Prorated rent = monthly rent ÷ days in the month × days you occupy the home. Moving into a $1,500 apartment on September 15 means paying for 16 days at $50.00 a day: $800.00. Some leases instead use a 365-day year (rent × 12 ÷ 365) or a 30-day "banker's" month. Which method applies depends on your lease and state law.
It's for tenants and landlords settling a move-in or move-out month. Enter the date and monthly rent; the calculator compares all three methods side by side and can run the 3x rent income check landlords use to approve applicants.
How to use this calculator
- Choose move-in month or move-out month.
- Enter the date and the monthly rent.
- Pick the method your lease uses. If the lease is silent, "days in that month" is the usual choice.
- Read the prorated amount, the daily rate and the days billed. For a move-in, it also shows the total if the first full month is collected at signing.
- Optionally enter your gross monthly income to see the 3x rent line and your rent-to-income share.
What proration means in a lease
"Pro rata" means in proportion. When a lease starts or ends partway through a rental period, the tenant pays only the part of the month they have the home. California Civil Code § 1935 puts it generally: when a rental ends before the agreed time, the renter "must pay the due proportion of the hire" for the use actually made. The California Department of Real Estate's tenant guide gives the practical version: if you give 30 days' notice on September 10, you owe rent through October 10, prorated.
The three proration methods
| Method | Daily rate | Oct 20 move-in, $1,200 |
|---|---|---|
| Days in that month (actual days) | Rent ÷ days in the month | $38.71 × 12 = $464.52 |
| 365-day year | Rent × 12 ÷ 365 | $39.45 × 12 = $473.42 |
| 30-day banker's month | Rent ÷ 30 | $40.00 × 11 = $440.00 |
- Actual days is the most common and is the method Minnesota requires by statute for a lease's final month: "prorated rent must be calculated using the actual number of calendar days for the calendar month in which the lease expires" (Minn. Stat. § 504B.116(b)). The daily rate changes from month to month.
- 365-day year gives the same daily rate all year. It is slightly less per day than a 30-day month and more than a 31-day month.
- 30-day month borrows the 30/360 day-count convention used in bond markets (MSRB Rule G-33). Every month counts as 30 days, so in this calculator a 31st counts as the 30th.
Where no statute sets a method, the lease wording usually controls, and local rules can differ. Check your lease and your state's landlord-tenant law before you pay.
Prorated rent by move-in day: February
February 2026 has 28 days; in a leap year, use the calculator. Amounts use the actual-days method with the move-in day counted. Daily rate: $35.71 on $1,000, $53.57 on $1,500, $71.43 on $2,000.
| Move-in day | Days billed | $1,000 rent | $1,500 rent | $2,000 rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 28 | $1,000.00 | $1,500.00 | $2,000.00 |
| 2nd | 27 | $964.29 | $1,446.43 | $1,928.57 |
| 3rd | 26 | $928.57 | $1,392.86 | $1,857.14 |
| 5th | 24 | $857.14 | $1,285.71 | $1,714.29 |
| 7th | 22 | $785.71 | $1,178.57 | $1,571.43 |
| 10th | 19 | $678.57 | $1,017.86 | $1,357.14 |
| 12th | 17 | $607.14 | $910.71 | $1,214.29 |
| 14th | 15 | $535.71 | $803.57 | $1,071.43 |
| 15th | 14 | $500.00 | $750.00 | $1,000.00 |
| 16th | 13 | $464.29 | $696.43 | $928.57 |
| 18th | 11 | $392.86 | $589.29 | $785.71 |
| 20th | 9 | $321.43 | $482.14 | $642.86 |
| 21st | 8 | $285.71 | $428.57 | $571.43 |
| 22nd | 7 | $250.00 | $375.00 | $500.00 |
| 25th | 4 | $142.86 | $214.29 | $285.71 |
| 26th | 3 | $107.14 | $160.71 | $214.29 |
| 28th | 1 | $35.71 | $53.57 | $71.43 |
Prorated rent by move-in day: 30-day months
April, June, September and November. Amounts use the actual-days method with the move-in day counted. Daily rate: $33.33 on $1,000, $50.00 on $1,500, $66.67 on $2,000.
| Move-in day | Days billed | $1,000 rent | $1,500 rent | $2,000 rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 30 | $1,000.00 | $1,500.00 | $2,000.00 |
| 2nd | 29 | $966.67 | $1,450.00 | $1,933.33 |
| 3rd | 28 | $933.33 | $1,400.00 | $1,866.67 |
| 5th | 26 | $866.67 | $1,300.00 | $1,733.33 |
| 7th | 24 | $800.00 | $1,200.00 | $1,600.00 |
| 10th | 21 | $700.00 | $1,050.00 | $1,400.00 |
| 12th | 19 | $633.33 | $950.00 | $1,266.67 |
| 14th | 17 | $566.67 | $850.00 | $1,133.33 |
| 15th | 16 | $533.33 | $800.00 | $1,066.67 |
| 16th | 15 | $500.00 | $750.00 | $1,000.00 |
| 18th | 13 | $433.33 | $650.00 | $866.67 |
| 20th | 11 | $366.67 | $550.00 | $733.33 |
| 21st | 10 | $333.33 | $500.00 | $666.67 |
| 22nd | 9 | $300.00 | $450.00 | $600.00 |
| 25th | 6 | $200.00 | $300.00 | $400.00 |
| 26th | 5 | $166.67 | $250.00 | $333.33 |
| 28th | 3 | $100.00 | $150.00 | $200.00 |
| 29th | 2 | $66.67 | $100.00 | $133.33 |
| 30th | 1 | $33.33 | $50.00 | $66.67 |
Prorated rent by move-in day: 31-day months
January, March, May, July, August, October and December. Amounts use the actual-days method with the move-in day counted. Daily rate: $32.26 on $1,000, $48.39 on $1,500, $64.52 on $2,000.
| Move-in day | Days billed | $1,000 rent | $1,500 rent | $2,000 rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 31 | $1,000.00 | $1,500.00 | $2,000.00 |
| 2nd | 30 | $967.74 | $1,451.61 | $1,935.48 |
| 3rd | 29 | $935.48 | $1,403.23 | $1,870.97 |
| 5th | 27 | $870.97 | $1,306.45 | $1,741.94 |
| 7th | 25 | $806.45 | $1,209.68 | $1,612.90 |
| 10th | 22 | $709.68 | $1,064.52 | $1,419.35 |
| 12th | 20 | $645.16 | $967.74 | $1,290.32 |
| 14th | 18 | $580.65 | $870.97 | $1,161.29 |
| 15th | 17 | $548.39 | $822.58 | $1,096.77 |
| 16th | 16 | $516.13 | $774.19 | $1,032.26 |
| 18th | 14 | $451.61 | $677.42 | $903.23 |
| 20th | 12 | $387.10 | $580.65 | $774.19 |
| 21st | 11 | $354.84 | $532.26 | $709.68 |
| 22nd | 10 | $322.58 | $483.87 | $645.16 |
| 25th | 7 | $225.81 | $338.71 | $451.61 |
| 26th | 6 | $193.55 | $290.32 | $387.10 |
| 28th | 4 | $129.03 | $193.55 | $258.06 |
| 29th | 3 | $96.77 | $145.16 | $193.55 |
| 30th | 2 | $64.52 | $96.77 | $129.03 |
| 31st | 1 | $32.26 | $48.39 | $64.52 |
Worked examples
Move in September 15, rent $1,500
$1,500 ÷ 30 = $50.00 a day. September 15–30 is 16 days, so prorated rent is $800.00. If the landlord also collects October at signing, you pay $2,300.00 up front.
Move in February 10, rent $1,800
February 2026 has 28 days: $1,800 ÷ 28 = $64.29 × 19 days = $1,221.43. With the 30-day method it would be $1,260.00 (21 days × $60.00).
Move out October 12, rent $1,550
$1,550 ÷ 31 = $50.00 a day × 12 days (October 1–12) = $600.00 for the final month.
Income needed under the 3x rent rule
The 3x rent rule is a landlord screening rule, not a law: gross (pre-tax) monthly income should be at least three times the monthly rent. That puts rent at 33.3% of gross income. The federal benchmark is a little stricter: the U.S. Census Bureau, citing HUD, counts households that spend more than 30% of income on housing as cost-burdened, and more than 50% as severely cost-burdened.
Gross income needed for each rent under the 3x rule, and the yearly income at which that rent would be exactly 30% of income.
| Monthly rent | 3x monthly income | 3x yearly income | Income at HUD's 30% line (yearly) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $800.00 | $2,400.00 | $28,800.00 | $32,000.00 |
| $1,000.00 | $3,000.00 | $36,000.00 | $40,000.00 |
| $1,200.00 | $3,600.00 | $43,200.00 | $48,000.00 |
| $1,500.00 | $4,500.00 | $54,000.00 | $60,000.00 |
| $1,800.00 | $5,400.00 | $64,800.00 | $72,000.00 |
| $2,000.00 | $6,000.00 | $72,000.00 | $80,000.00 |
| $2,500.00 | $7,500.00 | $90,000.00 | $100,000.00 |
| $3,000.00 | $9,000.00 | $108,000.00 | $120,000.00 |
To go the other way, divide gross monthly income by 3. Turning an hourly wage into monthly income? Use the hourly to salary calculator first.
Common mistakes
- Dividing by 30 in every month. Unless the lease says so, rent ÷ 30 overcharges in 31-day months and undercharges in February.
- Forgetting the move-in day. The 15th through the 30th is 16 days, not 15.
- Assuming proration is automatic. Outside statutes like Minnesota's, some leases charge the full month. Agree on it in writing before you sign.
- Mixing up gross and net income for the 3x rule. Landlords usually mean pre-tax income.
To count the exact days between a notice date and move-out, use the days between dates calculator; if the move comes with a new job, the pay raise calculator shows the budget change.
Frequently asked questions
What is prorated rent?
Prorated rent is the partial rent you pay for part of a month, usually the month you move in or move out. It equals a daily rate times the number of days you occupy the home, instead of the full monthly rent.
How do you calculate prorated rent?
Divide the monthly rent by the number of days in that month to get the daily rate, then multiply by the days you live there. Moving into a $1,500 apartment on September 15: $1,500 ÷ 30 = $50.00 a day × 16 days = $800.00.
Is prorated rent required by law?
It depends on the state and the lease. Minnesota Statutes § 504B.116 requires the final month of a residential lease that ends mid-month to be prorated by the actual calendar days of that month, and the tenant can't waive it. California Civil Code § 1935 says a tenant who ends a rental early pays the due proportion of rent for the time used. In most other places the lease terms control, so read your lease.
Do you count the move-in day in prorated rent?
Usually yes: you pay for the day you get the keys. Moving in on the 20th of a 31-day month is 12 days (20th through 31st). For a move-out, you normally pay through the move-out day. Check your lease, because some count from the day after.
What does the 3x rent rule mean?
Many landlords require gross monthly income of at least 3 times the rent. Multiply the rent by 3: $1,500 rent needs $4,500.00 a month, or $54,000.00 a year. To find the most rent you qualify for, divide your gross monthly income by 3: $6,000 a month qualifies for $2,000.00.
How much rent can I afford on my salary?
Two common lines: the 3x rent rule (rent ≤ one third of gross monthly income, 33.3%) and HUD's cost-burden line, which counts households paying more than 30% of income for housing as cost-burdened (U.S. Census Bureau, citing HUD). Divide annual salary by 12, then by 3 for the 3x rule or multiply by 0.30 for the 30% line.
Which proration method is cheapest for the tenant?
It depends on the month. For a move-in on October 20 at $1,200 rent: actual days gives $464.52, the 365-day year $473.42 and the 30-day banker's month $440.00. In February the 30-day method costs less per day than dividing by 28.
Do I pay prorated rent and first month's rent at move-in?
Often. If you move in late in the month, many landlords collect the prorated amount plus the next full month at signing so rent is then due on the 1st. The calculator shows that total. Your lease states what is due and when.
Sources & method
- Minnesota Statutes § 504B.116 — prorated rent required; actual calendar days of the month
- California Civil Code § 1935 — due proportion of rent when a tenancy ends early
- California Department of Real Estate — California Tenants guide, Moving out (rent through the termination date, prorated)
- U.S. Census Bureau (2024) — renter households cost-burdened above 30% of income, per HUD
- MSRB Rule G-33(e) — 30-day month / 360-day year day count
Results are estimates for general information. Found an error? It helps everyone — see our methodology.