What are expenses?

Any item being reimbursed or paid from travel/training dollars is an expense and must be approved prior to incurring.


Reimbursable Expenses

Meal and Incidental Expenses (M&IE):

Meals are reimbursed at a flat rate, according to GSA (link is external) or U.S. Department of State (link is external).


What are incidentals:

The Federal Travel Regulation Chapter 300, Part  300-3,under Per Diem Allowance, describes incidental expenses as: Fees  and tips given to porters, baggage carriers, hotel staff, and staff on ships.


Miscellaneous Expenses:

  • Registration fees.
  • Visa fees.
  • Bank transaction fees.
  • Bag fees.
  • Parking fees.
  • Toll fees.
  • Vaccination costs.


Misc. Hotel Expenses:

  • Phone charges (Business use only).

Acceptable Receipts/ Payment Documentation

Airfare/Train Expenses:

  • Airfare Documentation: Booking invoice or E-Ticket Itinerary receipt listing all necessary charges, flight information, and payment confirmation.  Please attach boarding passes to booking invoice when submitting TER.
  • Train Documentation: E ticket /receipt displaying the date and time of travel, destinations traveled, confirmation of payment, along with attached boarding passes.


Taxi/Shuttle/Metro Expenses:

  • Taxi Receipts: Receipt displaying the date of transaction and fare amount paid.  If possible, please have cab driver include destination and tip amount on receipt or make note of it on daily travel form.
  • Metro/Subway Receipts: Receipt displaying the name of company, transaction date and fare amount paid, along with confirmation of payment.  A bank statement displaying the date, purchase description, and total amount will suffice if no receipt was issued.
  • Rental Car Documentation: Rental contract attached with receipt displaying the total amount charged for entire rental period along with payment confirmation.  Documentation for rental approval must be attached as well.


Lodging Expenses:

  • Itemized hotel folio listing daily room charges and fees, along with any other necessary expenses that were added to grand total.
  • Hotel folio must show confirmation of payment along with a ZERO balance listed on the date of departure.


Miscellaneous Expenses:

  • Transaction Fees: A valid bank statement is deemed suitable as long as the date, description, and fee amount is indicated (underlined, circled, or highlighted) on statement. 
  • Registration Fees:  Valid document/E-receipt that includes the name and date of event, event description, and confirmation of payment.
  • Misc. Hotel Fees (Internet, Printing/Faxing, etc.): Should be listed on hotel folio under the given date these services were rendered.  Otherwise, a bank statement with expense indicated (underlined or circled) will suffice.
  • For all other necessary misc. expenses, an original itemized receipt will suffice.


Non-Reimbursable Expenses

Unacceptable Receipts/Payment Documentation

Airfare/Train Expenses:

  • Flight/train itinerary that does not include a confirmation of payment.
  • Flight/train quote or estimate.
  • Trip insurance (if ticket purchased through Concur, there will be a credit).


Taxi/Shuttle/Metro Expenses:

  • A receipt that does not display the date, fare amount, and/or indication of a taxi/shuttle/metro company.


Lodging Expenses:

  • Non itemized receipt/folio displaying only the final total of all nights stayed.
  • Any documentation other than a hotel issued folio will not be accepted for reimbursement.  
  • Hotel quote or estimate.


Miscellaneous Expenses:

  • Non-itemized receipts showing no indication of what was purchased.  For foreign travel receipts, you must provide a description on daily travel form for receipts displayed in a foreign language.


Unacceptable Purchases

Airfare/Train Expenses:

  • 1st class /business class upgrades.
  • Entertainment services (television service, headphone rental, WIFI usage [for personal use]).


Taxi/Shuttle/Driving Expenses:

  • Parking tickets.
  • Driving violations/citations.
  • Rental car upgrade.
  • Limousine service.


Hotel Expenses:

  • Hotel tours.
  • Spa/massage services.
  • Non-food related gift store purchases.


Miscellaneous Expenses:

  • Store purchases that are non-food related such as medicine, deodorant, laundry detergent, magazines, etc.
  • Umbrellas.
  • Clothing items.
  • Gifts, souvenirs, personal entertainment services.
  • Expenses incurred on personal days.