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2300 In-State, Out-of-State, and Out-of-Country Travel Reimbursement for Lodging and Meals

2310 In-State Travel Reimbursement

Travel Policy June 2025

Since September 1, 2009, the U.S. General Services Administration travel rates have been used to determine the maximum meal and lodging reimbursement rates for both in-state and out-of-state travel.

The federal rates for both in-state and out-of-state travel reimbursements can be found on the General Services Administration’s (GSA’s) Per Diem Rates Look-Up page. The user simply selects a year and clicks on a state. This webpage is updated with the new rates throughout the federal fiscal year (October 1 – September 30), so travelers should check the rates for each trip.

See 2311 In-State Travel Reimbursement for Lodging and 2312 In-State Travel Reimbursement for Meals for DFPS-specific policies regarding maximum reimbursable rates for lodging and meals.

2311 In-State Travel Reimbursement for Lodging

Travel Policy June 2025

When travel occurred more than 50 miles from the traveler’s residence and headquarters addresses, DFPS reimburses lodging expenses using the lodging rates listed on the GSA Per Diem Rates page. See 2351 Fifty-Mile Limit.

The rate is determined by the address of the hotel, not the duty point.

If the city is listed, DFPS uses the rate of the city.

If the city is not listed, but the county is listed, DFPS uses the rate of the county.

For areas not listed (city or county), the maximum reimbursable rate is the current GSA in-state standard rate for all locations without specific rates.

DFPS allows state employees to claim less than the maximum meal reimbursement rate and use the amount of the reduction to increase the nightly maximum lodging reimbursement rate.

For a reimbursement rate that is more than the federal rate, the Commissioner or designee determines that local conditions necessitate a higher rate for a particular in-state location, based on one of the following criteria:

If applicable, the traveler also completes Form 4180 or Form 4181, including the qualifying criteria, and submits the form to the Commissioner or designee. The form must be approved and attached to the Travel Claim or Settlement for reimbursement.

2312 In-State Travel Reimbursement for Meals

Travel Policy June 2025

Effective September 1, 2023, DFPS increased the reimbursable amount for actual out-of-pocket meal costs to $53 per day for in-state travel associated with overnight stays.

August 31, 2023, and prior travel dates have actual out-of-pocket meal costs reimbursed up to $27 per day for the first and last day of in-state travel associated with overnight stays. Meal reimbursements for overnight stays, other than the first and last dates of in-state travel, remain at actual out-of-pocket costs, up to $36 per day.

The reimbursement of meals is not a flat claim of the maximum reimbursement rate per day. It should be a claim for true and actual out-of-pocket meal costs, not to exceed the daily DFPS reimbursement allowance.

Unused meal allowances do not carry over to another travel day. Uploading meal receipts to the Travel Claim or Advance Settlement is not required; however, receipts may be requested for audit purposes. Also, saved receipts are needed to calculate the daily reimbursement total to enter in the Travel Claim or Advance Settlement.

Meal expenses are not reimbursed if they were incurred within 50 miles of the traveler’s headquarters or residence. See 2351 Fifty-Mile Limit.

Travelers are not reimbursed for unauthorized lodging or meal expenses. See 2330 Ineligible Reimbursement for Lodging and Meals.

2320 Out-of-State Travel Reimbursement for Lodging and Meals

Travel Policy June 2025

Out-of-state travel is requested and approved through a Travel Authorization (TA) in the eTravel system. A request must be approved before the traveler’s departure.

Out-of-state travel must be preapproved by both of the following:

  • The traveler’s immediate supervisor.
  • The deputy regional director, regional director, or division director.

For travel outside of Texas but within the contiguous United States, DFPS reimburses according to the lodging rates listed on the GSA Per Diem webpage. The rate is determined by the address of the hotel, not the duty point.

If the city is listed, DFPS uses the rate of the city.

If the city is not listed, but the county is listed, DFPS uses the rate of the county. The maximum reimbursable rate is the current GSA out-of-state standard rate for all locations without specific rates.

Travelers must check the per diem rates page each time before making travel reservations, as rates change periodically.

For a reimbursement rate that is more than the federal rate, the Commissioner or designee determines that local conditions necessitate a higher rate for a particular out-of-state location, based on one of the following criteria:

For out-of-state travel, a Travel Authorization must be completed, approved, and in TA Completed or TA Review Complete status in eTravel before any travel reservations can be made. If applicable, the traveler also completes Form 4180 or Form 4181, including the qualifying criteria, and submits the form to the Commissioner or designee. The 4180 form must be approved prior to traveling and attached to the Travel Claim or Advance Settlement for reimbursement.

Out-of-state meals are reimbursed according to the amount listed on the GSA Per Diem Rates webpage. The total daily meal allowance should not exceed the Meals and Incidental Expenses (M&IE) total listed, minus the Incidental Expenses amount. Note: The Incidental Expenses amount is not a reimbursable expense.

The reimbursement of meals is not a flat claim of the maximum reimbursement rate per day. It should be a claim for true out-of-pocket meal costs, not to exceed the GSA daily reimbursement allowance. Meals are not a per diem but must be true and actual costs.

Unused meal allowances do not carry over to another travel day. Uploading meal receipts to the Travel Claim or Advance Settlement is not required; however, receipts may be requested for audit purposes. Also, saved receipts are needed to calculate the daily reimbursement total to enter in the Travel Claim or Advance Settlement.

DFPS allows state employees to claim less than the maximum meal reimbursement rate and use the amount of the reduction to increase the maximum nightly lodging reimbursement rate.

Travelers are not reimbursed for unauthorized lodging or meal expenses. See 2330 Ineligible Reimbursement for Lodging and Meals.

2321 Out-of-Country Travel Reimbursement for Lodging and Meals

Travel Policy June 2025

Out-of-country (foreign) travel must be approved prior to the traveler’s departure. The following pre-approvals are required:

  • Traveler’s immediate supervisor.
  • Deputy regional director, regional director, or division director.
  • Commissioner or designee.   

Staff must complete a Travel/Car Rental Authorization (Form 4186). For purposes of this approval process, travel to any territory of the U.S. is out-of-state travel. Out-of-country travel by any DFPS employee on state business must be for the benefit of the State of Texas.

Out-of-country travel requirements for lodging and meals should be followed. Reimbursement of travel expenses is at actual cost, considering all relevant circumstances. Receipts for meals are not required.

Travelers are not reimbursed for unauthorized lodging or meal expenses. See 2330 Ineligible Reimbursement for Lodging and Meals.

Texas Government Code §660.007(a)

2322 Washington, D.C. Travel – Reimbursement for Lodging and Meals

Travel Policy June 2025

For travel to the Washington, D.C., area (including any trips to the Reagan National, Dulles International, or Baltimore-Washington International airport), travel reimbursement must be approved 10 business days in advance of the traveler’s departure. Travel pre-approvals are required from the following:

  • The traveler’s immediate supervisor.
  • The deputy regional director, regional director, or division director.

Staff must complete the Travel Authorization (TA) process in eTravel Resources.

Per the General Appropriations Act, Article IX, Section 6.12, subsection (b), state agency personnel who travel to Washington, D.C., via Reagan National, Dulles International, or Baltimore-Washington International airport must inform the Texas Office of State-Federal Relations (OSFR) of the following:

  • The timing of the trip.
  • The purpose of the trip.
  • The name of a contact person for additional information.

Note: Under subsection (b), the term “travel” is limited to activities that involve one of the following:

  • Obtaining or spending federal funds.
  • Impacting federal policies.

When DFPS staff travel to Washington, D.C., and expect to meet with Congressional or federal agency representatives, they must do the following before committing to the travel:

Once reviewed by DFPS Government Relations, the completed form is emailed to the OSFR mailbox.

The traveler uploads the form to the Docs/Receipts tab in eTravel when submitting the Travel Claim or Advance Settlement.

For additional information regarding state-funded travel to Washington, D.C., please see the State-Funded Travel to DC page on the Governor’s website.

See 2320 Out-of-State Travel Reimbursement for Lodging and Meals.

Travelers are not reimbursed for unauthorized lodging or meal expenses (see 2330 Ineligible Reimbursement for Lodging and Meals).

2330 Ineligible Reimbursement for Lodging and Meals

Travel Policy June 2025

Travelers may not be reimbursed for unauthorized lodging or meal expenses. These include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Travel on business that does not include an overnight stay.
  • Overnight stays 50 miles or less from the authorized traveler’s headquarters and residence (both residence and headquarters must be more than 50 miles from duty point). See 2351 Fifty-Mile Limit.
  • Amounts greater than the allowable per day reimbursement.
  • Use of a noncontract lodging establishment (unless there is an exception noted).
  • Charges not related to business, such as movies, room service, personal phone calls, etc.
  • Alcoholic beverages, tips, and gratuities.
  • Failure to provide proof of lodging expenses with a zero balance.
  • Meal expenses incurred 50 miles or less from the traveler’s headquarters or residence (both residence and headquarters must be more than 50 miles from duty point).

2340 Exception for Authorized Travelers Eligible to Receive Actual Reimbursement for Lodging and Meals

Travel Policy June 2025

Actual costs of lodging and meals (up to the maximums) are allowable for the Commissioner and authorized travelers either representing or traveling with the Commissioner. Authorized travelers must receive written approval before traveling and must include a copy of that approval with the travel reimbursement claim, along with lodging receipts.

Reimbursement of actual expenses for lodging and meals is limited to twice the maximum rates for lodging and meal expenses that authorized travelers are eligible to receive when traveling within Texas, or outside of Texas and within the contiguous United States.

2350 General Lodging Requirements for Authorized Travelers

2351 Fifty-Mile Limit

Travel Policy June 2025

DFPS reimburses employees for lodging and meal expenses during overnight trips of more than 50 miles from the employee’s designated headquarters and residence. (The employee’s residence and headquarters both must be more than 50 miles from the duty point.)

The traveler must receive prior approval from executive-level management to request reimbursement for lodging or meals during an overnight trip that is 50 miles or less from the headquarters and residence, as defined in Texas Government Code, Section 660.002(7).

To request this approval, the traveler must complete Form 4150: Fifty-Mile Waiver (found on the Travel Forms webpage on the DFPS intranet) following the steps below. The traveler must upload the form with executive-level management approval to the Travel Claim. Note: Advance Travel requires prior approval, and the completed form must be uploaded to the Advance Request 14 days before the first travel date.

The following steps are required to request a waiver:

  • Program supervisor, program director, or regional director completes the waiver form and forwards it to the appropriate executive-level management (associate or deputy commissioner) for approval prior to travel.
  • Once approved, the form is sent to the Travel Claims and Services manager for review.
  • The Travel Claims and Services manager forwards the form to Travel leadership for approval.
  • Once the form is approved or denied, the Travel Claims and Services manager returns it to the program with instructions.

2352 Lodging Receipts

Travel Policy June 2025

The traveler must attach the original lodging receipt to the Travel Claim or Advance Settlement indicating a “zero balance.” The expense cannot be reimbursed without the original receipt. The following information must be included on the lodging receipt:

  • Name and address of the commercial lodging establishment.
  • Name of the traveler.
  • Single room rate.
  • Daily itemization of the lodging charges.

In eTravel, the traveler scans the original lodging receipt and uploads it to the Docs/Receipts tab of the Travel Claim or Advance Settlement. The original lodging receipt must be maintained until the audit is complete and the reimbursement is processed.

When using the contracted hotel vendor, Travel Claims and Services can assist in retrieving an itemized and paid receipt if all other attempts have failed.

When using an online booking agency, the traveler may not be reimbursed for the total expenses. Online booking agencies normally include their fee with the miscellaneous expenses and do not itemize. Online booking fees are not reimbursable.

If the receipt is lost, the authorized traveler must contact the lodging entity and request a detailed statement for that travel expense. If the authorized traveler cannot obtain a detailed statement from the lodging entity, the traveler must provide a statement on the Travel Claim or Advance Settlement that the receipt is not available and provide proof of payment.

Proof of payment includes a photo or copy of one of the following documents uploaded to the Docs/Receipts tab of the Travel Claim or Settlement:

  • A letter from the lodging establishment certifying the stay with itemized expenses.
  • A copy of the canceled check.
  • The charge card receipt.

If any of the above-mentioned items are used, they must indicate all of the following:

  • Travel dates.
  • Authorized traveler’s name.
  • Name and address of the commercial lodging establishment.
  • Itemized amounts charged for lodging (such as state tax, room rate, city tax, etc.).
  • Number of occupants in the room.

Receipts must be from commercial lodging establishments.

When lodging at a private residence, the traveler can only claim reimbursement for meals at commercial eating establishments. Lodging receipts are not required when lodging at a private residence; however, the address must be included on the Trips tab of the Travel Claim or Advance Settlement. A traveler’s comment is required stating the traveler received courtesy lodging.

In eTravel, the traveler must provide a statement in the Comments field stating that the receipt is not available. Acceptable proof of payment documents, as noted in this section, are scanned and uploaded to the Travel Claim or Advance Settlement.

2353 Shared Lodging

Travel Policy June 2025

The state reimburses each person proportionately when two or more state employees share the room. Each person pays his or her share of the lodging costs, then is reimbursed for the total he or she paid. Each person must submit a Travel Claim or Advance Settlement, adding a traveler’s comment that the room was shared with another state employee, and provide the roommate’s name.

In eTravel, the traveler indicates a room was shared with another state employee and provides the name in the Comments field of the Travel Claim or Advance Settlement.

Examples:

  • Two employees share a room for one night at a cost of $90. Each can claim $45.
  • Two employees share a room for one night at a cost of $160. Each can claim $80.

Taxes must be split and claimed evenly.

The state reimburses a single room rate when the room is shared with a non-employee. The employee must indicate on the Travel Claim or Advance Settlement that the room was shared with a non-employee.

In eTravel, the traveler provides the non-employee information in the Comments field.

If the individual listed on a lodging receipt is different from the authorized traveler named on the Travel Claim or Advance Settlement, the lodging receipt is acceptable if supporting documentation includes proof that the authorized traveler paid the lodging expenses for which the authorized traveler is claiming reimbursement. The proof may be in the form of a credit card receipt, a credit card statement, a canceled check, or a receipt from the individual listed on the lodging receipt.

In eTravel, the proof that the employee paid for the lodging expense must be scanned and uploaded to the Docs/Receipts tab of the Travel Claim or Advance Settlement. The traveler must also provide an appropriate notation in the Comments field.

2354 Cancellations to Lodging Reservations

Travel Policy June 2025

Booked with the State-Contracted Hotel Reservation Vendor

If hotel reservations were booked through the state’s contracted hotel vendor, all changes or cancellations must be made through that contracted vendor. See 2660 Changes or Cancellations to Air or Hotel Reservations.

To cancel online, the traveler does the following (a confirmation email will be sent once the process has been completed):

  • Logs in to engine.com.
  • Clicks on the Trips tab.
  • Selects the booking the traveler wants to cancel.
  • Clicks Cancel Reservation.
  • Confirms the cancellation request in the pop-up window.

For same-day cancellations or cancellations that are past the cancellation deadline date, the traveler calls the Engine support team at 1-800-803-0452.

Booked by the Authorized Traveler Directly with the Hotel

If the traveler makes reservations directly with the hotel, the traveler is responsible for all changes or cancellations, which must be made in a timely manner, according to the hotel’s cancellation policy. Charges billed to the authorized traveler due to late notification or a no-show are not reimbursable unless there is a documented business-related reason.

Cancellation Charges

A state agency may pay or reimburse a state employee for a cancellation charge if any of the following are true:

  • The charge was incurred because the employee was unable to stay in the hotel because of an illness or a personal emergency.
  • The charge was incurred for a reason related to official state business.
  • Official state business could not be conducted because of a natural disaster or other natural occurrence.

Texas Government Code §660.002

2360 Combining State and Personal Business

Travel Policy June 2025

If the authorized traveler saves the state money by taking personal time and returning from a state business trip later, the traveler must indicate the savings on the Travel Claim. Both off-duty and on-duty times must be shown, with a claim only for on-duty times.

In eTravel, both times must be listed on the Trips tab in the Duties Performed field, and the savings must be recorded in the Comments field.

If the return after personal leave cost more than returning immediately after concluding business, the claim may only be for the cost of the earlier return.

Example

An authorized traveler leaves Austin at noon Tuesday to travel to Amarillo on business. The business ends Friday at 11 a.m. The traveler goes on personal leave at 11 a.m. and returns to Austin Sunday, departing at 2:35 p.m. and arriving at 5:25 p.m. The round-trip airfare with a return Friday would have cost $258. The round-trip with the return Sunday cost $229, which saved $29. The traveler states on the claim:

“Went off official duty Friday, [date] at 11 a.m. Went on official duty Sunday, [date] at 2:35 p.m. Airfare with Friday return would have cost $258. Airfare with Sunday return was $229, which saved $29.”

2370 Travel Expenses Incurred to Attend a Funeral

Travel Policy June 2025

DFPS may reimburse an employee for travel expenses incurred while attending the funeral of a state employee, a board or advisory council member, or a member of the Texas Legislature, with prior written approval from the regional or division director.

The expense is reimbursable only to the extent it could have been reimbursed if it had been incurred while conducting official state business.

The written approval must be uploaded to the Docs/Receipts tab of the Travel Claim to be reimbursed.

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