Free PTO calculator
A PTO accrual calculator works out how much paid time off you have earned and how much you will have by year end, based on your accrual method (per hour worked, a flat amount per pay period, or an annual allowance), your pay frequency, and the PTO you have already used. Enter your details below to see your current balance, projected year-end balance, payout value, and balance in days.
For hourly accrual, PTO earned = hours worked × accrual rate per hour. For pay-period accrual, PTO earned = hours per pay period × pay periods completed. Then subtract PTO already used and apply any carryover cap.
Enter your PTO policy details. Your numbers never leave your browser.
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PTO accrues in one of three ways. Per hour worked: you earn a set fraction of an hour of PTO for every hour on the clock, common for hourly roles. Flat per pay period: you earn a fixed number of PTO hours each paycheck. Annual allowance: you are granted a lump sum for the year that effectively accrues across your pay periods. This calculator supports all three so you can match your employer's policy exactly.
For hourly accrual, PTO earned = hours worked × accrual rate per hour. For pay-period accrual, PTO earned = hours per pay period × pay periods completed. Then subtract PTO already used and apply any carryover cap. Example: at 4 hours of PTO per biweekly paycheck, after 9 pay periods you have earned 36 hours; subtract 4 hours used and you have 32 hours, which is 4 days at an 8-hour workday.
Use hourly accrual when your policy ties PTO to hours actually worked, so part-time and overtime hours change what you earn. Use per-pay-period accrual when everyone earns the same PTO each paycheck regardless of hours. Salaried employees are almost always per pay period or on an annual allowance.
A PTO payout, or cash-out, converts unused PTO to cash: PTO payout = payable PTO hours × hourly wage. Example: 32 unused hours × $25 = $800 before taxes. Many states require payout of accrued, unused PTO when you leave a job, but policies vary, so check yours.
Divide your PTO hours by your standard workday: PTO days = PTO hours ÷ hours per workday. 32 hours ÷ 8 = 4 days. The calculator shows both so you can plan in whichever unit your employer uses.
New hires rarely get a full year of PTO. Prorate it by counting the pay periods (or hours) the employee will actually work: prorated PTO = annual allowance ÷ pay periods × pay periods remaining. The calculator does this when you enter a partial year.
Annual allowance | Per biweekly paycheck (26/yr) | Per hour worked (2,080 hrs): 80 hrs (10 days) | 3.08 | 0.0385 · 120 hrs (15 days) | 4.62 | 0.0577 · 160 hrs (20 days) | 6.15 | 0.0769.
| Annual allowance | Per biweekly paycheck | Per hour worked |
|---|---|---|
| 80 hrs (10 days) | 3.08 | 0.0385 |
| 120 hrs (15 days) | 4.62 | 0.0577 |
| 160 hrs (20 days) | 6.15 | 0.0769 |
Accrued PTO is the total time off you have earned to date. Available PTO is what you can actually book right now, which may be lower if some accrued time is already requested, pending, or held below a cap. This calculator shows your accrued and projected balances; check your HR system for the bookable, available figure.
It depends on the leave type and your policy. Many employers pause accrual during unpaid leave and keep accruing during paid leave, but rules vary. Hours-based accrual naturally stops when no hours are worked; per-pay-period accrual often continues unless your policy says otherwise.
Under hourly accrual, overtime hours usually earn PTO at the same rate as regular hours unless your policy excludes them. Under per-pay-period or annual-allowance plans, overtime has no effect because accrual is not tied to hours worked.
Part-time employees on hourly accrual earn PTO in proportion to the hours they work, so fewer hours mean less PTO. On a per-pay-period plan, part-timers often get a prorated amount based on their schedule. Enter the hours that match your situation to see the right balance.
Carryover (rollover) is the PTO you can move into the next year. Some policies cap it; strict use-it-or-lose-it policies reset unused PTO to zero. A growing number of US states restrict use-it-or-lose-it and treat accrued PTO as earned wages, so check your state and handbook before assuming you will lose a balance.
PTO accrual is usually calculated by multiplying hours worked by an accrual rate, granting a fixed amount each pay period, or prorating an annual allowance across the year. This calculator supports all three methods.
It depends on your annual allowance and pay frequency. For example, 120 PTO hours per year over 26 biweekly pay periods is about 4.6 hours per paycheck.
A cap is the maximum PTO you can hold or roll into the next period. Once you hit it, accrual may pause until you use some time off.
Multiply your payable PTO hours by your hourly wage. For example, 32 hours at $25 per hour is an estimated $800 payout before taxes or policy adjustments.
Divide your PTO hours by your standard workday length. At an 8-hour day, 32 PTO hours equals 4 days.
It depends on your state and employer policy. Some states require payout of accrued, unused PTO at separation; others leave it to company policy. Check your handbook.
Often yes on paid leave and no on unpaid leave, but it depends on policy; hourly accrual stops when no hours are worked.
Accrued is what you have earned in total; available is what you can book now after pending requests and caps.
The calculator above is free. If you want spreadsheets you can customize and keep, these premium Excel and Google Sheets templates go further.
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