Texas overtime laws, explained for people who run payroll.
When overtime starts in Texas, what rate applies, what the state requires for meal and rest breaks, how often you have to pay, and what paid leave is mandated — in plain English, with a worked example. Rules change and exemptions apply, so confirm with the Texas Workforce Commission before relying on any of it.
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The Texas rules in one place.
Overtime
- Weekly: Over 40 hours in a workweek (federal FLSA)
- Daily: None — Texas follows the federal rule
- Seventh day: No
- Rate: 1.5× the regular rate of pay, which includes non-discretionary bonuses and shift differentials
Breaks and rest
- Meal: Not required for adults by state law (if a break under 20 minutes is given, it must be paid)
- Rest: Not required for adults by state law
- Short breaks (under 20 minutes), when offered, are paid time under federal rules
Pay and leave
- Pay frequency: At least twice a month for non-exempt employees
- Paid leave: No state PTO or paid sick leave mandate; written policy governs payout
- Recordkeeping: hours worked each day and week must be recorded and kept (federal rule: 3 years for payroll records)
Texas vs. federal law.
Federal law sets the floor. States can add to it, and several do.
| Rule | Texas | Federal FLSA |
|---|---|---|
| Overtime after 40 hours in a workweek | Yes | Yes |
| Daily overtime | No | No |
| Seventh-day or rest-day rule | No | No |
| Meal break required for adults | No | No |
| Rest breaks required for adults | No | No |
| Paid sick leave or paid leave mandated | No | No |
| Pay-frequency rule | Yes | No |
| Overtime rate | 1.5× regular rate | 1.5× regular rate |
| Records of hours worked required | Yes | Yes |
Where Texas and federal law differ, the rule more favorable to the employee applies. Exemptions (executive, administrative, professional, outside sales and others) are not covered here.
How the Texas rules work in practice.
What a real week looks like.
A crew member works 11 hours on Monday and Tuesday, then 6 hours Wednesday through Friday — 40 hours. No overtime is owed in Texas, because only hours over 40 in the week count. Add one more Saturday shift of 8 hours and 8 hours of overtime are owed at 1.5×.
- Texas has no state overtime statute; the FLSA 40-hour rule applies to most hourly employees
- Breaks aren't mandated, but once offered, short breaks must be paid time
- Texas Payday Law sets pay-frequency and final-paycheck timing (6 days after termination, next payday if the employee quits)
Overtime is 1.5× the regular rate, not 1.5× the hourly wage.
If an employee earns a non-discretionary bonus, a shift differential or multiple hourly rates in the same week, those are folded into the regular rate before the 1.5× multiplier. Getting this wrong is the most common overtime error in wage claims.
- Non-discretionary bonuses count
- Shift differentials count
- Discretionary bonuses, expense reimbursements and PTO payouts don't
Hours-to-date against the threshold, before payday.
PunchPro records clock-ins with location at the punch, calculates regular and overtime hours by the thresholds you set for Texas, flags anyone on overtime pace mid-week, records breaks, and exports approved hours to QuickBooks, ADP, Paychex, Paycom. Pay is calculated in your payroll process.
- Weekly and daily thresholds by location
- Break tracking with long/short break flags
- Audit trail on every edit
Set Texas rules once. Track them automatically.
No implementation project. Most teams are set up in an afternoon.
Set your thresholds
Weekly overtime, break rules and pay period for your Texas locations.
Add your people
Import a CSV; each employee gets a text with the app link.
See overtime on Wednesday
Hours-to-date against the threshold for everyone, flagged before the period closes.
Texas overtime questions, answered plainly.
When does overtime start in Texas?
Over 40 hours in a workweek (federal FLSA), at 1.5× the regular rate. There is no daily overtime; only hours over 40 in the workweek count.
Does Texas require meal or rest breaks?
Meal: Not required for adults by state law (if a break under 20 minutes is given, it must be paid). Rest: Not required for adults by state law.
Can I average two weeks to avoid overtime in Texas?
No. Overtime is calculated on each fixed, recurring 7-day workweek on its own, under both federal and state law.
Is comp time instead of overtime pay allowed in Texas?
For private employers, no. Hours over the threshold must be paid as overtime wages; comp time in lieu of pay is generally only available to public-sector employers.
How often do I have to pay employees in Texas?
At least twice a month for non-exempt employees.
Does PunchPro calculate overtime pay?
PunchPro calculates regular and overtime hours by your thresholds and exports them to QuickBooks, ADP, Paychex, Paycom. The pay itself is calculated in your payroll process. This page is general information, not legal advice; confirm current rules with the Texas Workforce Commission.
Related: Overtime tracking software · Time tracking · Time off · Texas Workforce Commission
See Texas overtime on Wednesday, not payday.
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14 days freeNo credit card requiredEvery feature included