How to Find the Right GSA Per Diem Rate for a Trip

A rate search is only useful when its location and effective dates match the assignment. GSA establishes rates used by federal agencies for official travel in the continental United States (CONUS); its Per Diem Rates page explains that most CONUS destinations use the standard rate, while listed non-standard areas (NSAs) have individual rates. These federal rates are not automatically a private company's travel policy. This procedure helps a federal traveler or travel reviewer identify the relevant published CONUS entry, then confirm that the applicable agency rules use it.

Pin down the work location before searching

Write down the work address or destination locality, the dates of official travel, and the fiscal year shown for those dates. GSA's lookup accepts a city, state, or ZIP code and offers fiscal-year and travel-date selection. The page says reimbursement is based on the location of work activities, not the hotel, unless lodging is unavailable at the work activity and the agency may authorize the rate where lodging is obtained. Do not pick a rate just because a hotel or airport is in a better-known nearby city.

Search the state and the destination, then check whether the locality is listed as an NSA and what city or county boundary its entry covers. GSA's FAQ, “How do I find the per diem rate for (city/county, state)?,” says if the city is not listed, check its county; if neither is listed, the standard CONUS rate applies. The Per Diem Rates page describes some NSA entries as a key city and surrounding county. Confirm the actual boundary rather than assuming a similarly named city or ZIP code defines it.

Match the rate to the dates and rate period

Choose the fiscal year that covers the trip and enter the travel dates in the GSA lookup. Read the result's effective date range, not just the amount in a search snippet or an old saved worksheet. If the published locality has more than one date period or seasonal rate, use the row that covers each applicable date; do not extend a rate beyond its displayed period. GSA announces rates for a coming federal fiscal year and the lookup page can display more than one fiscal year, so retain the chosen fiscal year and rate period with the travel record.

Worked example: a listed county and two date periods

Suppose, hypothetically, an employee works in County North from September 29 through October 2, and the lookup shows an NSA entry of $190 lodging and $70 M&IE for dates through September 30, then $210 lodging and $74 M&IE beginning October 1. Those amounts are invented for illustration, not current rates. Verify that the work address falls within the NSA boundary, then separate the dates into the published periods and apply the agency's rules for each date. Do not apply the September figure to the whole stay merely because the trip began then.

Resolve missing or ambiguous results

If a city is missing, verify its county with a reliable locator and return to GSA's FAQ #2 and the lookup; do not select a nearby NSA by guesswork. If the county is also unlisted, the FAQ says the standard CONUS rate applies. If a workday spans localities, the boundary is unclear, or suitable lodging is unavailable at the work location, preserve the itinerary and ask the agency travel office which authorized treatment applies. Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. territories and possessions, and foreign destinations are outside the GSA CONUS rate table; GSA's page directs travelers to the Department of Defense or Department of State rate sources for those areas.

• Record work location, destination boundary, and trip dates.
• Save the GSA result, fiscal year, and any date-specific rate periods.
• Check agency policy and obtain authorization for an unresolved locality or lodging exception.
• Do not present a federal GSA rate as an automatic company reimbursement rule.