Work Hours Calculator South Africa

Enter your weekly schedule and instantly see ordinary vs overtime hours, BCEA compliance status and total pay. Covers BCEA 45-hour week, 9/8-hour daily limits and 10-hour overtime cap.

Work Hours Updated: 28 Aug 2026 · 2026/2027 tax year · By Faheema Sheikh

How many hours can I legally work per week in South Africa?

The BCEA caps ordinary working hours at 45 hours per week (9 hours/day for a 5-day week or 8 hours/day for a 6-day week) and limits overtime to a maximum of 10 hours per week (15 hours by collective agreement, for up to 2 months a year), paid at 1.5× your normal rate on weekdays and Saturdays or 2× on Sundays and public holidays.

South African working hours are governed by the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, which sets a maximum of 45 ordinary hours per week, caps overtime at 10 hours per week (15 by collective agreement, for up to 2 months a year) and requires premium pay for Sundays and public holidays. Whether you are an employer checking BCEA compliance or an employee verifying your overtime entitlement, this calculator uses your actual weekly schedule to show ordinary hours, overtime hours and the total pay owed under current BCEA rules.

⏱ Weekly Work Schedule

Enter rate as

Hourly rate Monthly salary

Hourly rate

Hours worked each day

Day	Hours	Status

Daily limit auto-detects: 9 h/day for 5-day weeks; 8 h/day when 6+ days are worked. Public holidays count separately at 2×.

⏱ Enter hours for each working day BCEA compliance check and pay breakdown will appear here instantly.

BCEA Compliance Check

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Weekly ordinary hours

0 / 45 hours

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Max daily hours

0 h max day

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Weekly overtime

0 / 10 hours

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Total weekly hours

0 / 55 maximum

Total Weekly Pay

R 0.00

at R 0.00/hour

Implied monthly

—

× 52÷12 weeks

Hours This Week Pay

Ordinary hours (0 h × 1.0×) —

Overtime (0 h × 1.5×) —

Sunday (0 h × 2.0×) —

Public holiday (0 h × 2.0×) —

Total hours: 0 h —

BCEA threshold: These limits apply to employees earning below R269,600.90/year (R22,466.74/month). Above this threshold, working hours are governed by your employment contract. A weekly overtime total flagged above is based on the standard 10-hour cap — a collective agreement can lawfully extend this to 15 hours for up to 2 months in a 12-month period.

Also useful from PayTools

Calculator Overtime Calculator Calculate overtime pay at 1.5× and 2× rates under South African labour law. Use Calculator → Calculator Minimum Wage Calculator Check the national minimum wage and calculate weekly or monthly earnings. Use Calculator → Guide Work Hours SA BCEA hour limits, overtime rates and your rights. Read Guide →

How to Use This Calculator

Enter hours worked each day

Fill in the hours for each day you worked, including Saturday if you work a 6-day week. There's no separate day-count selector — the calculator detects a 5-day or 6-day pattern from which days have hours entered, and sets the daily ordinary limit accordingly: 9 hours/day (5-day) or 8 hours/day (6-day).

Ordinary and overtime hours are split automatically

The calculator classifies each day's hours as ordinary or overtime against your daily limit, then checks the weekly total against the 45-hour ordinary cap.

Sunday and public holiday rates applied

Sunday hours are 2× (or 1.5× if Sunday is an ordinary working day). Public holidays are 2×.

Weekly overtime cap is checked

BCEA Section 10 limits overtime to 10 hours/week (15 by collective agreement, for up to 2 months a year). A warning shows if you exceed this.

Total weekly pay is calculated

Results show ordinary pay, overtime pay and total gross weekly earnings.

BCEA Work Hours in South Africa — The Full Rules

The Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA) sets the national floor for working hours in South Africa. Understanding these rules matters for both employees (to know their rights) and employers (to avoid costly disputes and CCMA referrals). The key sections are Section 9 (ordinary hours) and Section 10 (overtime).

Section 9 — Ordinary Hours of Work

An employee may not be required to work more than 45 ordinary hours per week. The daily limit depends on the work pattern:

/* BCEA Section 9 — Ordinary hour limits */
5-day week → Max 9 hours per day × 5 days = 45 hours/week
6-day week → Max 8 hours per day × 5 days + max 5 hours Saturday
(cannot exceed 45 hours total)

/* Daily total cap (ordinary + overtime combined) */
Absolute max → 12 hours in any single day (Section 10)

Section 10 — Overtime

Overtime is any time worked beyond the Section 9 limits. Key rules:

Maximum overtime: 3 hours per day and 10 hours per week
Overtime rate: 1.5 times the normal rate
Overtime requires written or verbal agreement — it cannot be unilaterally imposed
By written agreement, time off instead of overtime pay may be given at the same 1.5× ratio
By collective agreement, the weekly overtime cap can rise to 15 hours, but only for up to 2 months in any 12-month period — a limited exception, not the default
Total daily maximum: 12 hours (ordinary + overtime combined)

For a dedicated breakdown of overtime pay across weekday, Sunday and public holiday rates, use our Overtime Calculator.

Section 16 — Sunday Work

Work performed on a Sunday is paid at double (2×) the normal rate. If Sunday is one of the employee's ordinary working days, for example in a compressed week or a hospitality role where Sundays are regularly scheduled, the rate is 1.5× the normal rate instead. Where Sunday work is not part of the employee's ordinary work schedule, the 2× rate applies.

Section 18 — Public Holidays

Employees may not be required to work on a public holiday unless there is a written agreement. If required to work, they must be paid at double (2×) the normal rate. Alternatively, by agreement, the employee may take a paid day off in lieu.

The Full BCEA Limits Summary

BCEA Provision	Section	Limit
Ordinary hours per week	Section 9	45 hours
Ordinary hours per day (5-day week)	Section 9	9 hours
Ordinary hours per day (6-day week)	Section 9	8 hours
Overtime per week	Section 10	10 hours (15 by collective agreement, max 2 months/yr)
Overtime per day	Section 10	3 hours
Maximum total hours per day	Section 10	12 hours
Overtime rate (weekdays)	Section 10	1.5× normal rate
Sunday rate	Section 16	2× normal rate
Public holiday rate	Section 18	2× normal rate
Meal break (after 5 consecutive hours)	Section 14	60 min (reducible to 30 min)
Rest period between shifts	Section 15	12 consecutive hours
Weekly rest period	Section 15	36 consecutive hours
BCEA earnings threshold	Section 6	R269,600.90/year (May 2026)

Compressed Working Week — What BCEA Section 11 Allows

By written agreement, an employer and employee can arrange a compressed working week under Section 11. This allows working up to 12 ordinary hours per day across 4 or 5 days per week, provided the total does not exceed 45 ordinary hours per week. Common arrangements include four 10-hour days, giving a 3-day weekend.

The compressed working week agreement must be in writing, signed by the employee and reviewed every 2 months. It does not override the 45-hour weekly maximum — it only allows the daily ordinary limit to extend to 12 hours. Hours above 45 in the week remain overtime.

Who the BCEA Working Time Provisions Apply To

BCEA Sections 9–17 (the working time provisions) apply to employees earning below the earnings threshold of R269,600.90 per year (R22,466.74 per month) as of 1 May 2026. This threshold is reviewed annually.

Employees earning above the threshold have their working hours governed by their employment contract rather than the BCEA provisions. However, many SA employers voluntarily apply BCEA standards to all staff. If you earn above the threshold, check your employment contract — particularly for overtime rates and Sunday work clauses.

If you're paid hourly and want to check your rate against the legal floor, see our Minimum Wage Calculator for the current national minimum wage.

Step-by-Step Overtime Calculation Example

Employee works 5 days per week. Hourly rate R120. Schedule: Mon 9h, Tue 9h, Wed 11h, Thu 9h, Fri 10h.

Day	Hours Worked	Ordinary Hours	Daily Overtime
Monday	9h	9h	0h
Tuesday	9h	9h	0h
Wednesday	11h	9h	2h (over 9h daily limit)
Thursday	9h	9h	0h
Friday	10h	9h	1h (over 9h daily limit)
Total	48h	45h	3h daily OT

Each day is capped at the 9-hour daily ordinary limit independently — Wednesday and Friday both exceed it, contributing 2h and 1h of daily overtime respectively. Because every day's ordinary hours are already capped at 9h each, the weekly ordinary total (9 × 5 = 45h) lands exactly on the 45-hour limit with no separate weekly overflow.

Pay Component	Hours	Rate	Amount
Ordinary pay	45h	R120 × 1.0	R 5,400
Overtime pay	3h	R120 × 1.5	R 540
Total weekly pay	48h		R 5,940

Daily and Weekly Rest Periods

Beyond capping working hours, the BCEA also protects rest time. Section 15 requires a daily rest period of at least 12 consecutive hours between finishing work one day and starting work the next, as well as a weekly rest period of at least 36 consecutive hours, which must include a Sunday unless otherwise agreed between employer and employee — for example, shift workers in retail or hospitality often agree to a different rest day in place of Sunday. These rest period rules exist independently of the maximum working hours limits; an employer complying with the 45-hour weekly cap can still fall foul of the BCEA if daily or weekly rest periods aren't respected.

Meal Intervals During the Working Day

Section 14 also requires a meal interval of at least 60 minutes after 5 hours of continuous work, though this can be reduced to 30 minutes by agreement, or dispensed with entirely for employees working fewer than 6 hours in a day. Meal intervals are typically unpaid unless the employee is required to remain on duty or on standby during the break, in which case the interval should be treated as ordinary working time and factored into any overtime calculation where applicable.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many hours per week can I legally work in South Africa?

Under the BCEA, the maximum is 45 ordinary hours plus 10 overtime hours per week, giving a total maximum of 55 hours. The ordinary hours cap is 9 hours per day for a 5-day week and 8 hours per day for a 6-day week. The absolute daily maximum (including overtime) is 12 hours in any single day. These limits apply to employees earning below R269,600.90/year — above this threshold, your contract governs your hours.

Can my employer force me to work overtime?

No. Under BCEA Section 10, overtime may only be worked by agreement between employer and employee. An employer cannot unilaterally require overtime. However, most employment contracts contain an overtime clause where the employee pre-agrees to work reasonable overtime — in which case you are technically obligated once you sign the contract. If your contract has such a clause, the employer can require overtime within the BCEA limits (10 hours/week — 15 by collective agreement, for up to 2 months a year — 3 hours/day, 1.5× rate).

What is the daily hours limit for a 6-day work week?

When an employee works more than 5 days in a week (for example, including Saturday), the daily ordinary hours limit drops from 9 hours to 8 hours per day. This applies to all days in that week — not just the extra day. The weekly total remains capped at 45 ordinary hours regardless of how many days are worked. A 6-day worker doing 8h × 5 days + 5h on Saturday = 45h ordinary is within the limit.

How does night shift work affect my pay under BCEA?

Under BCEA Section 17, night work is defined as work performed between 18:00 and 06:00. If you regularly work at night, your employer must pay you a night work allowance or reduce your working hours. The specific allowance is not defined in the BCEA — it is subject to sectoral determination or collective agreement in your industry. Transport between work and home must also be provided or paid for night workers if public transport is unavailable or inadequate. Use our Overtime Calculator for standard overtime pay calculations.

What must my employer provide during my shift for meal breaks?

Under BCEA Section 14, an employer must give an employee a meal interval of at least 1 continuous hour after every 5 hours of continuous work. This can be reduced to 30 minutes by written agreement, or waived entirely if the employee works fewer than 6 hours in total. The meal break is unpaid unless the employment contract or sectoral determination specifies otherwise — but an employee required to remain at the workplace or on call during the break must be paid for that time. Employers also cannot require an employee to eat at their workstation while continuing to work; doing so counts as an additional working hour and must be compensated.

How much overtime can an employee work per week in South Africa?

Under BCEA Section 10, overtime is limited to 10 hours per week and 3 hours per day, and may only be worked by agreement between employer and employee — an employer cannot unilaterally require it. A collective agreement can temporarily raise the weekly cap to 15 hours, but only for up to 2 months in any 12-month period — a limited exception, not the everyday rule. Overtime is paid at 1.5 times the normal hourly rate, except for Sunday and public holiday work, which is paid at double time. By agreement, an employee may take paid time off in lieu instead of receiving the overtime payment. This 10-hour weekly limit applies to employees earning below R269,600.90 per year.

What is the pay rate for working on a Sunday in South Africa?

Under BCEA Section 16, work on a Sunday is paid at 2 times (double) the normal rate. If Sunday is one of the employee's ordinary working days, for example in a compressed week or a hospitality role where Sundays are regularly scheduled, the rate is 1.5 times the normal rate instead. If Sunday work is not part of the employee's ordinary schedule, double time applies.

What is the BCEA earnings threshold and who does it affect?

The BCEA earnings threshold is R269,600.90 per year (R22,466.74 per month) as of 1 May 2026. Employees earning above this threshold are excluded from certain BCEA working time protections, including the ordinary hours limits, overtime limits, Sunday pay provisions and night work requirements. Their working conditions are governed by their individual employment contract. However, many employers voluntarily apply BCEA standards to all employees regardless of earnings level — check your contract.

What is a compressed working week under BCEA?

A compressed working week, governed by BCEA Section 11, allows an employer and employee to agree in writing to work up to 12 ordinary hours per day, with a maximum of 45 ordinary hours over any 5 days in a week. This allows workers to, for example, work four 10-hour days and have a 3-day weekend. The agreement must be in writing, signed by the employee and cannot exceed 12 ordinary hours in any day or more than 45 ordinary hours over the compressed week. Overtime rates still apply to any hours beyond the agreed arrangement.