How much cash to keep in a register: the starting float
We found no federal rule or official figure for how much cash a register should start with; the right float is the smallest amount that lets a cashier make change for every cash sale until the next cash drop or change run. Pick one fixed amount, build it from small bills and coin rolls, and write it into your cash policy so every count starts from the same number.
Why the float must be a fixed number
Every drawer check uses the same formula: expected cash = float + cash sales − paid-outs. If the float is $150 on Monday and "about $180" on Tuesday, Tuesday's over/short is a guess. A fixed float, counted at open and pulled back out at close, keeps the math in cash drawer over/short exact.
A sample $150 float
| Denomination | Quantity | Value |
|---|---|---|
| $10 bills | 3 | $30.00 |
| $5 bills | 10 | $50.00 |
| $1 bills | 40 | $40.00 |
| Quarters | 2 rolls (80 coins) | $20.00 |
| Dimes | 1 roll (50 coins) | $5.00 |
| Nickels | 2 rolls (80 coins) | $4.00 |
| Pennies | 2 rolls (100 coins) | $1.00 |
| Total | $150.00 |
Check: 30 + 50 + 40 + 20 + 5 + 4 + 1 = $150.00. Roll sizes (40 quarters, 50 dimes, 40 nickels, 50 pennies) are from the US Mint glossary. The float holds no $20s or $50s because those are the bills customers hand over; the drawer fills with them during the day.
How to size the float from your own sales
- Work out one change-heavy sale. A customer pays $12.45 with a $20 and gets $7.55: one $5, two $1s, two quarters and one nickel (5 + 2 + 0.50 + 0.05 = $7.55).
- Multiply by the cash customers before the first big-bill payment. Ten of those sales in a row need 10 × $5, 20 × $1, 20 quarters and 10 nickels. The $150 float above covers that with 10 $5s, 40 $1s, 80 quarters and 80 nickels; the eleventh such customer gets their $5 as five $1s.
- Keep a "ran out of" log for two weeks. Each time a cashier runs short of a denomination, they write the time and the denomination. Add to that denomination; remove what never runs low.
- Set a drop limit. When the large bills in the drawer pass an amount you choose (for example $200 in $20s and up), the manager drops them to the safe and records the drop. The float stays fixed; only the excess moves.
Float record template
| Location | Register | Float | Breakdown | Drop limit | Approved by | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main St | 1 | $150.00 | 3×$10, 10×$5, 40×$1, coin $30 | $200 in $20+ | ||
| Main St | 2 |
With several stores, use the same float at every register of the same type unless the change log shows one location needs more; different floats per store make cross-store variance comparisons harder to read.
Pennies and five-cent rounding
The US Treasury's Penny Production Cessation FAQ (December 23, 2025) says businesses may round the final amount of a cash transaction to the nearest five-cent increment when penny change is not available, describes this as non-binding guidance, and notes that states may approach it differently. Pennies remain legal tender, so customers can still pay with them. If you round, the float needs fewer pennies; if you keep exact-cent change, keep at least a roll.
This is general information, not legal advice. Check your state labor department and state consumer rules for current requirements.
Opening and closing the float
- Count the float at open before the first sale, with the opener initialing the count (see the store opening checklist).
- At close, count the drawer, then pull the float back out in the breakdown above, recount it, and bag it separately from the deposit (see how to count a cash drawer).
- Store the float in the safe overnight, not in the register.
Assistlify records cash-drawer counts per location, so each register's float and closing count are on the same page as the store's other locations.
Questions
How much money should be in a cash register at the start of the day?
We found no federal rule that sets a number. Use the smallest fixed amount that covers change until the first cash drop; the sample here is $150 in $10s, $5s, $1s and coin rolls.
Should a register float include $20 bills?
The sample float leaves them out because customers pay with $20s and the drawer fills with them; add them only if your change log shows you run out.
Is the starting float counted as sales?
No. Subtract it: deposit = counted cash − float, and expected cash = float + cash sales − paid-outs.
Do I have to give pennies in change?
Treasury's December 2025 FAQ says businesses may round cash totals to the nearest five cents when penny change is not available, as non-binding guidance; state rules may differ.
Sources
- US Mint Kids: Coin Glossary (entry: roll) (checked 2026-11-12)
- US Treasury: Penny Production Cessation FAQs (December 23, 2025) (checked 2026-11-12)