---
title: "Article 68 of the LFT: triple-time hours and daily maximum · Sicheca"
description: "What article 68 establishes about excess overtime and the 12-hour ceiling."
url: https://sicheca.com/en/blog/articulo-68-lft-horas-triples
lang: en
alternate_es: https://sicheca.com/blog/articulo-68-lft-horas-triples.md
---
Law and fines · 4 min read

# Article 68 of the LFT: triple-time hours and daily maximum

Short answer

Article 68 says three things: no one is obliged to work more than the permitted time; whatever exceeds the article 66 cap cannot go beyond 4 hours per week and is paid at 200% more; and the total workday can never exceed 12 hours per day.

## In numbers for 2027

9 hours at double time plus 4 at triple time: an absolute maximum of 13 overtime hours per week.

## What it does not allow

Paying at double time what corresponds to triple time.

## How to do the math by hand

Take a salary of $400 per day on a day shift. The ordinary hour is worth 400 ÷ 8 = $50. In 2027, with 11 overtime hours in the week, the first 9 are paid at double time (9 × $100 = $900) and the remaining 2 at triple time (2 × $150 = $300). Total: $1,200.

## The reform in one minute

The reform has two parts. On March 3, 2026, article 123 of the Constitution was amended to set the 40-hour workweek. On May 1, 2026, the Federal Labor Law was amended, which is where the detail is.

- The maximum working week drops from 48 to 40 hours, two hours per year, between 2027 and 2030.
- Overtime has a weekly cap: it is paid at double time up to the cap and at triple time for up to 4 more hours.
- Each company must electronically record the start and end time of each person's workday.
- Not keeping that record is fined 250 to 5,000 UMA.
- Salary and benefits cannot go down because of the reduction in hours.

What remains pending are the STPS general rules, which will define who the record applies to and what exceptions there will be. They take effect on January 1, 2027.

| Year | Maximum working hours | Double-time overtime | Triple-time overtime |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026 | 48 h | 9 h | 4 h |
| 2027 | 46 h | 9 h | 4 h |
| 2028 | 44 h | 10 h | 4 h |
| 2029 | 42 h | 11 h | 4 h |
| 2030 | 40 h | 12 h | 4 h |

Decree published in the Official Gazette of the Federation on May 1, 2026, second and fourth transitory provisions, and article 68 of the LFT. Each change applies from January 1.

## Common mistakes

- Assuming the obligation does not apply because you are a small business.
- Believing a device or fingerprint is required.
- Confusing the date the law took effect with the date of the STPS rules.
- Reading the 2030 caps as if they already applied.
- Trusting a provider that claims to be certified by the authority.

## What to do now

1. Read what article 132, section XXXIV, requires.
2. Review how you record your staff's clock-in and clock-out today.
3. Choose an electronic recording method.
4. Agree on it in writing with each person.
5. Check the STPS general rules when they are published.

## Related terms

**[What is the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF)](https://sicheca.com/en/blog/diario-oficial-de-la-federacion-dof).** The Official Gazette of the Federation is the publication where federal laws, decrees and rules appear.

**[What is PTU, or profit sharing](https://sicheca.com/en/blog/que-es-la-ptu).** PTU is the workers' share in the company's profits: 10% of the company's taxable profit, which is distributed among its staff.

**[Mandatory rest days in Mexico](https://sicheca.com/en/blog/dias-de-descanso-obligatorio).** These are the holidays set by article 74 of the Federal Labor Law.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can someone refuse to work triple-time hours?

Yes. The law says they are not obliged to work more than the permitted time.

### Does the law require a particular system?

No. It asks that the record be electronic and include the start and end time for each person.

### What happens when the STPS publishes its rules?

They will specify who the record applies to and its exceptions. It is worth checking them as soon as they appear in the Official Gazette of the Federation.

### Is the reform already in force?

Yes. The reform to the Federal Labor Law took effect on May 1, 2026. The reduction in working hours starts on January 1, 2027.

### Who monitors compliance?

The Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, through inspections.

## Legal basis and sources

- Overtime: articles 66 and 68 of the LFT and fourth transitory provision of the decree.
- Fines: articles 992, 994 and 1002 of the LFT.
- [Decree amending the Federal Labor Law on the reduction of the working week](https://sidof.segob.gob.mx/notas/docFuente/5786537). Official Gazette of the Federation, May 1, 2026.
- [Federal Labor Law, current text](https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/LFT.pdf). Chamber of Deputies.

**How we write this content.** The Sicheca team writes it from the official text of the law. When something is not yet defined by the authority, we say so. It is general information and does not replace the advice of a lawyer or an accountant.

## Keep reading

[ Law and fines **Article 58 of the LFT: spreading the workday by agreement**](https://sicheca.com/en/blog/articulo-58-lft-distribucion-de-la-jornada) [ Law and fines **The seven transitory provisions of the 40-hour reform**](https://sicheca.com/en/blog/transitorios-de-la-reforma-de-40-horas) [ Law and fines **The reform to article 123: 40 hours in the Constitution**](https://sicheca.com/en/blog/reforma-al-articulo-123-jornada-de-40-horas) [ Hours and workday **Overtime in 2027: how much is allowed and how it is paid**](https://sicheca.com/en/blog/horas-extra-2027-limites)

[See all articles](https://sicheca.com/en/blog/)

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