Reimbursement: FY 2026 Per Diem Rates Announced by GSA
Employers that don’t want to require employees to turn in receipts for business travel reimbursement can rely on per diem rates.
The General Services Administration (GSA) has issued a notice regarding its fiscal year 2026 per diem rates for business travel.
Employers can use these rates to reimburse employees for expenses incurred when traveling within the continental United States (CONUS).
Here’s what GSA said about travel occurring between October 1, 2025, and September 30, 2026.
Reimbursement for Business Travel
The standard per diem rate of $178 won’t change. That breaks down as:
- $110 per day for lodging, and
- $68 per day for meals and incidental expenses (M&IE).
Incidental expenses may include tips, for example.
Latest Per Diem Info
The standard per diem rate can be used in most locations in the CONUS. But just like with minimum wage rates, the per diem rates vary throughout the country. In certain places, higher rates can be used.
As for the upcoming year, no new non-standard areas (NSAs) will be added or removed.
That means there will be 296 NSAs for FY 2026, the GSA announced in its Federal Register notice.
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