Overnight Travel

Hotel reservations are normally made by the traveler or the department/office Administrative Assistant. Hotels/motels within New York State should be advised that the business travel is sales tax exempt and that a Tax Exemption Certificate will be provided. "State Rates" should be requested.

It is highly recommended the traveler register with the hotel and book online.  Request "State/Government Rates" when booking to reduce the need for an Over-the-Max Request form in some instances.

The traveler must obtain an itemized receipt in order to gain reimbursement.

Use caution when using third-party booking sites (ex. Expedia, Travelocity, etc.). Be sure to log into your account to retrieve an itemized invoice (as one won't initially be provided in the your emailed receipt).

Over-the-Max Request Form

The Office of the State Comptroller's Bulletin G-180 extends to Agency Chief Fiscal officers the authority to approve exceptions to standard travel rates when deemed necessary. On this campus, review for pre-approval of over-the-maximum lodging requests are performed by the Associate Director of Purchasing and Accounts Payable after approval by the traveler's supervisor. The department/office must receive final approval  PRIOR to booking the hotel room. All  requests (including justifications) must be made in writing BEFORE the trip.

When an employee is in overnight travel status, reimbursement for lodging and meal expenses can be made using one of two methods:

Method I (Unreceipted/Flat Rate)

This method provides for a flat rate allowance for meals, lodging, and incidental expenses regardless of where lodging is obtained (including lodging with relatives or friends).  No receipts are required. To be entitled to the full per diem, you must be in overnight travel status and eligible for both breakfast and dinner.

Travelers using this unreceipted method are also eligible for an additional $5.00 for breakfast on the day of departure if they leave at or before 7:00 AM. They are also eligible for an additional $12.00 for dinner on the day of return if they return at or after 7:00 PM.

Method II (Receipted/Actual)

This allows for reimbursement of actual lodging costs up to a specific amount, plus an allowance for meals. The federal domestic per diem amounts are based on the area of your work assignment and are revised annually (every October 1st). The breakdown of the meal per diem rates listed on the GSA website can be found at the SUNY Blue Travel Center Meals and Lodging website. 

• Receipts are required for lodging. 
• No receipts are required for meals.

For each day the traveler is in overnight travel status, the traveler is eligible for reimbursement for lodging, up to a maximum lodging per diem, and a per diem allowance for meals. The meal per diem is for dinner the first night and breakfast the following day.

Travelers using this method are also eligible for an additional per diem for breakfast if they leave at or before 7:00 AM on the initial day, and/or an additional dinner per diem if they return at or after 7:00 PM on the last day of travel. In these cases, breakfast and/or dinner will be reimbursed up to the maximum amount of the meal per diem allowance specified for the particular area of lodging.

The reimbursement amounts are based on rates established by the U.S. General Services Administration and are established by the county your lodging is in (which may be different than where the conference/meeting is being held).

No taxes should be paid within New York State. For travel within New York State, a Tax Exemption Certificate (ST-129) should be used. For out-of-state travel, local and state taxes will be reimbursed in addition to the per diem amount.

On occasion, travelers may be unable to find a hotel at a rate that does not exceed the maximum federal lodging per diem rate for the location of travel. If that occurs, travelers must obtain prior approval (see Over-the-Max Lodging Requests).  Whenever possible, agency sponsored conferences should be arranged at facilities honoring the federal per diem rates for meals and lodging. When meals and lodging are provided as a part of an agency sponsored conference or event, additional reimbursement is not permitted.

Per Diem Calculator

When traveling within New York State on official business, lodging charges may be exempted from State and Local Sales taxes by presenting a Tax Exemption Certificate (Form ST-129) to the lodging vendor at the time of check-in. These certificates should be acquired prior to travel since reimbursement for sales tax is not allowed by OSC when lodging is secured within NYS.

Federal lodging per diem rates are now for room rates only and do not include taxes. When traveling outside of New York State on official business, reimbursement of actual costs paid for lodging taxes may be reimbursed to the traveler as a miscellaneous expense, subject to funding availability.

Per diem rates are established by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA).  A full per diem is considered to be dinner the first day, and lodging and breakfast the following day.

Lodging & meal allowances are calculated based on location.

• Lodging
  • Use the month of stay and your lodging location (which may be different than where the conference/meeting is located).
• Meals
  • Use M&IE Total column amount
    • SUNY Cortland uses an 80/20 breakdown for dinner & breakfast
      • For example: $74 M&IE Total
        • Breakfast = $15.00 (20%)
          • Breakfast on day 1 only if traveler leaves at/before 7:00 AM.
        • Dinner = $59.00 (80%)
          • Dinner on last day only if traveler returns at/after 7:00 PM.

Note: Incidental expenses such as tips, etc., continue to be included in the per diem allowance.

Look up Per Diem Rates within the continental U.S.

• GSA only sets rates for the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia.

Look up Per Diem Rates for Alaska, Hawaii, and U.S. Territories set by the Department of Defense

Look up Per Diem Rates for foreign destinations set by the State Department

Per Diem Calculator