Overtime under the LFT (Federal Labor Law): limits, cap and double pay

Updated November 3, 2026.

In 2026, overtime can be up to 4 hours per day, on no more than 4 days per week. The weekly cap is 9 hours in 2026 and 2027, and it goes up to 12 in 2030 (art. 66 and transitional article Four). Those hours are paid at 100 % more. Hours over the cap, up to 4 more per week, are paid at 200 % more (art. 68), but this is operating outside the legal cap. The workday plus overtime never goes over 12 hours in a day. The regular workweek goes down from 48 hours in 2026 to 40 in 2030 (art. 59). The reform has been in force since May 1, 2026.

The old rule no longer applies

Before the reform, art. 66 said: "sin exceder nunca de tres horas diarias ni de tres veces en una semana" ("never exceeding three hours a day or three times in a week"). Double pay was in the second paragraph of art. 67. The decree of May 1, 2026 amended articles 66 and 68 and repealed the second paragraph of art. 67. If your internal work rules or your contracts cite "3 hours, 3 times", review them.

What article 66 says today

"La jornada de trabajo podrá prolongarse por circunstancias extraordinarias. En estos casos, se abonará como salario por este tiempo un cien por ciento más de lo fijado para las horas ordinarias. El trabajo extraordinario no excederá de doce horas en una semana, las cuales podrán distribuirse en hasta cuatro horas diarias, en un máximo de cuatro días en ese periodo."

Translation: "The workday may be extended for extraordinary circumstances. In these cases, the pay for this time is one hundred percent more than the rate set for regular hours. Overtime work will not exceed twelve hours in a week, which may be spread over up to four hours a day, on a maximum of four days in that period."

In short:

• Up to 4 hours of overtime per day.
• On no more than 4 days per week.
• A weekly cap that goes up each year until it reaches 12 hours.
• They are paid at 100 % more than the regular hour. That is, double pay.

The weekly cap goes up each year

The 12 of art. 66 does not apply yet. Transitional article Four of the decree reaches it step by step, each January 1:

Over the cap: article 68

"La prolongación del tiempo extraordinario que supere lo establecido en el artículo 66 de esta Ley, no podrá ser mayor de cuatro horas a la semana y obliga a la persona empleadora a pagar un doscientos por ciento más del salario que corresponda a las horas de la jornada ordinaria."

Translation: "Overtime that goes beyond what article 66 of this Law sets may not be more than four hours a week, and it obliges the employer to pay two hundred percent more than the wage for the hours of the regular workday."

Hours over the art. 66 cap are paid at 200 % more, triple pay. Those hours cannot be more than 4 per week. They are an exception: working over the cap is operating outside the law. Presente flags them as a legal risk.

The same article sets two more limits:

• The regular workday plus overtime never goes over 12 hours in a day.
• Employees are not required to work more time than allowed.

An example in 2026

Mariana Ochoa has an 8-hour day shift and earns $75.00 per regular hour. In one week of November 2026 she works overtime like this:

That adds up to 9 hours of overtime on 4 days: the 2026 cap. No day goes over 4 hours of overtime or 12 hours in total.

One more hour that week would go over the cap: it would be paid at triple pay and Presente would flag it as a legal risk.

Overtime that does not count toward the cap

• Emergencies. In case of a disaster or imminent risk, the workday is extended only as long as needed (art. 65). Those hours are paid as regular hours (art. 67).
• Weekly day off. If it is worked, double pay is paid in addition to the pay for the day off (art. 73).
• Mandatory holiday. If it is worked, double pay is paid in addition to the pay for the day (art. 75).

Record each case in its own column.

The workweek also goes down

The same decree lowered the regular workweek. Art. 59 says that the maximum workweek "será de cuarenta horas semanales" ("will be forty hours a week"). Transitional article Two reaches it step by step:

The daily workday stays at 8 hours for a day shift, 7 for a night shift and 7.5 for a mixed shift (art. 61). Transitional article Seven says that the reduction cannot lower pay, wages or benefits.

Proof in a lawsuit

If there is a lawsuit over overtime, the company must prove the regular and overtime hours "cuando ésta no exceda de nueve horas semanales" ("when it does not exceed nine hours a week") (art. 784 section VIII). That text did not change with the reform, even though the art. 66 cap will go up to 12 hours in 2030. Ask your lawyer how the two will be read together.

Quick checklist for admins

• Update your internal work rules and your contracts to the current text.
• Require a written request and a written approval for each overtime hour.
• Keep a weekly count: overtime hours and days with overtime. Avoid approving hours over the cap.
• Do not approve workdays of more than 12 hours in a day.
• Keep emergencies, worked days off and worked holidays separate.

How Presente helps you

In Presente, the person requests overtime with a reason before their shift ends. Their leader sees the overtime of the week and the cap of the year before approving. If an approval goes over a limit of art. 66 or art. 68, Presente shows a warning with the article and asks for the reason. Hours over the cap are flagged as a legal risk. Without approval, the end of the workday is recorded automatically. The report separates double-pay hours, worked days off, worked holidays and emergencies.

See overtime in Presente

This guide explains the law for information only. It is not legal advice. For a specific case, talk to a labor lawyer.

Related links: Electronic work-time register · Mandatory holidays