Joint Travel Regulation Analysis
UNIFORMED SERVICE MEMBERS AND DOD CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES
Published by: The Per Diem, Travel, and Transportation Allowance Committee U.S. Department of Defense 4800 Mark Center Drive Suite 05E22 Alexandria, VA 22350-9000 https://www.travel.dod.mil
0203 PER DIEM ALLOWANCE AND OTHER COMPUTATION RULES
Per diem allowance rates are based on the TDY location, stopover point, or other authorized official duty points, but not on the lodging location. Ordinarily, per diem is based on a traveler’s TDY location at 2400 hours (midnight). If a traveler obtains lodging outside the area covered by the locality rate for the TDY location because of personal preference or convenience, then per diem is limited to the maximum rate prescribed for the TDY location. See current per diem rates on the DTMO website.
020301. Daily Allowances
The Government pays per diem on a daily basis, for whole days. This does not include PDS departure and return days. The calculation of per diem allowances for each travel day is based on the actual amount paid for lodging, limited to the lodging portion of the locality per diem rate, plus the applicable meal rate and incidental expense (M&IE) rate, unless otherwise stated in the JTR. The total should not exceed the applicable maximum per diem rate for the TDY location. If the U.S. Government furnishes meals and lodging at no cost to the traveler, then the total value of the meals and lodging plus the incidental expense rate is limited to the maximum locality per diem rate.
020302. Allowable Travel Time As It Affects Per Diem
The AO determines the allowable travel time by the official distance, the type of transportation authorized, and the transportation used. However, if the actual travel time is less than the allowable travel time, then the AO approves per diem only for the actual days traveled. All time that is not official travel time must be accounted for in accordance with appropriate personnel regulations.
A. POV, Government Automobile, or Rental Vehicle. When travel is authorized as advantageous by POV, Government automobile, or a rental vehicle, one day of travel is authorized for every 400 miles, per Table 2-10. See par. 050205 (Service members) and par. 053807 (civilian employees) for allowable PCS travel time. Additional travel time may be authorized or approved when the actual time exceeds the authorized time for reasons beyond a traveler’s control, for example, for Acts of God. Per diem is payable for any days of additional travel time that are authorized under such circumstances. See POV travel computation example 1 and POV travel computation example 2.
B. En Route Per Diem. A traveler’s en route per diem is limited to the lesser of the actual time used or the time allowed for the authorized mode of transportation. En route per diem is the per diem received between travel points excluding per diem while at the TDY or leave location.
C. Airplane, Train, or Bus. When a traveler receives authorization to travel by commercial air, the maximum time allowed in the CONUS and within areas OCONUS is one day. When the Government purchases commercial air, train, or bus transportation, per diem is allowed for the actual time needed to travel over the direct route including necessary delays. For travel by commercial train, the scheduled departure and arrival dates are used. A traveler who elects to travel by a transportation mode other than the one authorized is limited to the actual time used, not to exceed the allowed travel time for the mode of transportation authorized.
Note: When the authorized transportation mode is not used, the AO considers the traveler’s required check-in time, travel time from home or office to the airport, scheduled arrival time at the terminal, and travel time from the terminal to home as well as transportation costs when constructing travel. Constructing travel is calculating estimated costs based on the authorized mode of transportation to compare to the traveler’s actual costs.
020303. Lodging
A traveler on TDY must reserve lodging compliant with U.S. Fire Administration Guidelines through a Government electronic travel system or the servicing TMC (5 U.S.C. §5707a). When TDY, a DoD traveler must use the Integrated Lodging Program (ILP) facilities if available. During PCS travel, a Service member must follow the lodging requirements in par. 050601. The Government cannot direct the traveler to accept inadequate accommodations. Each Service and DoD agency must ensure that 90% or more of all official travelers in the US and non-foreign OCONUS areas use commercial lodgings that comply with the U.S. Fire Administration guidelines.
A. Booking Commercial Lodging
- A traveler is responsible for any charges in excess of the per diem rate.
2. A traveler is responsible for canceling a room reservation within the established time frame to avoid any no-show charges and must obtain a cancellation number to reverse a no-show charge.
3. If a traveler cannot book commercial lodging using the TMC (including the electronic travel system) then the traveler must book directly with the commercial lodging facility (including the hotel’s online Web site).
4. If a traveler obtains lodging through an online booking agent, reimbursement is authorized only when the traveler provides a documented itemized receipt for room costs from the hotel or online booking agent showing the following charges (CBCA 2431-TRAV, September 13, 2011):
a. Daily hotel room costs.
b. Daily hotel taxes.
c. Daily miscellaneous fees, if applicable.
Note: Only itemized charges are considered for reimbursement. Online booking receipts often break out the cost of the room, but combine taxes and fees. In such cases, only the room cost is reimbursed because the receipt does not itemize taxes and fees.
B. Booking Government Quarters and Government Lodging
1. A DoD Service member ordered to a U.S installation must use adequate and available Government quarters. When ordered to an ILP site where adequate Government quarters are not available, a DoD Service member must use other lodging available under the ILP. See JTR supplement Integrated Lodging Program (ILP).
2. A civilian employee ordered to a U.S. installation must use adequate and available Government quarters at designated ILP sites. In accordance with Section 642 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, a civilian employee, traveling for the performance of mission functions of a public shipyard of the DoD, may be temporarily exempt from the mandatory use of the ILP. See JTR supplement Integrated Lodging Program (ILP) for more information about exceptions. When ordered to an ILP installation where adequate Government quarters are not available, a civilian employee must use other lodging available under the ILP. When ordered to a U.S. installation that is not part of the ILP site a civilian employee is encouraged, but not required, to use available Government quarters. In no instance may a civilian employee be required to use inadequate lodging. For more information about the use of the ILP, see JTR supplement Integrated Lodging Program (ILP).
3. Commercial lodging that is contracted by the Government, at no cost to the traveler, is considered Government quarters. Lodging, at no expense to the traveler, may be booked without using the TMC, outside a Government electronic travel system.
Note: The electronic travel system is used as the primary source to reserve Government quarters and Government Lodging Programs. If the authorization is done outside the electronic travel system, then reservations must be made through DoD Lodging or by contacting the Government quarters facility directly. The ILP does not apply to the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), or U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) personnel.
C. Use of Government Quarters. Government quarters are available to USCG, NOAA, and USPHS personnel only if the travel order directs their use. For Government quarters policy for Service members and civilian employees, see Table 2-14.
D. Limiting Per Diem Not Permitted. Per diem reimbursement cannot be limited to the Government quarters rate if the installation to which a Service member has been assigned TDY does not have Government quarters, even if a nearby installation does have Government quarters.
E. Government Quarters Are Unavailable. Travel orders or travel vouchers must document when Government quarters are not available at the U.S. installation to which the traveler is assigned TDY. The Services have predetermined that Government quarters are considered unavailable when:
1. A TDY or delay point is somewhere other than a U.S. installation.
2. An AO determines that using Government quarters would adversely affect mission performance. This statement does not apply to:
a. A Service member attending a Service school at a Uniformed Service facility.
b. Any officer in a pay grade of O-7 through O-10 or Senior Executive Service (SES) employee who personally determines quarters availability.
3. A Service member has been assigned TDY at a medical facility as a non-medical attendant accompanying a dependent in an outpatient status.
4. TDY is at a Joint Base without a common perimeter and the Government quarters are located at a geographically separate part of the Joint Base from the duty location.
F. Required Documentation When Government Quarters Are Not Available. When Government quarters are not available, a DoD Service member is required to obtain a certificate of non-availability number provided by the Service’s lodging registration process to justify reimbursement for commercial lodging and per diem. When Government quarters are not available at an ILP site, a civilian employee is required to obtain a certificate of non-availability number provided by the Service’s lodging registration process to justify reimbursement for commercial lodging and per diem. If a travel system electronically retains documentation of Government quarters availability when Government quarters are not selected for use, then the Service member or civilian employee is exempt from the ILP requirement to obtain a certificate of non-availability number.
G. Reimbursement for Commercial Lodging, Government Quarters, Other Lodging Arrangements, and Miscellaneous Reimbursable Expenses. When a traveler procures long-term lodging, on a weekly or monthly basis, the AO computes the daily TDY lodging costs by dividing the total lodging cost for the period by the number of days the traveler is authorized the lodging portion of the locality per diem rate (see long-term TDY computation example 1). Expense items that do not accrue on a daily basis are averaged over the number of days the traveler is authorized per diem during the TDY. The AO includes the following costs in determining the long-term lodging cost:
1. Utility connection, use, and disconnection.
2. Dumping.
3. Showers.
4. Cleaning or maid fees.
5. Cable TV.
Obtain a non-availability confirmation number provided by the Service's lodging resignation.
Most commands do not authorize cleaning fees...
6. Automobile head bolt heaters, if ordinarily included in the hotel or motel rate in the area concerned.
7. Monthly local telephone use. Monthly fees does not include installation charges, unofficial long-distance calls, or monthly fees for a personally owned mobile phone when used instead of an installed phone for official communications.
8. Parking space when RV is used.
9. Appropriate and necessary furniture rental.
10. Exchange fees involved in renting time-share lodging at the TDY point, but not the annual maintenance fee.
11. Rental furniture or appliances. No reimbursement is authorized for items that are contracted or rented with the option to buy unless there is no other alternative. If an “option-to-buy” plan is used, the traveler must reimburse the Government the amount credited toward the purchase if paid as part of the travel claim settlement. If a damage-waiver fee is required as part of the cost, the traveler may be reimbursed for the fee as part of the furniture rental (CBCA 1961-TRAV, July 20, 2010). A traveler cannot be reimbursed for shipment or purchase of furniture (GSBCA 16699-TRAV, August 17, 2005).
TDY Rentals does not offer an "option-to-buy." We sell all furniture on the open market.
Note: These items do not apply to contracted TDY lodging.
Note: For dual lodging, the actual lodging cost reimbursed at the first TDY location is limited to the per diem or AEA plus lodging tax that would have been paid had the traveler remained overnight at that location. The dual-lodging claim must be supported by a receipt. Long-term dual lodging is not authorized.
020304. M&IE Portion of Per Diem
M&IE reimbursement does not require expense itemization or receipts unless an actual expense allowance (AEA) has been authorized or approved for some portion of the M&IE.
A. Meal Portion of Per Diem. The meal portion of per diem covers expenses for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, including related taxes and tips for the meals. Meal rates change depending on who the traveler is (Service member or civilian employee), the location, and the number and types of meals available. After travel is completed, meal rates can be reduced only if the traveler received a deductible meal (see Table 2-18). When a traveler stays with friends or relatives, he or she is authorized the TDY location M&IE rate if otherwise eligible.