How Section 8 HAP Is Calculated (Tenant Share vs Owner)
Published September 26, 2026
Run your numbers: Use the Section 8 calculator with your ZIP to see eligibility and estimated voucher help.
HAP (Housing Assistance Payment) is what the PHA sends the owner. Your TTP is the family contribution. This page is the same arithmetic as the optional HAP fields on the Section 8 calculator. Last reviewed 2026-09-26. It is an estimate, not an approval.
The formula (24 CFR 982.505)
Gross rent = rent to owner + utility allowance (for utilities you pay).
HAP = the greater of $0 and:
min(payment standard, gross rent) − TTP
Then we split it the way a lease letter usually does:
| Line | Meaning |
|---|---|
| HAP to owner | HAP, but not more than the contract rent |
| Utility reimbursement | Any HAP left after the owner’s rent is covered (when TTP is below the utility allowance) |
| Family rent to owner | Contract rent minus HAP to owner |
| Family share of gross rent | Gross rent minus total HAP |
If you already have a written TTP, enter it. If not, TTP is the greater of 30% of monthly adjusted income, 10% of monthly gross income, or the PHA minimum (often $50) — 24 CFR 5.628.
Payment standard vs FMR
We load HUD Fair Market Rent from your ZIP’s area and default the payment standard to 100% of FMR. A PHA may set 90–110% of that FMR without extra HUD approval (24 CFR 982.503). The result box shows that band.
We do not scrape your PHA’s schedule. If you have the written dollar amount, enter PHA payment standard. That replaces the FMR stand-in.
What this calculator can and cannot decide
Can: TTP from the federal income tests (or your entered TTP); HAP from the eCFR formula; a 40% first-lease warning; eligibility vs HUD income limits.
Cannot: Which receipts count as deductions, which bedroom size you get, rent reasonableness, inspection, or the official payment standard. Those stay with the PHA.
Bedroom size
A larger apartment does not automatically raise HAP. See how much Section 8 pays by bedroom size.
Try it
Homepage calculator → ZIP → income → monthly rent to owner → open HAP split for utilities and the written standard. Print or save the result for your PHA appointment.