Tracking overtime shouldn’t require a spreadsheet that takes longer to set up than the extra hours you actually worked. These 30 free printable overtime log templates cover every scenario, from basic weekly hour tracking to compliance-ready forms with manager approval lines and rest period fields.
Each template is print-ready and designed to be filled in by hand. Pick the layout that fits your situation, download the PDF, and start logging overtime today. No signup, no email needed.
Page Contents
- Which Template Should I Use?
- How To Calculate Overtime
- How to Use an Overtime Log
- Who Needs an Overtime Log?
- What an Overtime Log Should Include
- A Note on the 2025 Qualified Overtime Tax Deduction
- Tips for Accurate Overtime Tracking
- How To Download These Overtime Logs
- Basic Overtime Templates
- Colored Overtime Log Sheets
- Frequently Asked Questions
- What is an overtime log?
- Is my employer required to track overtime?
- How do I calculate overtime pay?
- What’s the difference between an overtime log and a timesheet?
- Can I use these overtime logs for my own records as an employee?
- Do I need a separate overtime log if I already use a time clock or app?
- What should I do with completed overtime logs?
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Which Template Should I Use?
If you’re an individual employee tracking your own overtime for payroll or personal records, start with the basic weekly or daily log (Templates 1 through 3). These have simple columns for date, start time, end time, and total overtime hours.
If you’re a manager or supervisor approving overtime for a team, look at the manager approval and pre-authorization templates (Templates 4 and 5). These include sign-off lines, reason-for-overtime fields, and space for both employee and supervisor signatures.
If you run payroll for a small business or need compliance documentation, the pay calculation sheets and compliance logs (Templates 10 through 13) include rate columns, rest period fields, and consecutive day tracking. These align with the data points the FLSA requires employers to maintain for non-exempt workers.
If you manage shift workers, project-based teams, or need department-level tracking, there’s a template for each of those too (Templates 6 through 9). Browse the full collection below. We also have these timesheets which go hand in hand with these overtime logs.
How To Calculate Overtime
Determine the employee’s regular hourly rate (including any required additions like non-discretionary bonuses divided across total hours). Count all hours worked beyond 40 in the workweek (or beyond the applicable daily threshold if your state has one). Multiply the overtime hours by 1.5 times the regular rate. Add the overtime pay to the straight-time earnings for the total weekly compensation.
For a quick way to run the numbers, use our overtime calculator, which handles standard time-and-a-half calculations and lets you input your hourly rate, regular hours, and overtime hours to get an instant total. Pair it with a printed overtime log from this page to track and calculate in one system.
Overtime CalculatorUse this free Overtime Calculator to find out how much extra pay you earn for working beyond your regular hours. Supports multiple overtime tiers with different multipliers, 20 currencies, and weekly or monthly calculations.Try Our Free Overtime Calculator →How to Use an Overtime Log
Print the template that matches your tracking period (weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly). Write in the employee name, department, and pay period at the top. Choose a colored version if you wish!
Each day overtime is worked, record the date, the time the overtime period started, the time it ended, and the total extra hours. If the template includes a “reason” column, note what drove the overtime: project deadline, staffing shortage, seasonal demand, or similar. This context matters for workforce planning and can be required documentation during a wage audit.
At the end of the period, total the overtime hours and have the appropriate person (employee, supervisor, or both) sign the sheet. File it with your payroll records. Under FLSA rules, wage-basis records must be kept for at least two years, and payroll records including overtime premium calculations must be kept for three years.
Who Needs an Overtime Log?
- Hourly employees. If you’re non-exempt under the FLSA, your employer is required to track your total hours worked each workweek, including overtime. But having your own personal log protects you too. If there’s ever a payroll dispute, your records are your evidence.
- Small business owners. If you employ non-exempt workers and anyone occasionally works past 40 hours in a week, you’re legally required to document it. A printed overtime log is the simplest way to stay compliant without investing in time-tracking software.
- Managers and supervisors. Many companies require overtime to be pre-approved. A printed authorization form creates a paper trail showing the overtime was requested, justified, and signed off before the hours were worked.
- Freelancers and contractors billing overtime rates. If your contract includes an overtime clause (common in creative, construction, and consulting work), a clean log sheet substantiates your invoice.
- HR and payroll teams. For companies without automated time-and-attendance systems, printed logs serve as the source documents that feed into payroll processing.
What an Overtime Log Should Include
The FLSA doesn’t mandate a specific format for overtime records, but it does require employers of non-exempt workers to maintain records that include total hours worked each workweek, the regular rate of pay, total straight-time earnings, and total overtime premium pay. Based on those requirements, a well-designed overtime log should capture:
Employee name and ID number. Date and day of the week. Scheduled shift or regular hours. Overtime start and end times. Total overtime hours per day. Reason for overtime (not legally required, but valuable for audits and workforce analysis). Supervisor approval signature. Running weekly or bi-weekly total.
The compliance-oriented templates in this collection (Templates 10 through 13) include all of these fields plus additional columns for rest periods and consecutive day tracking, which matter in states with daily overtime rules like California and Colorado.
A Note on the 2025 Qualified Overtime Tax Deduction
The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA), signed into law in 2025, introduced a new federal tax deduction for qualified overtime compensation. For tax years 2025 through 2028, FLSA-eligible employees can deduct qualified overtime pay on their individual tax returns.
What this means practically: accurate overtime records are no longer just an employer compliance issue. They’re now directly relevant to employees’ personal tax filings. Starting with the 2026 tax year, employers must separately report qualified overtime compensation on W-2 forms.
If you’re an employee, keeping your own overtime log alongside your employer’s records gives you a personal backup for claiming this deduction. If you’re an employer, clean overtime documentation protects you from both wage-and-hour audits and employee tax reporting inquiries.
PrintBlame is not a tax or legal advisory service. Consult a qualified tax professional or employment attorney for guidance specific to your situation.
Tips for Accurate Overtime Tracking
- Log hours the same day they’re worked. Reconstructing overtime from memory at the end of the week leads to errors. Fill in the log at the end of each overtime shift while the times are fresh.
- Use one log per employee per pay period. Don’t try to fit multiple employees on one sheet unless you’re using a department tracker specifically designed for it (see Template 7). Individual logs are cleaner for payroll processing and audit purposes.
- Record actual times, not rounded times. While the FLSA permits rounding to the nearest 5, 6, or 15 minutes under certain conditions, the safest practice is recording actual start and end times. Round at the payroll calculation stage, not the logging stage.
- Keep a file, not a pile. Store completed overtime logs in a labelled folder or binder by pay period. FLSA requires payroll records to be accessible for at least three years. A binder on a shelf beats a stack of loose papers in a drawer.
- Match your log to your pay period. If you’re paid bi-weekly, use a bi-weekly overtime log. If you’re paid weekly, use a weekly one. Mismatched periods create confusion at payroll time.
How To Download These Overtime Logs
Click any template image above to open the PDF in your browser. On desktop, look for the download icon in the top-right corner. On mobile, tap the share or download icon at the bottom of the screen. Every template is free with no signup or email required.
Basic Overtime Templates
Colored Overtime Log Sheets
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an overtime log?
An overtime log is a document that records the hours an employee works beyond their regular schedule. It typically captures the date, overtime start and end times, total extra hours, the reason for the overtime, and a supervisor’s approval. It’s used for payroll processing, FLSA compliance, and workforce analysis.
Is my employer required to track overtime?
Yes, under the Fair Labor Standards Act, employers of non-exempt workers must maintain records of total hours worked each workweek, including overtime hours and overtime premium pay. These records must be kept for at least three years. The FLSA doesn’t specify a format, so a printed overtime log is a fully compliant method.
How do I calculate overtime pay?
Under federal law, non-exempt employees earn overtime at 1.5 times their regular hourly rate for all hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. For example, an employee earning $20 per hour would earn $30 per hour of overtime. Some states have additional rules. California and Colorado, for example, trigger overtime after 8 or 12 hours in a single day, regardless of weekly totals.
What’s the difference between an overtime log and a timesheet?
A timesheet records all hours worked (regular, breaks, leave, and overtime) across a pay period. An overtime log specifically isolates extra hours beyond the regular schedule, often with additional detail like approval signatures, reason codes, and rate calculations. Use a timesheet for total time tracking. Use an overtime log when you need focused documentation of extra hours for compliance, payroll, or billing.
Can I use these overtime logs for my own records as an employee?
Absolutely. Keeping your own overtime log protects you in case of a payroll dispute or audit. It’s especially relevant now that the 2025 OBBBA qualified overtime deduction allows eligible employees to deduct overtime pay on their personal tax returns. Your log serves as supporting documentation.
Do I need a separate overtime log if I already use a time clock or app?
If your time tracking system accurately captures overtime hours, approval signatures, and pay calculations, a separate log may be redundant. But many basic time clocks only record clock-in and clock-out times without overtime-specific fields like pre-authorization, reason codes, or rate multipliers. In those cases, a supplementary printed overtime log fills the gaps.
What should I do with completed overtime logs?
File them by pay period in a secure, accessible location. Under FLSA rules, payroll records must be retained for three years. Wage-basis records (including time cards and schedules) must be kept for two years. If you’re ever audited by the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, these logs must be available for inspection within 72 hours.
