Travel on State Business
State agencies and Universities should establish their own policies, forms, and guidance for employees on travel.
Section 5 of the State Budget Manual provides guidance/state rules for payment of costs related to travel on state business.
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At the start of each biennium, OSBM sets the standard state reimbursement rate for meals and lodging—also called the subsistence or daily rate. See GS 138.6 for information on how the rate is set.
Current rates for meals and lodging are in Section 5.2 of the State Budget Manual. In addition, see Sections 5.3 and 5.4 on the manual for information on stipends for members of state boards, commissions, committees, councils, and non-state employees.
Per diem compensation is not applicable for state employees, only to members of state boards, commissions, committees, and councils who do not receive any salary from state funds for their services.
State agencies may request the ability to set agency-specific rates up to the U.S. General Service Administration’s (GSA) subsistence rates to reimburse employee lodging and meals for business travel. To qualify, the agency/university must meet travel policy requirements and submit an annual Travel Policy Attestation Form.
State agencies and universities should use the IRS standard business mileage rate for reimbursement of mileage. Agencies are advised to visit the IRS website to confirm the annual mileage reimbursement rates. The IRS usually updates the rate in January of each year.
Please see Section 5 of the State Budget Manual for information about mileage and other allowable transportation costs.
Agency heads may choose to reimburse lodging and meals expenditures at the standard state subsistence rates or request authorization to set agency-specific rates up to the U.S. General Service Administration’s (GSA) subsistence rates.
To be granted conditional authority to set agency-specific subsistence rates (not to exceed the federal GSA rates) the agency must adopt internal travel policies, publish them on the agency’s website, and submit a signed Travel Policy Attestation Form to OSBM each year by April 1. The policies shall, at a minimum, cover the topics listed in the Attestation Form.
See Section 5.2 of the State Budget Manual for more information.
Employees must submit reimbursement requests in accordance with internal agency policies and procedures. Requests should be made within 30 days after the travel period ends, per GS 138.6. Receipts/documentation are required for reimbursement of most travel expenditures.
Employees can receive travel advances when authorized by the agency head if the employee hasn't been issued a state credit card. No travel advances will be made to non-state employees. Agencies must have internal policies governing travel advances.
See Section 5.1 of the State Budget Manual for more information.