Now Retired… Rounding Rules Start
A sign in a Kwik Trip store shows the store will no longer be using pennies to give change, on Oct. 23, 2025, in Yorkville, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)
Months after the United States stopped producing 1-cent coins, several states are beginning to give guidance on rounding cash transactions, according to the Associated Press. The end of penny production last year has caused coin shortages, making it harder for businesses and consumers to make exact change.
One proposed method is rounding to the nearest nickel through a system called symmetrical rounding. Under this approach, if a cash purchase totals a price ending in one, two, six, or seven cents after tax, the amount is rounded down. For instance, $1.91 or $1.92 would be paid as $1.90. If the total ends in three, four, eight, or nine cents, the amount rounds up—so $1.98 or $1.99 would become $2.00.
A bill introduced in Congress last year and approved by the House Financial Services Committee would implement symmetrical rounding nationwide. The measure has not yet been voted on in the full House and would still need Senate approval before reaching President Trump.
Meanwhile, several states—including Arizona, Florida, Oregon, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington—have passed rounding legislation that now awaits the governor’s signature. Other states are considering similar measures. Some proposals would allow businesses to round cash payments voluntarily, while others would mandate it, though the rules differ by state.
While the change affects only small amounts, experts say rounding could add up to millions of dollars in extra costs for consumers.
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