Overtime Calculator UAE
Updated for 2026 — Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021
This UAE overtime calculator works out exactly how much extra pay you are owed for hours worked beyond your standard shift. Whether you need a quick over time calculation in UAE for a single week or a full monthly overtime pay breakdown, enter your basic salary and hours below to see normal, night, rest-day and public-holiday rates applied instantly, referenced against Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021.
Total overtime pay
- 10h of "normal" overtime exceeds the 2-hour/day limit (Art. 19).
- 5h of "night" overtime exceeds the 2-hour/day limit (Art. 19).
| Hourly wage | basic salary ÷ days/month ÷ hours/day | AED 25.00 |
|---|---|---|
| Normal overtime (1.25x) | 10h × AED 25.00 × 1.25 | AED 312.50 |
| Night overtime, 22:00–04:00 (1.5x) | 5h × AED 25.00 × 1.5 | AED 187.50 |
| Rest day overtime (1.5x) | 0h × AED 25.00 × 1.5 | AED 0.00 |
| Public holiday overtime (1.5x) | 0h × AED 25.00 × 1.5 | AED 0.00 |
| Total overtime pay | sum of all overtime lines | AED 500.00 |
Legal basis
- Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, Art. 19
How the overtime calculator works
The calculator first derives your hourly wage from your basic salary only — housing, transport and other allowances are not included, the same rule that applies to gratuity. The formula is:
hourly wage = basic salary ÷ working days per month ÷ working hours per day
Every overtime hour you log is then multiplied by that hourly wage and by the rate that applies to its type: 1.25x for normal daytime overtime, or 1.5x for night, rest-day and public-holiday overtime. The calculator also checks your totals against the two legal caps — 2 hours per day and 144 hours per 3-week period — and shows a warning line if either is exceeded, without changing the amount actually owed.
By default the calculator assumes an 8-hour standard working day and a 30-day working month, the two figures most UAE payslips are built around. Both are editable fields, so if your contract uses a different day length or your employer counts working days differently, adjust them before reading the result — every line in the breakdown below updates instantly to match.
Worked example: AED 10,000 basic salary
Take an employee on a basic salary of AED 10,000/month, a standard 8-hour day and a 30-day month. Their hourly wage is AED 10,000 ÷ 30 ÷ 8 = AED 41.67. In one week they log 10 hours of normal daytime overtime and 4 hours of night overtime covering a late shift.
| Overtime type | Hours | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal overtime (1.25x) | 10h | 10 × AED 41.67 × 1.25 | AED 520.83 |
| Night overtime (1.5x) | 4h | 4 × AED 41.67 × 1.5 | AED 250.00 |
| Total overtime pay | 14h | sum of both lines | AED 770.83 |
That week alone adds AED 770.83 to the employee's basic pay, on top of their regular monthly salary.
Over Time Calculation in UAE: multiplier reference table
Every over time calculation in UAE comes down to two multipliers, applied on top of the normal hourly wage:
| Overtime type | When it applies | Multiplier | Extra pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal overtime | Hours beyond the standard working day, outside night hours | 1.25x | +25% |
| Night overtime | Hours worked between 10:00 PM and 4:00 AM | 1.5x | +50% |
| Rest-day overtime | Hours worked on the employee's weekly rest day | 1.5x | +50% |
| Public-holiday overtime | Hours worked on an official UAE public holiday | 1.5x | +50% |
Two hard limits apply on top of these rates: employees cannot be required to work more than 2 overtime hours per day, and total working hours (regular plus overtime) cannot exceed 144 hours over any 3-week period, per Article 19 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021.
Common overtime cases by basic salary
To see how the numbers scale, here is 10 hours of normal daytime overtime (1.25x) in a single month, for a standard 8-hour day and 30-day month, at five common basic-salary levels:
| Basic salary | Hourly wage | 10h normal overtime (1.25x) |
|---|---|---|
| AED 5,000 | AED 20.83 | AED 260.42 |
| AED 10,000 | AED 41.67 | AED 520.83 |
| AED 15,000 | AED 62.50 | AED 781.25 |
| AED 20,000 | AED 83.33 | AED 1,041.67 |
| AED 30,000 | AED 125.00 | AED 1,562.50 |
These five figures use the same default assumptions as the worked example above (a 10-hour month of normal overtime, 8-hour standard day, 30-day month), so you can see roughly where your own basic salary lands before entering your exact hours, night shifts or rest-day work into the calculator further up the page.
Overtime rules and exceptions
Who is excluded from overtime pay
Not every employee is entitled to overtime pay. Staff in supervisory or managerial roles — those with the authority to oversee other employees and take independent decisions — are excluded from the overtime provisions of Article 19 of the labour law. If your role is purely managerial in name but you do not actually supervise staff or make those decisions, you may still be entitled to overtime; check your contract and job description carefully.
Night hours: 22:00–04:00
The night-overtime premium of 1.5x only applies to hours that fall inside the 10:00 PM–4:00 AM window. If a shift straddles that boundary — for example, overtime starting at 8:00 PM and running to midnight — split it into two entries when using the calculator: the hours before 10:00 PM as normal overtime, and the hours from 10:00 PM onward as night overtime, so each portion is paid at its correct rate.
Ramadan: reduced working hours
During the holy month of Ramadan, standard daily working hours are reduced by two hours for all employees under UAE labour law. This shortens the regular working day, but it does not change the overtime multipliers themselves: any hours worked beyond the (reduced) standard shift during Ramadan are still paid at 1.25x for normal overtime, or 1.5x for night, rest-day and public-holiday overtime.
Legal basis
Overtime pay rates and limits are set out in Article 19 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 (the UAE labour law) and its Executive Regulation, which defines the night-hours window and the compensation due for rest-day and public-holiday work. This calculator applies those rates directly — it does not add any margin or estimate on top of the legal formula.
If you believe your employer has miscalculated or withheld overtime pay, the first step is usually a direct conversation backed by your own calculation — print or copy the breakdown above as a reference. If that does not resolve the issue, employees in the private sector can raise a complaint through MOHRE before escalating to a formal labour claim.
Frequently asked questions
How much is overtime pay in the UAE?
Standard daytime overtime is paid at 1.25x the normal hourly wage. Overtime worked at night, between 10 PM and 4 AM, is paid at 1.5x the normal hourly wage, per Article 19 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021.
What is the maximum overtime allowed per day in the UAE?
Employees cannot be required to work more than 2 overtime hours per day, and total working hours (regular + overtime) cannot exceed 144 hours over any 3-week period, per the Executive Regulation of the labour law.
Are managers entitled to overtime pay in the UAE?
No. Employees in supervisory or managerial positions who have the authority to oversee other staff are excluded from overtime entitlements under Article 19 of the labour law.
How is the hourly wage calculated for UAE overtime?
The hourly wage used for overtime is your basic monthly salary divided by the working days in the month (default 30) and again by your standard working hours per day (default 8). Allowances such as housing or transport are not part of this calculation.
Does overtime pay include housing and transport allowances?
No. Overtime pay in the UAE is calculated on the basic salary only, not the full gross salary. Housing, transport and other allowances are excluded from the hourly wage used by this calculator, the same way they are excluded from gratuity.
What time period counts as night overtime in the UAE?
Night overtime covers hours worked between 10 PM and 4 AM. These hours are paid at 1.5x the normal hourly wage, the same premium rate that applies to work on the weekly rest day and on public holidays.
Are overtime rates different on rest days or public holidays?
Rest-day and public-holiday overtime are both paid at 1.5x the normal hourly wage, the same rate as night overtime. This calculator lets you log hours separately for each category so the breakdown always matches the correct rate.
Does the reduced Ramadan working day change my overtime rate?
Standard daily working hours are shortened during Ramadan, but the overtime multipliers do not change. Hours worked beyond your (reduced) standard shift are still paid at 1.25x for normal overtime, or 1.5x for night, rest-day and public-holiday overtime.
What if my employer asks for more than 2 hours of overtime a day?
UAE labour law caps overtime at 2 hours per day and 144 hours over any 3-week period. This calculator flags entries that exceed either limit. Overtime beyond the cap must still be paid, but it signals a labour-law breach you can report to MOHRE.
Explore our other UAE calculators
Overtime is only one part of your final pay. Use our gratuity calculator uae to estimate your end-of-service benefit, the mohre gratuity calculator for the official MOHRE-aligned breakdown, the leave salary calculator uae for unused annual leave, and the salary calculator dubai to see your full net pay breakdown.