Calculate prorated rent for a partial month in seconds — move-in or move-out, with all three methods and the math shown for each.
Prorated rent is the partial-month rent a tenant pays when they move in or out on a day other than the first of the month. Instead of a full month's rent, they pay only for the days they actually have the property. It is not a discount and it is not negotiable in most leases — it is arithmetic, and the lease should say which arithmetic.
Divide the monthly rent by the number of days in that specific month, then multiply by days occupied. It is the most accurate reflection of what the tenant used, but the daily rate changes month to month: rent is worth more per day in February than in July.
Divide by 30 regardless of the calendar. Simple and predictable, and every month costs the same per day. It slightly overcharges in 31-day months and undercharges in February. Some state and local rules disallow it — check your jurisdiction.
Multiply the monthly rent by 12, divide by 365, and use that daily rate all year. The fairest across a full lease term, and the most common in commercial leases. Handle leap years by using 366.
| Method | Daily rate | Days | Prorated rent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Days in that month (31) | $48.39 | 14 | $677.42 |
| 30-day month | $50.00 | 14 | $700.00 |
| 365-day year | $49.32 | 14 | $690.41 |
A $22.58 spread on the same lease. That is why the method matters, and why your lease should name one.
Use whichever method your lease names. If the lease is silent, use days-in-that-month — it is the most defensible if a tenant disputes it, because it charges for exactly the days they had. Whatever you pick, apply it to every tenant identically. Prorating one tenant one way and another tenant differently is the kind of inconsistency that becomes a fair-housing problem.
Yes. The standard is that the tenant pays for the day they take possession. On move-out, the tenant pays for the day they hand back the keys. So a tenant moving in on the 18th of a 31-day month pays for 14 days, not 13.
Prorate the rent, not the deposit. The security deposit is a fixed amount set by the lease and by your state's deposit cap — it does not scale with a partial month. Collect the full deposit plus the prorated first month's rent before handing over keys.
My Rental Spot calculates prorated rent on the lease automatically, bills the tenant for the exact amount, and records the payment against the right month. Free for unlimited properties.
Divide the monthly rent by the number of days in the month, then multiply by the number of days the tenant occupies the property. For $1,500 rent with a move-in on 18 July, that is $1,500 ÷ 31 = $48.39 per day × 14 days = $677.42.
Both methods are used. Days-in-that-month is the most common and the most accurate. The 30-day method is simpler but slightly overcharges in 31-day months. Your lease should state which one applies; if it does not, use days-in-that-month.
Both, whenever the date is not the first or last of the month. On move-in the tenant pays for the days from the move-in date through the end of the month. On move-out they pay for the days from the 1st through the move-out date.
Yes. The move-in day counts as an occupied day because the tenant takes possession that day. The same applies to the move-out day.
In most cases a landlord can require a full month's rent if the lease says so, but it is unusual and it makes the unit harder to lease. Some cities restrict it. Prorating is the standard practice and is what tenants expect.
My Rental Spot prorates the first and last month on the lease automatically, bills the tenant for the exact amount, and records the payment against the right month.
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