HUD HCV Guidebook § 5.5
Suspension of the Voucher (also known as tolling) (HUD HCV Guidebook)
Operative Text
Receiving PHAs must68 suspend the voucher when an incoming portability participant/applicant submits a
Request for Tenancy Approval Form. The receiving PHA may or may not have a policy to suspend the voucher
with regular moves, however, it is required during the portability process.
Voucher suspension/tolling example
Voucher issued Feb 1st
Request for Tenancy Approval submitted Feb 15th
PHA provides written denial of unit to tenant Feb 25th
Original voucher expiration date April 2nd
Total tolling/suspension (# of days between RFTA submission
+10 days
and denial of unit)
Update voucher expiration date after tolling April 12thUnder HUD Housing Choice Voucher Guidebook § 5.5, when a voucher holder moves through the portability process and submits a Request for Tenancy Approval (RFTA) to a receiving Public Housing Authority (PHA), that PHA is required to suspend—or "toll"—the voucher's expiration clock. The suspension period runs from the date the RFTA is submitted until the PHA issues a written decision on the unit, effectively adding those elapsed days back onto the voucher's expiration date. This rule ensures that time spent in the administrative review process does not unfairly consume a participant's search time.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers working with Housing Choice Voucher portability participants should be aware that under § 5.5, the receiving PHA is obligated to toll the voucher during the RFTA review period. Compliant PHAs track the exact dates of RFTA submission and written unit decisions, then recalculate and document the updated voucher expiration date accordingly. Keeping clear records of all written communications with portability participants helps support accurate tolling calculations and demonstrates adherence to this requirement.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under HUD Housing Choice Voucher Guidebook § 5.5, portability participants have a right to have their voucher's expiration clock paused while the receiving PHA is reviewing their Request for Tenancy Approval. If a unit is denied, the days spent in that review period should be added back to the voucher's original expiration date, as illustrated by the tolling example in the provision. Tenants who believe their voucher expiration was not properly adjusted may raise this as a concern with the receiving PHA directly, contact a local tenant-rights organization, or file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 26, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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