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Travel Reimbursements

General Information


Exempt, excluded, and represented state employees may be eligible for the reimbursement of authorized out-of-pocket expenses that are reasonably, actually, and necessarily incurred as a result of conducting state business. In accordance with current state policy, employees may be eligible to receive reimbursement for expenses such as:

  • Method of travel (transportation)
  • Meals and incidentals
  • Short-term lodging
  • Out-of-state travel
  • Out-of-country travel
  • Personal vehicle mileage 
  • Other actual and necessary business and/or travel costs incurred while conducting official state business

HR Manual sections 2201 – Travel and Relocation Policy, 2202 – Mileage Reimbursement, and 2203 – Allowances and Travel Reimbursements provide additional information about travel reimbursements, including links to authorities and resources.

Meal and Incidental Rates

The following reimbursement rates for meals and incidentals are maximums, not allowances.  In the event of an audit, employees must be able to produce receipts substantiating the amount claimed.

HR Manual section 2203 – Allowances and Travel Reimbursements provides additional information, including travel timeframes (fractional day of travel, trip of less than 24 hours, trip of more than 24 hours, etc.).

Meal and Incidental Rates
​ Expense ​ Reimbursement for Actual Expense
​ Breakfast ​ Up to $7.00
​ Lunch ​ Up to $11.00
​ Dinner ​ Up to $23.00
​ Incidentals ​ Up to $5.00

Personal Vehicle Mileage Reimbursement Rates

HR Manual section 2202 – Mileage Reimbursement provides additional information, including the following policies: personal vehicle mileage reimbursement, private aircraft mileage reimbursement, and receipts.

Employees must have advance approval to drive a personal vehicle on state business. 

  • Effective dates for represented employees may be found in the applicable  MOU. 

  • Claims for travel prior to a new rate's effective date shall receive the prior rate.

  • For historical mileage reimbursement rates, please review the State Controller's Office's Payroll Procedures Manual, Section N.

2022 Personal Vehicle Mileage Reimbursement Rates

​​​​​Type

​Reimbursement Rate per Mile (January 2022 – June 2022)​Reimbursement Rate per Mile     (July 2022 - December 2022)​​
​Personal Vehicle (approved business/travel expense)​
​$0.585
​$0.625​​
​Personal Vehicle (state-approved relocation)​
​$0.18
​$0.22
​Private Aircraft (per statute mile)*
*​$​​1.515 ​

*$​1.81​

*Unless otherwise stated in the applicable MOU, the personal aircraft mileage reimbursement rate is the applicable “Private Aircraft” rate provided in this chart​.​


2023 Personal Vehicle Mileage Reimbursement Rates

Type
​​
​Reimbursement Rate per Mile
​Personal Vehicle (approved business/travel expense)
​$0.655
​Personal Vehicle (state-approved relocation)
​$0.22
​Private Aircraft (per statute mile)*
*$1.74

*Unless otherwise stated in the applicable MOU, the personal aircraft mileage reimbursement rate is the applicable “Private Aircraft” rate provided in this chart​.​

Mileage reimbursement covers:

  • Gasoline
  • The cost of maintenance (oil, lube, routine maintenance)
  • Insurance (liability, damage, comprehensive and collision coverage)
  • Licensing and registration
  • Depreciation and all other costs associated with operation of the vehicle ​

Short-Term Lodging Reimbursement Rates

​HR Manual sections 2201 – Travel and Relocation Policy and 2203 – Allowances and Travel Reimbursements provide additional travel policy information, including lodging reimbursement policy and the excess lodging request approval process.

  • Employees who incur approved overnight lodging expenses may be reimbursed.
  • Employees must stay at a commercial lodging establishment catering to short-term travelers, such as a hotel, motel, bed and breakfast, public campground, etc.
  • Employees must provide a receipt to claim reimbursement; no reimbursement will be paid without a receipt.  

  • Should the base room rate exceed the rates noted below, an  Excess Lodging Rate Approval Request (STD 255C) must be submitted and approved by your department and/or CalHR before the trip takes place.

Maximum Lodging Reimbursement Rates per Night

Maximum Lodging Reimbursement Rates per Night
​ CBID ​ All counties except those listed ​ Sacramento, Napa, Riverside ​ Marin ​ Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura & Edwards AFB, excluding the City of Santa Monica ​ San Diego, Monterey ​ Alameda, San Mateo, Santa Clara ​ City of Santa Monica ​ San Francisco
​ SEIU 
(BUs 1, 3, 4, 11, 14, 15, 17, 20, and 21) 		​ $90 ​ $95 ​ $110 ​ $120 ​ $125 ​ $140 ​ $150 ​ $250
​ CASE (BU 2) ​ $90 ​ $95 ​ $110 ​ $120 ​ $125 ​ $140 ​ $150 ​ $250
​ CAHP (BU 5) ​ $90 ​ $95 ​​ $110 ​ $120 ​ $125 ​​ $140 ​​ $150 ​ $250
​ CCPOA (BU 6) ​​ $90 ​ $95 ​​​ $110 ​​ $120 ​​ $125 ​ $140 ​ $150 ​​ $250
​ CSLEA (BU 7) ​​ $90 ​ $95 ​​​ $110 ​​ $120 ​​ $125 ​ $140 ​ $150 ​​ $250
​ CalFIRE Local 2881 (BU 8) ​​ $90 ​ $95 ​​​ $110 ​​ $120 ​​ $125 ​ $140 ​ $150 ​​ $250
​ PECG (BU 9) ​​ $90 ​ $95 ​​​ $110 ​​ $120 ​​ $125 ​ $140 ​ $150 ​​ $250
​ CAPS (BU 10) ​​ $90 ​ $95 ​​​ $110 ​​ $120 ​​ $125 ​ $140 ​ $150 ​​ $250
​ IUOE (BU 12 ​​ $90 ​ $95 ​​​ $110 ​​ $120 ​​ $125 ​ $140 ​ $150 ​​ $250
​ IUOE (BU 13 ​​ $90 ​ $95 ​​​ $110 ​​ $120 ​​ $125 ​ $140 ​ $150 ​​ $250
​ UAPD (BU 16) ​​ $90 ​ $95 ​​ $110 ​​​ $120 ​​ $125 ​ $140 ​ $150 ​​ $250
​ CAPT (BU 18) ​​ $90 ​ $95 ​​​ $110 ​​ $120 ​​ $125 ​ $140 ​ $150 ​​ $250
​ AFSCME (BU 19) ​​ $90 ​ $95 ​​​ $110 ​​ $120 ​​ $125 ​ $140 ​ $150 ​​ $250
​ Excluded ​​ $90 ​ $95 ​​​ $110 ​​ $120 ​​ $125 ​ $140 ​ $150 ​​ $250

 

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  Updated: 1/23/2023
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