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Prorated Rent Calculator

Moving in or out mid-month? Enter the rent and the date, and this calculator returns the exact partial-month rent — using any of the three standard proration methods. Free, instant, no sign-up.

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Moving in or out?

Prorated rent

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Move-in counts the move-in day through the last day of the month; move-out counts the 1st through the move-out day. Both include the move date itself.

What Is Prorated Rent?

Prorated rent is a partial month's rent, adjusted to the number of days a tenant actually lives in the unit. If a lease starts or ends any day other than the first of the month, charging a full month would make the tenant pay for days they weren't there — so the rent is “prorated” (divided proportionally) by days.

It shows up in two situations: a mid-month move-in, where the first partial month is prorated, and a mid-month move-out (usually on a month-to-month tenancy or a negotiated early departure), where the final partial month is prorated.

The Three Proration Methods

All three methods compute a daily rate and multiply it by days of occupancy — they differ only in how the daily rate is derived. For $1,500/month rent and a move-in on the 21st of a 31-day month (11 days occupied):

Method Daily rate formula Daily rate Prorated rent
Actual days in month rent ÷ days in that month $1,500 ÷ 31 = $48.39 $48.39 × 11 = $532.26
30-day month rent ÷ 30 $1,500 ÷ 30 = $50.00 $50.00 × 11 = $550.00
365-day year rent × 12 ÷ 365 $18,000 ÷ 365 = $49.32 $49.32 × 11 = $542.47

The spread between methods is small — here about $18 across a partial month. What matters is picking one method, writing it into the lease, and applying it the same way for every tenant.

Tips for Landlords

  • Put the method in the lease. One sentence — “Partial months are prorated at 1/30th of monthly rent per day” — prevents every future argument.
  • Collect a full first month, prorate the second. Common practice: full month + deposit at signing, prorated credit applied to month two. More money up front, same math.
  • Count the move date. The day keys are handed over is a day of occupancy, whichever direction the move goes.
  • Document the amount. Send the prorated figure in writing before move-in and issue a rent receipt when it's paid.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you calculate prorated rent?
Divide the monthly rent by the number of days in the month to get a daily rate, then multiply by the number of days the tenant actually occupies the unit. Example: $1,500 rent in a 30-day month is $50 per day; moving in on the 21st means 10 days of occupancy, so prorated rent is $500. Some landlords use a flat 30-day month or a 365-day year for the daily rate instead — the lease should say which method applies.
Are landlords required to prorate rent?
In most states, no law forces a landlord to prorate rent — it's set by the lease agreement. In practice almost all landlords prorate a mid-month move-in, because charging a full month for a partial month is a fast way to lose a good applicant. A few jurisdictions do address proration in specific situations, so check local rules. Whatever you agree on, put the prorated amount and the method used in writing.
Is prorated rent paid for the first or second month?
Both approaches are common. Many landlords collect a full first month's rent up front (with the security deposit) and apply the prorated amount to the second month — it front-loads more money before handing over keys. Others simply charge the prorated amount for the partial first month. Either is fine as long as the lease states it clearly.
Which proration method should I use — actual days, 30-day month, or 365-day year?
Actual days in the month is the most common and the easiest to defend: rent ÷ days in that month × days occupied. The 30-day "banker's month" (rent ÷ 30) keeps the daily rate the same year-round, and the 365-day method (rent × 12 ÷ 365) averages across the year. The differences are small — a few dollars either way — so pick one, write it into the lease, and apply it consistently.
Do landlords prorate rent when a tenant moves out?
Usually only when the lease or an agreed early-termination arrangement calls for it. If a tenant leaves mid-month while the lease runs to the end of the month, the full month is typically owed. But on a month-to-month tenancy where notice lands mid-period, or a negotiated early move-out, prorating the final month by days occupied is the standard fair approach.

Related reading: rent-to-income ratio calculator · free lease agreement template · move-in checklist · security deposit guide · rent collection software.

This calculator and guide are general information, not legal or financial advice. Lease terms and local law control how rent is prorated in your situation.

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