March 19, 2024

Updated Travel and Business Meal Information

The following message is from the Office of Administration and Finance:

Dear Colleagues,

The University has been notified by the Virginia Department of Accounts of changes in State travel regulations that will impact all of us. I appreciate your patience as we incorporate these mandatory revisions into our travel reimbursement procedures:

Effective for travel dates October 1, 2015 and after, the Commonwealth/University will use the rates found on the GSA federal government website. This site is for RATES ONLY and all Commonwealth/University travel regulations and procedures still apply. Per diem and lodging rates are determined based upon the zip code of the lodging facility (i.e., hotel, motel). Details and instructions are found at http://adminfinance.umw.edu/ap/travel/per-diem-and-lodging-rates/.

Effective October 1, 2015, changes in per diem are as follows:

  • The meals per diem for travel days (defined as the day you leave from your office base area and the day you return to your office base area) is paid at 75%, and here is the change: rounding up is no longer allowed.
  • The incidentals portion of the per diem is also paid at 75% on travel days.

As you’ll see from looking at the lodging and per diem rates on the above referenced website, for Fredericksburg, Stafford, Spotsylvania, and Dahlgren the lodging rate is $89 per day, and the meals and incidentals per diem is $51. The Business Meal Form has been updated with the new business meal rates for these areas, as well as, the Washington, DC area. Details regarding business meals are found at http://adminfinance.umw.edu/ap/business-meals/.

As a reminder, travel reimbursements must be submitted for reimbursement within 30 days of the last date of official business travel. Reimbursement requests submitted after 90 days must be taxed in accordance with IRS regulations.

Please contact Laura Temple (ltemple@umw.edu) or Leigh Penn (lpenn@umw.edu) with any questions.