What Coasties Need to Know About JTR-Compliant Lodging

(A survival guide for operating environment, equipment, and per diem peace of mind)

You’re heading into an operation—boats, ops, early briefs, late stand-downs, and a gear footprint that doesn’t fit neatly into “two beds and a coffee maker.” Let’s kill the stress before you even get your orders:

• No, the JTR does not prohibit you from staying in a house, apartment, or other rental.
• Yes, you can use your lodging portion of per diem to do it—if it’s structured correctly.
• And yes, TDY Rentals focuses on compliance + documentation, so your voucher doesn’t get stuck in the “returned for corrections” abyss.

Myth: “The JTR says you have to stay in a hotel.”

This myth survives because people blur three different things together:

1. What the JTR actually authorizes
2. What your orders / Approving Official (AO) directs for a specific mission
3. DoD “directed lodging” rules on certain installations (the “certificate” story)

Let’s handle #1 first…

Coast Guard policy is clear: rentals count as lodging. The Coast Guard Supplement to the Joint Travel Regulations specifically states:

“An apartment, house, or recreational vehicle leased or rented in connection with official TDY qualifies as lodging.”

(COMDTINST M4600.17B, p.2-5)

The JTR backs up the concept in the fine print: a single-family home or apartment is treated as long-term lodging
(JTR p.2-34, 2-37),
and the AO computes the daily lodging cost by averaging the periodic cost over the days you’re authorized lodging per diem.

Translation: a house/apartment isn’t “off-limits.” It’s just lodging—with rules.

“Stay on base” + “the certificate” (what you’re actually remembering)

You’re not imagining it—lots of military folks have lived under a rule that feels like:

“Stay on base. If there’s no room, get a certificate. Then you can stay off base.”

This concept is tied to directed lodging / Government quarters and, in DoD travel world, the Integrated Lodging Program (ILP). DTMO describes ILP as a system that routes travelers to government/DoD preferred lodging first, and if DoD lodging isn’t available, DTS generates a Certificate of Non-Availability (CNA) number
(Defense Travel Management Office).

The Coast Guard-specific twist? ILP doesn’t apply.

The JTR explicitly states: “The ILP does not apply to the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG)…” and it also says Government quarters are available to USCG personnel only if the travel order directs their use
(JTR p.2-31).

However, government quarters can still matter (depending on orders).

If you’re sent TDY to a U.S. installation and quarters are adequate and available, the JTR says a Service member is required to use government quarters. And if adequate quarters are available but you choose other lodging, reimbursement can be limited to the government quarters cost. Despite this stipulation, Coasties are often sent on missions to coastal and riverine environments without on-base berthing options; therefore in practice, many members will be lodging near an operational waterway, but in a private or commercial rental instead of government housing. Thus, the correct take should be: sometimes you must use government quarters when they’re available and directed, and your orders + AO authorization drive what’s required and what’s reimbursable, but hotel-only is still a myth—because the regs clearly allow apartments/houses/RVs when you do it right.

“Can I really use per diem for a house?”

Yes—because per diem is calculated using the actual lodging cost paid, limited to the lodging portion of the locality rate (unless something like AEA is authorized).

The JTR also lays out how long-term lodging is calculated (divide the weekly/monthly cost over the authorized lodging days) as stated above.

“What about sharing a house? Is that allowed?”

Yes…as long as the paperwork is in line. The JTR states:

“For multiple lessees, the long-term (not daily) lodging cost is split equally among the lessees…”

(JTR p.2-34)

This is one of the biggest reasons vouchers get delayed: people pick the right lodging but the receipts fail to accurately reflect it. Choosing a furnished apartment/house doesn’t break the rules. The usual oversights are things like bundling non-allowables into the lodging cost (groceries, etc.).

In sum, here’s a quick checklist before your orders drop. If you remember nothing else, remember this:

• Hotel-only is a myth. Rentals qualify as lodging for TDY.
• ILP doesn’t apply to USCG, but your orders can still direct quarters.
• If quarters are directed/available and you ignore it, reimbursement can be limited.
• Team houses are viable, but costs must be split correctly (especially for long-term leases).

How does TDY Rentals fit your peace of mind?

Your lodging plan shouldn’t be another tactical problem set.

You don’t have to stay in a hotel. You do have to stay compliant.

TDY Rentals takes the guesswork out of the process. We build our services around mission-ready lodging + JTR/Coast Guard-compliant documentation so your reimbursement is as frictionless as your ops tempo will allow.

Check out our long-term TDY page and get started today!