What is rent expense?
Rachel Davis
Updated on January 02, 2026
Rent expense is an account that lists the cost of occupying rental property during a reporting period. Under the cash basis of accounting, the amount of rent expense reported in a period is the amount of cash paid during that period.
Is rent expense an income statement?
Rent expense is the payment made to a landlord for the rental space that is used by the company. It may sometimes simply be listed in the selling & administrative section of the income statement.
Rent expense is an account that lists the cost of occupying rental property during a reporting period. This expense is one of the larger expenses reported by most organizations, after the cost of goods sold and compensation expense.
Is rent included in expenses?
(Rent that has been paid in advance is shown on the balance sheet in the current asset account Prepaid Rent.) Depending upon the use of the space, Rent Expense could appear on the income statement as part of administrative expenses or selling expenses.
Is rent expense Debit or credit?
Since cash was paid out, the asset account Cash is credited and another account needs to be debited. Because the rent payment will be used up in the current period (the month of June) it is considered to be an expense, and Rent Expense is debited.
Where does rent go on balance sheet?
Which type of account is rent?
Nominal account
Rent is a Nominal account and Bank is a real account.
What is the definition of a rent expense?
Rent expense is an account that lists the cost of occupying rental property during a reporting period.
How is rent expense reported on an income statement?
Rent expense is an account that lists the cost of occupying rental property during a reporting period. This expense is one of the larger expenses reported by most organizations, after the cost of goods sold and compensation expense. Under the cash basis of accounting, the amount of rent expense reported in a period is…
Is the cost of rent a cash or cash basis expense?
The cost of renting property of any kind is charged as a rent expense. When cash basis of accounting is used, the rent expense for an accounting period is equal to the rent paid during an accounting period.
Which is larger rental expense or cost of goods sold?
Only two expenses are usually larger than rental expense: cost of goods sold (COGS) Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) measures the “direct cost” incurred in the production of any goods or services. It includes material cost, direct and compensation (wages) expense.