Billable Days Calculator
Understand exactly how many days you can realistically bill clients per year after accounting for holidays, leave, and essential non-billable work.
Understanding your true billable days is the foundation of accurate contractor pricing. This calculator helps you work out how many days per year you can realistically invoice clients, after accounting for public holidays, annual leave, sick days, professional development and contingency time — essential for setting a sustainable Australian day rate.
Annual Billable Days Breakdown
Adjust the values below to see how they affect your billable time
| Time Category | Days | Hours | % of Max Billable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Work Year | |||
| Work Days in a year | 2080 | - | |
| Time Off | |||
| Public Holidays | 80 | 4% | |
| Annual Leave | 160 | 9% | |
| Sick Leave | 80 | 5% | |
| Maximum Available | |||
| Maximum billable days in a year | 220 | 1760 | 100% |
| Non-Billable Work | |||
| Contingency | 80 | 5% | |
| Personal Development | 80 | 5% | |
| Actual Billable Work | |||
| Revenue Generating Days | 200 | 1600 | 91% |
Time Allocation
Visual breakdown of your annual time allocation
Frequently Asked Questions
How many billable days can a contractor realistically achieve per year?
Most contractors can realistically bill between 187 and 200 days per year in Australia. This assumes 260 weekdays minus 10 public holidays, 20 days annual leave, 10 days sick leave, and 10-20 days for non-billable activities like professional development and business administration.
What is a good utilisation rate for a contractor?
A good utilisation rate for an established contractor is 85-91%, meaning 187-200 billable days out of 220 available working days. New contractors should budget for 75-80% utilisation while building their client pipeline and reputation.
Should I include professional development in my billable days?
No. Professional development, training, and certifications are non-billable activities. You should deduct these days from your available working time. Typically contractors allocate 5-10 days per year for upskilling, which is essential for maintaining market competitiveness.
How do public holidays affect contractor billing in Australia?
Australia has approximately 8-10 national public holidays per year, with additional state-specific holidays. Unlike permanent employees, contractors typically do not get paid for public holidays, so these must be factored out of your billable days calculation.
What is contingency time and why should contractors budget for it?
Contingency time covers gaps between contracts, unexpected downtime, business administration tasks, and client cancellations. Budgeting 5-10 days of contingency protects you from overestimating your revenue and ensures your day rate adequately covers these unpaid periods.
How It Works
Review Default Values
Start with standard Australian work patterns or adjust to match your situation.
Customize Your Schedule
Modify holidays, leave, and non-billable time to reflect your actual work patterns.
Optimize Your Time
Use the insights to maximize billable hours and plan your year effectively.
Maximize Your Billable Time
Learn strategies to increase your billable days and optimize your contracting schedule.
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