FAQ: GSA CONUS Per Diem Calculator
What is the CONUS Per Diem Calculator?
The calculator helps federal travelers and contractors determine lodging and Meals & Incidental Expenses (M&IE) rates for official travel within CONUS. It applies current GSA rules—including the 75% first/last day rule—to keep plans and reimbursements compliant.
How do I use the calculator?
- Select your trip type: single-day or multi-day.
- Choose your State, then type to search and pick the City/County. If no city is listed, the Standard rate applies for that state.
- Pick your dates. The tool applies seasonal rates and the 75% first/last day rule automatically.
- Add segments if your itinerary includes multiple destinations.
- Review the per-day table and totals; use Export to CSV to save or share.
What do the result columns mean?
- Lodging cap: Maximum reimbursable lodging for that night (receipts required). Note: no lodging is paid on the final day of a segment.
- M&IE (full): Full meals & incidental expenses rate for the location.
- M&IE payable: M&IE after rules, typically 75% on the first and last travel day of a segment.
- Meals / Incidentals: Split of M&IE; incidentals are fixed at $5/day (scaled to $3.75 when the 75% rule applies).
Where do these rates come from?
GSA sets CONUS per diem rates annually using Average Daily Rate (ADR) data from fire-safe lodging. Roughly 300 Non-Standard Areas (NSAs) have higher rates due to local market costs; everywhere else receives the Standard rate.
Does the calculator handle seasonal rates automatically?
Yes. Seasonal rate windows are applied based on your selected travel dates for each segment.
What if my city or county isn’t listed?
The tool falls back to the Standard Rate for that state:
- Lodging: $110
- M&IE: $68 (higher tiers apply only in designated NSAs)
Do I need receipts for M&IE?
No. M&IE does not require itemized receipts. Lodging always requires an actual receipt for reimbursement.
Who sets domestic and foreign per diem rates?
- GSA: Domestic CONUS rates.
- U.S. Department of State: Foreign per diem rates.
- DoD: Non-foreign areas (e.g., Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. territories).
Can per diem rates be reviewed or adjusted?
Yes. Agencies can submit formal requests (e.g., via eAllowances) with documentation. Special circumstances are reviewed by panels such as MAP (Military) and CAP (Civilian).
How does this connect to expense reporting in DATABASICS?
Turn compliant per diem lookups into one-click, policy-enforced expense reports with:
- Built-in projects, grants, and cost centers
- Automatic GSA rule application (incl. 75% first/last day)
- Multi-level approvals and policy checks
- Audit-ready exports
- Integrations with NetSuite, Intacct, and Dynamics
Is this tax or HR advice?
No. This is general information. Always confirm your internal policy and any CBA rules.