Verified against official state labor departments Updated for 2026

Colorado Overtime Laws (2026)

How overtime pay works in Colorado: the hourly threshold, the time-and-a-half and double-time rules, who is covered, and a calculator.

Updated for 2026 Last verified: Jul 6, 2026 Daily & weekly overtime

In Colorado, overtime is more generous than the federal rule. Non-exempt employees earn time and a half after 12 hours (1.5x) in a day and after 40 hours in a week, and double time can apply on long days.

Colorado also requires overtime after 12 consecutive hours of work. Rules apply to retail, service, food and beverage, commercial support, and health and medical industries.

Overtime rules in Colorado

TypeRequirement
Daily12 hours (1.5x)
Weekly40 hours (1.5x)

At the Colorado minimum wage of $15.16, the overtime rate is $22.74 an hour (1.5×).

Colorado overtime calculator

Enter your rate and hours to see your overtime and total pay for the week.

Regular pay
$0
Overtime pay
$0
Total (this week)
$0
Note: figures are gross pay before taxes. Some states (like California) require daily overtime, so a long single day can add more than the weekly total shown here.

Who is covered

Most hourly employees are non-exempt, which means they must be paid overtime. The main exemptions under the Fair Labor Standards Act are bona fide executive, administrative, professional, outside sales, and certain computer employees who are paid on a salary basis above the federal threshold. Job title alone does not decide it, the actual duties and pay do.

Common questions

Colorado overtime FAQ

How is overtime calculated in Colorado?
Overtime is required after 12 hours (1.5x) in a day, after 40 hours (1.5x) in a week. Colorado also requires overtime after 12 consecutive hours of work. Rules apply to retail, service, food and beverage, commercial support, and health and medical industries.
Is overtime paid after 8 hours or 40 hours in Colorado?
Colorado requires daily overtime, so you can earn overtime after 12 hours (1.5x) in a single day, on top of the weekly 40-hour rule.
Who is exempt from overtime in Colorado?
Common exemptions under the Fair Labor Standards Act include bona fide executive, administrative, professional, outside sales, and certain computer employees who are paid on a salary basis above the federal threshold. Many hourly workers are non-exempt and must be paid overtime.
Can my employer make me work overtime in Colorado?
In most cases yes. Employers can generally require overtime, but non-exempt employees must be paid the overtime rate for it.
Where can I find the official Colorado overtime rules?
The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment publishes the official rules, linked on this page.

David Scott compiles and verifies minimum wage rates, tipped wages, and overtime rules from official state and federal labor department sources, and re-checks every page when rates change. See how the data is sourced.