2, then by your double-time hours. The calculator above does it instantly.
No. It is ordinary income taxed at your normal rates. Withholding on a big check can look high but evens out at tax time.
Overtime calculator · No tax on overtime deduction · Overtime rules by state · How overtime is taxed