Expenses & Reimbursements

The following legible receipts are required for reimbursement. We encourage you to make a digital copy for backup.

• Airline receipts must show name and payment. Travel itineraries only are not accepted.
• Airline checked baggage fees. A receipt for the baggage charge and an explanation of the business purpose of additional bags are required for reimbursements. For overweight bags, an additional explanation is required of the business purpose of the weight overage.
• Rental car receipts. 
  • There are five approved vendors offered for business travel related car rentals, and they can be direct billed to UT.
  • You can pay for a rental booked with contracted vendors with a personal credit card and submit the receipt for reimbursement.
  • If you must rent with a non-contracted vendor, you are required to purchase the offered collision and liability insurance. You must also obtain an exception from Travel Management Services prior to submitting for reimbursement.
• Gasoline receipts for rental car. 
  • You may claim mileage or gas (with receipts) when using your personal car, but not both.
• Bus, taxi, train receipts (for travel between cities) must show locations on the receipt.
• Lodging receipts. 
  • A detailed rental folio with the lodging's name and your name is required and the receipt must show itemized cost (room rate, taxed, etc.) and payment.
  • Reimbursement for additional guests (e.g., family, spouse) may not be reimbursed fully. You must provide a printed or screenshot of a comparable reservation for one person similar to your planned reservation with your request for reimbursement.
• Meals receipts. 
  • Tips will not be reimbursed on state accounts, generally 14 and 20 accounts. Check the account type.
  • Up to 20% tip on the subtotal is allowable on local accounts, generally a 30 account
  • Itemized meal receipts when rules allow exceptions to the limit.
• Registration fees if paid by the traveler. Receipts must show the name and amount paid.
• Miscellaneous expenses. 
  • Personal items purchased during the business trip will not be reimbursed.

Receipts are not required within a city for all other transportation, but the expenses must be itemized by date, locale, type, point-to-point, and amount. Receipts for parking expenses are not required. All receipts must reflect payment and a zero balance due.

Allowable expenses and limits vary according to the source of funds and destination (in-state, out-of-state, or foreign. Reimbursements are based on account type and whether the account follows state, federal, or local UT rules. Therefore, food and lodging rates will vary based on the maximum allowable reimbursement, UT accounting policy, and departmental rules—payment rates lower than the maximum allowable rate.

To confirm the allowable reimbursement rate for lodging and meals, please consult travel@astro.as.utexas.edu.

For a general idea of per diem rates, see U.S. General Services Administration and meal and incidental breakdowns.

Please use only one conversion rate for each type of currency. We prefer http://www.oanda.com/.

Present a Texas Hotel Occupancy Tax Exemption Certificate and Texas Sales Tax Exemption Certificate to the hotel when you check in or you must pay tax yourself.

In- or out-of-state at any hotel, ask for the State Government Rate, if available, for considerable savings.