PTO accrual calculator

Tell it how you earn paid time off and your balance today. See your balance on any date, a row for every payday, and the same accrual rate per hour, paycheck, month and year.

How you earn time off

e.g. 80 hours = 10 eight-hour days

Cap, carryover and planned time off
Planned time off
15.38 h1.92 days of 8 hours

Balance on Thu 31 Dec 2026: 15.38 hours, after 5 paydays from Mon 19 Oct 2026.

Earned each paycheck
3.08 h26 paychecks a year
Earned a year
80 h10 days
Earned a month
6.67 h
Per hour worked
0.03851 hour every 26 hours worked
Earned in this period
15.38 hnone used

Balance on Thu 31 Dec 2026: 15.38 hours, 1.92 days.

Every payday (5 rows)
DateWhatChange (h)Balance (h)Note
Fri 23 Oct 2026Earned+3.083.08
Fri 6 Nov 2026Earned+3.086.15
Fri 20 Nov 2026Earned+3.089.23
Fri 4 Dec 2026Earned+3.0812.31
Fri 18 Dec 2026Earned+3.0815.38

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How to use the PTO accrual calculator

  1. Choose how you earn time off: a number of hours a year (for example 80), hours each paycheck (3.08), or per hour worked (1 hour for every 30 hours worked).
  2. Set your pay frequency and any one payday; the calculator works out the others.
  3. Type your balance now and the date you want to know the balance on.
  4. Optional: a cap (accrual stops while you are at it), a carryover limit at the start of each year, and planned time off to subtract.

How PTO accrual is calculated

  • Hours a year: divide by the number of paychecks. 80 hours ÷ 26 biweekly paychecks = 3.08 hours each paycheck (3.0769 exactly). 120 hours a year paid twice a month is 120 ÷ 24 = 5 hours a paycheck.
  • Per hour worked: divide the hours worked by the accrual period. At 1 hour per 30 worked, an 80-hour biweekly period earns 80 ÷ 30 = 2.67 hours. Per year that is about 69 hours for a 2,080-hour year.
  • Balance: starting balance + hours earned on each payday − time off used, never above the cap.

The calculator keeps four decimal places and rounds only what it shows, so a year of 3.0769 hours a paycheck adds up to exactly 80, not 80.08.

Common accrual rates

PTO a yearDays (8 h)WeeklyBiweeklyTwice a monthPer hour worked*
40 hours50.771.541.670.0192 (1 per 52)
80 hours101.543.083.330.0385 (1 per 26)
120 hours152.314.625.000.0577 (1 per 17)
160 hours203.086.156.670.0769 (1 per 13)
200 hours253.857.698.330.0962 (1 per 10)

* For a full-time year of 2,080 hours (40 hours × 52 weeks).

Caps, carryover and “use it or lose it”

Many employers limit PTO in one of two ways. A cap (or maximum balance) stops you earning more while your balance is at the limit; you start earning again once you take time off. A carryover limit applies at the start of each year: hours above the limit are lost, or sometimes paid out. The calculator shows both, payday by payday.

The rules depend on where you work. There is no US federal law requiring paid vacation. California, for example, does not allow “use it or lose it” for earned vacation, but does allow a cap that stops further accrual, and requires paid sick leave of at least 1 hour for every 30 hours worked (California vacation FAQ, paid sick leave). Other states and cities have their own sick-leave laws. Your employer’s written policy is the place to check the numbers you enter.

Example

You earn 80 hours a year, are paid every two weeks, have 12 hours today (1 March) and plan a 5-day trip of 40 hours on 15 July. With no cap, by 31 December you earn about 3.08 hours on each of the 21 or 22 paydays left (it depends on which Friday you are paid), so 64.6 to 67.7 hours. Your balance will be about 12 + 67.7 − 40 = 39.7 hours, just under 5 eight-hour days, or 36.6 hours with 21 paydays.

Frequently asked questions

How do you calculate PTO accrual?

Divide the yearly PTO by the number of pay periods to get the hours earned each paycheck: 80 hours a year ÷ 26 = 3.08 hours every two weeks. If you earn PTO per hour worked, multiply the hours worked by the rate: 80 hours × 1/30 = 2.67 hours.

How much PTO do I accrue each pay period?

Your yearly PTO divided by your number of paychecks: weekly 52, every two weeks 26, twice a month 24, monthly 12. For 120 hours a year paid biweekly, that is 4.62 hours a paycheck.

How much PTO do you get for 40 hours worked?

It depends on your rate. At 1 hour per 30 hours worked, 40 hours earns 1.33 hours. If you get 80 hours a year on a 2,080-hour year (0.0385 an hour), 40 hours earns 1.54 hours.

What is a typical PTO accrual rate?

For full-time US employees, 80 to 120 hours a year (10 to 15 days) is common at first, often rising with years of service. That is 3.08 to 4.62 hours every two weeks, or about 0.04 to 0.06 hours per hour worked.

How many days is 20 hours of PTO?

2.5 days of 8 hours (20 ÷ 8). 70 hours is 8.75 eight-hour days. Set “Hours in a workday” if your days are longer, for example 12 for 12-hour shifts.

What is a PTO accrual cap?

A maximum balance. Once you reach it you stop earning PTO until you use some. It is different from a carryover limit, which removes hours over a limit at the start of a new year.

Does PTO accrue on overtime hours?

It depends on the policy. If PTO is earned per hour worked, many employers count all hours worked, including overtime; others count only regular hours. Enter the hours your policy counts in “Hours worked each pay period”.

Is PTO required by law?

Not under US federal law. Some states and cities require paid sick leave (California: at least 1 hour per 30 hours worked), and some regulate vacation once it is offered. In the UK, Canada and Australia, paid holidays or annual leave are required by law, with their own rules.