Maryland overtime law

Industry-specific rules

Bowling alleys and non-hospital live-in care institutions can use 48 hours a week; exempt farm workers 60 hours. Federal law may still require overtime after 40. Source: mgaleg.maryland.gov↗ (opens in a new tab)

Who is exempt

No state overtime for taxicab drivers, certain vehicle and farm equipment sales and service staff, non-profit concert and theater staff, some railroad workers and seasonal amusement workers. They still get state minimum wage. Source: labor.maryland.gov↗ (opens in a new tab)

Penalties

Employer owes the unpaid wages plus up to an equal amount as liquidated damages (reduced if the employer acted in good faith), plus attorney fees and costs. Source: mgaleg.maryland.gov↗ (opens in a new tab)

The law and where to check

The law: Md. Code, Lab. & Empl. §§ 3-415, 3-420 (opens in a new tab)

The agency: Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Labor and Industry (opens in a new tab)

What federal law says

The federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires 1.5 times the regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek for non-exempt employees. Federal law has no daily overtime. The federal salary level for most exempt staff is $684 a week. Where state and federal rules differ, follow the rule that gives the employee more. Source: U.S. Department of Labor↗ (opens in a new tab) Source: U.S. DOL — salary levels↗ (opens in a new tab)

Free tool: work out overtime pay with our State Overtime Calculator.

Overtime checklist for Maryland employers

A simple order of work, based on the rules above. It is not a legal checklist.

1. Decide which employees are non-exempt, and check exempt staff meet the salary and duties tests.
2. Set your workweek (a fixed, repeating 7-day period).
3. Track all hours worked, including daily hours if your state has daily overtime.
4. Pay overtime at 1.5 times the regular rate, including bonuses where required.
5. Use our free State Overtime Calculator to check the numbers.
6. Keep time and pay records.

More Maryland employment law guides

• All Maryland employment laws
• Maryland final paycheck law
• Maryland paid sick leave law
• Maryland meal and rest break laws
• Maryland pay frequency law
• Maryland vacation and PTO payout law
• Maryland new hire reporting
• Maryland at-will exceptions

Overtime laws in other states

See every state on one page, or pick a state:

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• New Jersey
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• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

Disclaimer: This guide provides general information based on publicly available official sources and is for information only. It is not legal, tax, payroll or employment-law advice and does not guarantee compliance with federal, state or local requirements. Rules can depend on your location, industry, contracts and other circumstances, and laws change. Always check the official source, the relevant government agency or a qualified professional before making a decision. MadyHR.ai accepts no responsibility for any action taken based on this page.

Last checked: October 19, 2026. Every rule and source link on this page was checked against the official government source on this date. Laws change, so always open the source link before you act.