# How to track nanny hours accurately

> Track nanny hours by recording the actual start and end time of every shift as it happens, in a place both the nanny and the family can see. Note unpaid breaks, keep each family separate, review the totals weekly, and invoice or run payroll from that record.

Source: https://nannydaily.com/guides/how-to-track-nanny-hours

Published: 2026-10-12 · Updated: 2026-10-12 · By NannyLog

## Why hours go wrong

Most disagreements about nanny pay are not about the rate. They are about hours: a late finish that was never written down, a shift that started early, or a week reconstructed from memory. The fix is a timesheet recorded as it happens and visible to both sides.

## A simple system that works

1. Record the start time when you arrive, not when you remember.
2. Record the end time when you leave.
3. Note unpaid breaks if your agreement has them.
4. Keep each family on its own timesheet, with its own rate.
5. Review the week’s total together before payday.
6. Pay, invoice or run payroll from that total.

## Timesheet template

| Date | Start | End | Unpaid break | Hours | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Mon | 8:00 | 17:30 | 0:30 | 9.0 |  |
| Tue | 8:00 | 18:15 | 0:30 | 9.75 | Parent home late |

## Overtime and the law

Overtime rules for nannies depend on where you live. In the US, many nannies are household employees covered by federal and state overtime rules, while some states set their own requirements. Check your local rules or ask a household payroll specialist. Whatever the rule, it can only be applied correctly if the hours are recorded accurately.

## Tracking hours in NannyLog

NannyLog’s hours tracker lets you clock in with one tap, choose which children you are caring for and clock out when you leave. Missed a clock-in? Add the record afterwards. Parents can see the same hours, and you can turn them into an invoice in seconds. Hours tracking is part of NannyLog Premium.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the best app to track nanny hours?

Use an app that records time as it happens and shares it with the family. NannyLog does this with one-tap clock-in, a timesheet parents can see, and invoices generated from the tracked hours.

### Should the nanny or the parents track hours?

Ideally the nanny records them and the parents can see them in real time. That way neither side is reconstructing the week from memory.