Overtime Pay Calculator South Africa 2026
This overtime pay calculator works out what your extra hours are worth under the Basic Conditions of Employment Act. Overtime is paid at 1.5 times your normal hourly rate, and Sunday work at double. Enter your monthly salary and the extra hours you worked, and the figures update as you type.
Last updated: June 2026 · Source: BCEA (Department of Employment and Labour)
Your normal weekly hours. The legal maximum is 45 — leave blank to use 45.
Got your number? Two things worth checking next
→ Your full take-home pay — what you actually receive each month after PAYE and UIF. → Are you paid at least minimum wage? — check your rate against the legal minimum.How Overtime Pay Is Worked Out
Overtime is any time you work beyond your ordinary hours, and the Basic Conditions of Employment Act says it must be paid at one and a half times your normal wage. This calculator first works out your hourly rate — your monthly salary × 12, divided by 52 weeks and then by your ordinary weekly hours — and multiplies it by 1.5 for each overtime hour. Overtime is not automatic: your employer can only require it by agreement, and even then you may not be made to work more than three hours of overtime a day or ten hours a week.
Sunday and Public Holiday Pay
Work on a Sunday is paid at double your normal hourly rate — unless you ordinarily work Sundays, in which case it is 1.5 times. Work on a public holiday that you would ordinarily work pays at least double the day’s wage; if you would ordinarily work that day but don’t, you must still be paid your normal wage for it. Your employer can only ask you to work a Sunday or a public holiday by agreement, and the higher rate is a legal minimum, not a favour.
Your Working-Hours Limits
The law caps your ordinary working time at 45 hours a week — that is nine hours a day if you work five days a week or fewer, or eight hours a day if you work more than five days. Overtime sits on top of that, up to the daily and weekly limits above. You are also entitled to a meal break of at least one hour after five hours of continuous work, and a daily rest period between shifts. These limits apply to most employees, though some — senior managers, staff who set their own hours, and higher earners above the Minister’s annual earnings threshold — are not covered by the hours and overtime rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is overtime pay calculated in South Africa?
At 1.5 times your normal hourly rate. Your hourly rate is your monthly salary × 12, divided by 52 weeks and then by your ordinary weekly hours.
Can my employer force me to work overtime?
No. Overtime can only be required by agreement, and it may not exceed three hours a day or ten hours a week.
How much is Sunday work paid?
Double your normal rate, unless you ordinarily work Sundays, in which case it is 1.5 times.
What is the maximum I can be made to work?
45 ordinary hours a week, plus up to ten hours of overtime a week by agreement.
Related pages
📋 Verified — Official sources: Department of Employment and Labour (BCEA) · BCEA Act, s9–s18 (gov.za)
⚠️ This is general information, not financial, tax, or legal advice. KnowMyGovt is an independent service — not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Employment and Labour, the CCMA, SARS, the UIF, or the South African government — and is not liable for decisions made in reliance on it.
