North Carolina Overtime Calculator 2026

For covered nonexempt employees in North Carolina, overtime is generally 1.5× the regular rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. At the North Carolina minimum wage of $7.25/hour that is $10.88/hour. Enter your own hours above for a full breakdown.

No. North Carolina has no general daily overtime rule for most private-sector employees — overtime starts after 40 hours in a workweek, so a 12-hour day does not trigger it on its own. An employer policy or union contract can still promise daily overtime voluntarily.

At the North Carolina minimum wage of $7.25/hour the overtime rate is $10.88/hour. A 45-hour week at that wage comes to $290.00 regular plus $54.38 overtime — $344.38 gross.

In North Carolina, tipped employees may receive a direct cash wage of $2.13/hour, with the remaining $5.12/hour covered by tips (the tip credit). However, overtime must generally be calculated using the full minimum wage of $7.25/hour, not the lower cash rate. For example, if a tipped employee works 45 hours, their base overtime rate is 1.5× the full minimum wage ($10.88/hour), minus the tip credit ($5.12), resulting in a direct cash overtime rate of $5.75/hour for each of the 5 overtime hours worked that week.

Unpaid overtime claims in North Carolina go to North Carolina Department of Labor (NCDOL), and a lawyer is generally not required. Bring timesheets and pay stubs. Federal claims can instead go to the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division.