Lodging

_{Effective: 10/01/2009}

_{Updated: 09/21/2010 New Rates Effective 10/01/2010}

Texas State travelers may be reimbursed for lodging expenses incurred on a day that the traveler conducts University business outside of his or her designated headquarters. Travelers are expected to choose reasonably priced lodging with a single occupancy rate. Reservations should be made through one of the State Travel Management hotel contracts, unless the traveler meets one of the state contract exceptions. Travelers may opt to direct bill the hotel expenses by using the purchase order process.

Criteria

Must be a commercial lodging establishment
Must be outside of designated headquarters
Only for traveler’s own actual lodging expense
Requires an acceptable, original receipt with the name of the commercial lodging establishment, the name of the traveler, the single room rate, and daily and itemized charges
Maximum rates based on the location of the lodging establishment, not the duty point

Maximum Reimbursement Rates

Travelers will be reimbursed for actual hotel expenses not to exceed U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) rates for in-state and out-of-state travel. Specific GSA maximum lodging rates are assigned to designated primary destinations within each state. Rates may vary between GSA primary destinations and even within the same primary destination based on seasonal adjustments. For cities and counties not listed as primary destinations, the standard U.S. GSA maximum lodging reimbursement rate, or the continental United States (CONUS) rate, will be the maximum rate. U.S. GSA rates are updated annually on October 1st.

For foreign travel including Mexico and Canada, travelers will be reimbursed for actual lodging expenses not to exceed the U.S. Department of State (DOS) rates. For areas not listed, refer to the country’s “Other” per diem rate. U.S. DOS rates are updated frequently.

Account managers may apply more conservative lodging rates. Account managers must notify travelers of the department's more conservative reimbursement rates prior to departure on state business.

Excess Lodging

Travelers may be reimbursed for lodging in excess of the maximum GSA reimbursement rate with pre-approval from the appropriate cabinet officer or the cabinet officer’s authorized delegate. Excess lodging amounts are reimbursable only with local funds.

Direct Billing

For participating lodging establishments, lodging expenses may be direct billed through a purchase order to Texas State. Lodging maximum rates are still in effect.

Hotel Occupancy Taxes

Travelers are exempt from State of Texas Hotel Occupancy Taxes when traveling on official state business and must present the applicable tax exemption form to the lodging establishment at check-in. Texas Hotel Occupancy Taxes inadvertently paid by the travelers are not reimbursable.

All other required taxes (county, city, municipal, out-of-state) or fees are reimbursable.

Allowable hotel taxes and required fees are reimbursable proportionate to the lodging reimbursable room rate. For example, a traveler’s hotel expense is $100.00 for the room and $10.00 for reimbursable taxes and fees. If the traveler was only approved for $70.00 or 70% of the actual room rate, then only $7.00 in taxes and fees will be reimbursed.

Calculate percentage of reimbursable room rate $ 70.00 ÷ $ 100.00 = .70 or 70%

Calculate reimbursable amount of taxes and fees $ 10.00 x .70 = $ 7.00

Exceptions

Lodging expenses incurred the night before official business begins and the night after official business ends may be reimbursable if the expenses are incurred to qualify for discount airfare or if travel to or from duty point reasonably requires more than one day.
Cancellation charges, or “no show” fees, may be reimbursable if the charge is incurred for an official business reason, natural disaster, illness or personal emergency. A justification statement and approval by the account manager is required on the travel reimbursement form.
Shared lodging between travelers is reimbursable to one of the travelers if it does not exceed the maximum reimbursement rate. If the room rate exceeds the maximum reimbursement rate, either excess lodging approval is required for one traveler to be reimbursed, or the cost must be split between the two or more travelers and individual requests for reimbursements must be submitted. Individual receipts showing the traveler’s pro-rate share of the split costs will be required for each request for reimbursement.
- Example 1: If two travelers share a room while attending a conference and the room rate is within the allowable maximum, one traveler may pay and be reimbursed for the entire lodging expenses.
- Example 2: If two travelers share a room while attending a conference and the room rate exceeds the allowable maximum, one traveler must obtain excess lodging approval to be reimbursed for the entire lodging expense.
- Example 3: If two travelers share a room while attending a conference and the room rate exceeds the allowable maximum, the two travelers must split the cost to be reimbursed individually and be within the allowable maximum. Each traveler must provide a receipt in his or her name showing his or her pro-rate share of the split costs to be reimbursed.
Lodging expenses incurred while on foreign travel with a host or other non-commercial establishment and for which receipts are not available will require adequate justification and documentation with account manager approval.
For a faculty or staff sponsor traveling with a student group, refer to Student Group Travel Procedures for policies regarding group travel reimbursement.
Meals and Incidentals Expenses (M&IE) per diem rates may not be decreased to increase allowable lodging rates.

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