What is Overapplied Overhead?

Overapplied overhead occurs when the total amount of factory overhead costs assigned to produced units is more than was actually incurred in the period. This usually happens when a business uses a standard long-term overhead rate that is based on the average amount of factory overhead that is likely to be incurred, and the average number of units produced. In some periods, either the number of units produced will be greater than expected, or actual factory overhead costs will be lower than expected. In these situations, the use of a standard overhead rate will result in overapplied overhead.

Over the long-term, the use of a standard overhead rate should result in some months in which overhead is overapplied, and some months in which it is underapplied. On average, however, the amount of overhead applied should approximately match the actual amount of overhead incurred.

Accounting for Overapplied Overhead

When overhead has been overapplied, the proper accounting is to debit the manufacturing overhead cost pool and credit the cost of goods sold in the amount of the overapplication. Doing so results in the actual amount of overhead incurred being charged through the cost of goods sold.

Example of Overapplied Overhead

Carbonic Corporation uses an overhead application rate that resulted in $15,000 of excess overhead being charged to produced units during its March reporting period. All of the produced units were sold during the month. This will result in an excess charge of $15,000 to the cost of goods sold, if the situation is not corrected. To do so, the company’s controller debits the manufacturing overhead cost pool for $15,000, while crediting the cost of goods sold account for the same amount. The result is a cost of goods sold that incorporates only the actual overhead costs incurred during the month of March.