# Option symbol generator

**URL:** <https://forum.alpaca.markets/t/option-symbol-generator/18388>\
**Category:** Tutorials\
**Created:** [February 3, 2026, 2:07pm UTC](https://forum.alpaca.markets/t/option-symbol-generator/18388 "2026-02-03T14:07:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ptrader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6de8d8/32.png) [@ptrader](https://forum.alpaca.markets/u/ptrader)\
**Post date:** [February 3, 2026, 2:07pm UTC](https://forum.alpaca.markets/t/option-symbol-generator/18388/1 "2026-02-03T14:07:54Z")

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I program in C#. Do Alpaca Nuget packages (basic and/or extensions) provide an option symbol generator function? If so, can you please describe the function and its parameters. I am mostly interested in SPY at the money option symbols for monthly options.

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**Author:** ![Dan\_Whitnable\_Alpaca](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.alpaca.markets/dan_whitnable_alpaca/32/1658_2.png) [@Dan\_Whitnable\_Alpaca](https://forum.alpaca.markets/u/Dan_Whitnable_Alpaca)\
**Post date:** [February 3, 2026, 2:54pm UTC](https://forum.alpaca.markets/t/option-symbol-generator/18388/2 "2026-02-03T14:54:55Z")

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@ptrader Option symbols cannot exactly be “generated”. The recommended approach to get option symbols is to use the `get option contracts` end point. Documentation can be found [here](https://docs.alpaca.markets/reference/get-options-contracts). Something like this to fetch all active SPY options. You may need to page the results if there are more than 10,000.

```auto
https://paper-api.alpaca.markets/v2/options/contracts?underlying_symbols=SPY&status=active&expiration_date_lte=2030-01-01&limit=10000

```

The response is a record similar to below for each contract.

```auto
{
  "option_contracts": [
    {
      "id": "7920f71c-2c5c-4348-bdd7-950a9ac8786d",
      "symbol": "SPY260203C00500000",
      "name": "SPY Feb 03 2026 500 Call",
      "status": "active",
      "tradable": true,
      "expiration_date": "2026-02-03",
      "root_symbol": "SPY",
      "underlying_symbol": "SPY",
      "underlying_asset_id": "b28f4066-5c6d-479b-a2af-85dc1a8f16fb",
      "type": "call",
      "style": "american",
      "strike_price": "500",
      "multiplier": "100",
      "size": "100",
      "open_interest": "10",
      "open_interest_date": "2026-01-30",
      "close_price": "182.48",
      "close_price_date": "2026-01-21",
      "ppind": true
    },

```

You can then use the `expiration_date` field to filter locally for monthly options. You would then need to separately fetch the current price of the underlying equity SPY and compare that to the `strike_price` field to determine which contracts are at-the-money.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ptrader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6de8d8/32.png) [@ptrader](https://forum.alpaca.markets/u/ptrader)\
**Post date:** [February 3, 2026, 5:18pm UTC](https://forum.alpaca.markets/t/option-symbol-generator/18388/3 "2026-02-03T17:18:50Z")

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Thank you for your detailed reply!