Overtime Laws by State: The 2026 US Guide
Overtime law in the United States is governed by both federal and state law. The federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) sets a baseline — overtime after 40 hours per week at 1.5× pay — but states can offer stronger worker protections. Where state and federal law differ, the rule that benefits the worker more applies.
Quick comparison
| Rule type | States |
|---|---|
| Daily OT after 8 hours | California, Alaska, Nevada (lower-wage) |
| Daily OT after 10 hours | Oregon (manufacturing) |
| Daily OT after 12 hours | Colorado |
| Double time (2×) | California (after 12 hrs/day) |
| 7th-day premium | California |
| Higher weekly threshold | Kansas (46 hrs), Minnesota (48 hrs) |
| Sunday/holiday premium | Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut |
States with special overtime rules
States that follow federal FLSA
The majority of states don't have additional state-level overtime requirements beyond federal FLSA. In these states, OT applies after 40 hours per week at 1.5× the regular rate: