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What is Solana Rent?

On the Solana blockchain, "rent" isn’t a recurring fee you pay but a minimum balance every account must maintain to stay active. This balance, called the rent-exempt minimum or simple rent, ensures the network can store your account’s data efficiently. Think of it as a refundable deposit you lock into an account to keep it on the blockchain—whether it’s a wallet holding SOL or a token account for assets like USDC.

Unlike traditional fees, this minimum isn’t consumed over time. If your account holds at least the rent-exempt amount, it’s exempt from any further rent-related deductions and can exist indefinitely. If you close the account, you get this deposit back.

How Much is the Rent-Exempt Minimum?​

The rent-exempt minimum depends on the size of the account (how much data it stores). Here are the most common examples:

  • Basic SOL Account: ~0.00089088 SOL (890,880 lamports)
    This applies to a simple wallet owned by the System Program with no extra data.
  • Token Account: ~0.00203928 SOL
    This covers accounts holding SPL tokens (like USDC or SRM), which store more data (165 bytes).

The amount is calculated as two years’ worth of "rent" based on a rate of 3,480 lamports per byte per year. Bigger accounts (like smart contracts) require more SOL to stay rent-exempt.

note

The "rent-exempt minimum" SOL balance on Gem Wallet is currently set to 0.001 SOL.

Why Does Solana Have Rent?​

Solana uses rent to:

  • Prevent Spam: Requiring a minimum balance discourages creating countless empty or abandoned accounts.
  • Support Validators: The deposit compensates validators for storing your account data on the network.
  • Keep Things Clean: Accounts can’t linger with tiny "dust" amounts—ensuring efficient resource use.

How Does It Affect Transactions?​

When you send SOL or tokens, you can’t leave an account with less than its rent-exempt minimum. For example:

  • Here is a Solana wallet with a balance of 0.1 SOL

Solana Balance Send Solana

You tried to send only 0.09969 SOL, you will encounter an error.

Send Some SOL Send Error due to Rent

You either leave at least 0.001 SOL or transfer everything and close the account (refunding the minimum to yourself). This "all or nothing" rule prevents leftover dust and keeps the blockchain tidy.

Can You Get the Rent Back?​

Yes! If you no longer need an account, you can close it:

  • For a SOL wallet, transfer all funds out and close it to reclaim the SOL rent.
  • For a token account, send the tokens elsewhere and close it to recover the SOL rent.

The rent-exempt minimum is fully refundable when you shut the account down properly. As shown on the example below, sending the Max amount will allow you to submit a transaction.

Send Max SOL Balance Successfully Sent SOL

tip

Solana’s rent system ensures the network runs smoothly while giving you control over your funds. For more details, check the official Solana documentation.