Solana accounts must hold a minimum lamport balance based on the amount of on-chain data they store. This balance is fully refundable when an account is closed. As a result, some token accounts can continue holding SOL even after their token balance reaches zero.
This section explains what Solana rent actually means, how rent exemption works, why token accounts hold SOL, how account balances can be recovered, and which conditions determine whether an account can be closed.
- Despite the name, Solana rent is not a recurring fee. It is a refundable balance held by an account to cover its on-chain storage requirements.
- Solana is reducing its rent parameters through a phased network upgrade, so the minimum balance required for the same account size can change over time.
- A Solana account's required minimum balance depends on the amount of data it stores and the network's current rent parameters.
- A zero token balance does not mean that the token account has zero lamports.
- An eligible token account can be closed and its remaining lamports transferred to a destination account.
- The account owner or configured close authority must authorize a token-account closure.
- Burning tokens and closing token accounts are separate actions.
- The actual reclaimable amount should be read from the account's current on-chain balance rather than assumed from a fixed estimate.
What is Solana rent?
Despite the name, Solana rent is not a recurring fee. Solana accounts must hold a minimum balance of lamports based on the amount of on-chain data they store. This balance acts as a refundable deposit for the storage occupied by the account.
When an account is closed, its remaining lamports can be returned to a destination account. This is why the SOL held for account storage should not be thought of as a fee that has already been spent.
The term rent exemption refers to the minimum balance required for an account to remain rent-exempt. The required amount depends on the account's data size and the network's current rent parameters.
Solana rent is being reduced
Solana is rolling out a phased reduction in the network parameter used to calculate rent-exempt minimum balances. As the reduction is activated, accounts of the same size require fewer lamports to remain rent-exempt.
This upgrade does not change how rent exemption works or make the storage balance non-refundable. It changes the amount of SOL that an account needs to hold.
Because the network's rent parameters can change, current rent-exempt minimums should be determined from current network data rather than assumed from a fixed historical value.
Why do token accounts hold SOL?
A Solana token account is an on-chain account that stores token information such as the mint, token amount, owner, and relevant authorities.
Because the account occupies on-chain storage, it must hold the applicable minimum lamport balance. That balance remains in the account while the account exists.
If the token balance later reaches zero, the token account may still remain on-chain with its lamports inside it.
Is Solana rent refundable?
Yes. The minimum SOL balance held for account storage is refundable when the account is closed.
When an eligible account is closed, its remaining lamports can be transferred to a destination account specified by the close instruction.
The exact rules depend on the account type, token program, account state, authority configuration, and any extensions attached to the account.
This is why a wallet-cleanup tool should inspect the actual on-chain account before presenting it as eligible for closure.
Rent exemption and token accounts
The most common wallet-cleanup use case involves empty token accounts.
Important concepts include:
- token balance;
- account lamport balance;
- token program;
- account owner;
- close authority;
- destination account;
- account size;
- Token-2022 extensions.
These details explain why some accounts can be closed while others cannot. Token-2022 accounts may require additional space and different handling because extensions can change account size or behavior.
Reclaiming SOL from eligible accounts
A typical cleanup process is:
- Identify token accounts associated with the wallet.
- Determine which accounts satisfy the relevant closure requirements.
- Review the accounts and the lamports that may be returned.
- Confirm the destination account and any applicable fees.
- Review the transaction instructions in the wallet.
- Sign the transaction.
- Wait for confirmation and verify the result.
Learn more about Solana rent
The guides in this section explain what Solana rent means, rent exemption, token-account funding, refundable and excess lamports, account closure, and the difference between reclaiming SOL, closing an account, and burning tokens.