Travel Reimbursement Chart
The MSU Travel Reimbursement Chart is an accompanying document to Section 70 of the Manual of Business Procedures. Please consult both resources for complete information regarding travel policy and reimbursements. Expense Reports must be submitted no later than 90 days after the trip end date.
Transportation
| Expense Item | Reimburseable? | Additional Information | Reporting & Receipt Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ground | |||
| Rental Vehicles | Yes | Business purpose required. See Section 70 of the Manual of Business Procedures for details and restrictions. | Itemized receipt including travelers name, rental dates, rate, rental car class, and total amount paid. Provide business purpose. |
| Collision Insurance or Loss/Damage Waiver on rental cars (Domestic) | No | Car rental insurance, including Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) and Liability, are not reimbursable when renting in the United States as these are provided when using our preferred agencies. | |
| Collision Insurance or Loss/Damage Waiver on rental cars (International) | Yes | When renting outside of the U.S., it is recommended that travelers purchase liability insurance because of unique laws in foreign countries, complications in settling claims, and personal policy restrictions. | Itemized receipt including travelers name, rental dates, rate, rental car class, and total amount paid. Provide business purpose. |
| Gas for Rental Cars | Yes | When utilizing rental cars, travelers may purchase fuel service options only as long as the traveler is charged for gallons used and not for a full tank. Gas receipts providing gas for a rental car are allowed. | Itemized receipt/documentation providing amount paid. |
| Personal Car Mileage | Yes | Mileage reimbursement provided at IRS/MSU rate (70 cents/mile as of 1/1/2025) when using a personal car for business purposes. Limited to $600 per trip total (updated 4/21/2025) | Use the Mileage Calculator tool in Concur to calculate miles driven. |
| Commuting between home and work | No | ||
| Personal vehicle maintenance/repairs | No | ||
| Parking | Yes | Allowed off campus for business purposes. | Receipt/documentation providing amount paid. |
| Tolls | Yes | Receipt/documentation providing amount paid. | |
| Traffic Citations (moving violations), parking tickets, court fees and other fines | No | ||
| Taxi/bus/local ground transportation | Yes | Allowed off campus for business purposes. | Receipt/documentation providing amount paid and business purpose. |
| Tips (for taxi/ground transportation) | Yes | Amount at travelers discretion (recommendation up to 20%). Amounts over $75 in Michigan and over $150 outside of Michigan will require tax reporting information. | Document tip amount provided on receipt. For amounts over $75 in Michigan and over $150 outside of Michigan, a signed acknowledgement receipt as well as a W-9 must be provided by the driver and forwarded to Accounting. |
| Tips (for bus drivers) | Yes | Amount at travelers discretion (recommendation up to 20%). Amounts over $75 in Michigan and over $150 outside of Michigan will require tax reporting information. | Document tip amount provided on receipt. For amounts over $75 in Michigan and over $150 outside of Michigan, a signed acknowledgement receipt as well as a W-9 must be provided by the bus driver and forwarded to Accounting. |
| Transportation costs for on campus travel (includes one mile proximity) | No | On campus and ground transportation within 1 mile of main place of business is not reimbursable. For example - MSU's East Lansing campus to/from Michigan Flyer or train/bus station (Capital Area Multimodal Gateway). | |
| Air | |||
| Coach/main cabin | Yes | See Section 70 of the Manual of Business Procedures for details and restrictions. | Passenger Name, Amount Paid, Ticket or Confirmation Number, Issuing Airline or Website Provider, Class of Service, Origin and Destination, Dates of Travel, Flight Numbers, and Airline Operating the Flights (for verification of Fly America Act compliance on federally funded international flights). Required whether prepaid or purchased out of pocket. |
| Upgrades up to and including Business Class | No - with exceptions | Permitted if traveler has a medical requirement or on continuous flights of 5 hours or more. | Provide statement that medical requirement was needed approved by MAU or higher. No additional info required for flights over 5 hours. |
| First Class | No | Reimbursement limited to airfare quote, obtained at the time of booking, from Preferred Travel Agencies, via the Concur online booking tool or email from an agent. Quote will be for main cabin-coach, and for the same dates of travel (business travel only). | |
| Seating (preferred, economy exit-row seating) | No | Purchase of reserved and exit row seating is not reimbursable. Exceptions made when an airline requires travelers to pay a fee to reserve coach/economy seats. | |
| Checked luggage | Yes | Up to two checked bags. | Receipt/documentation providing amount paid. |
| Excess baggage or excess baggage weight | Yes | Business purpose for expense must be documented. | Receipt/documentation providing amount paid and business purpose required. |
| Lost baggage | No | ||
| Rail | |||
| Train | Yes | Business class permitted when lowest available airfare is not exceeded. | Passenger Name, Amount Paid, Ticket or Confirmation Number, Issuing Rail or Website Provider, Class of Service, Origin and Destination, Dates of Travel, and Train Number. Required whether prepaid or purchased out of pocket. |
Lodging
| Expense Item | Reimburseable? | Additional Information | Reporting & Receipt Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Continental United States (CONUS) | Yes | Reimbursed at cost, for reasonably priced lodging at the best available rates offered, within the contiguous 48 United States. | Itemized receipt that includes traveler's name, hotel name and address, check-in and check-out dates or dates of stay, and total paid. |
| All locations outside of the contiguous United States (OCONUS and International) | Yes | Reimbursed up to the published maximums as defined by the U.S. Department of State and Department of Defense according to dates of travel and lodging locale. Daily rate, including tax, in excess of the published maximum requires a business purpose. | Itemized receipt that includes traveler's name, hotel name and address, check-in and check-out dates or dates of stay, and total paid. Business purpose if rate is over the maximum allowed. |
| Shared Expenses | Yes | Applicable when a receipt/expense covers two or more travelers. Reimbursement may be split between the travelers or paid to one depending on who paid for the expense. | Cross referencing of the expense reports is required when there are shared expenses. |
| Mini Bar Charges | No |
Meals
| Expense Item | Reimburseable? | Additional Information | Reporting & Receipt Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal and Incidental Expense (M&IE) / Per Diem Allowance | Fixed allowance | Traveler must be in overnight status and provide lodging location. | No receipts required - do not attach. Use Per Diem Reduction expense type in Concur to reduce per diem allowance if desired. |
| Meal reimbursement when required by meeting or conference | Yes | This would be an additional charge above a conference/meeting registrations fee. Cannot be claimed in addition to a per diem/M&IE allowance claim. | Itemized receipt, business purpose, and supporting documentation such as conference or meeting agenda. |
| Hosting a business meal while in travel status | Yes | Hosting guests, donors, etc. - not for employees of MSU. See section 45 of the Manual of Business Procedures for details and restrictions. | Itemized receipt with total amount paid. Affiliation of guests hosted and business purpose of the function. |
| Alcohol | No - with exceptions | Allowed when hosting a business meal while in travel status. See section 45 of the Manual of Business Procedures for details and restrictions. | Itemized receipt with total amount paid. Affiliation of guests hosted and business purpose of the function. Cannot charge to a General Fund account and must use object code 6474. |
Miscellaneous
| Expense Item | Reimburseable? | Additional Information | Reporting & Receipt Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Additional Insurance (not provided by MSU) | No | Examples include travel protection and cancellation plans. | |
| Business calls | Yes | Typically part of a lodging bill or additional charges for international business calls on a cell phone plan - should be reasonable in frequency and duration. | Receipt/documentation providing amount paid. |
| Business office expense (postage, copy services, etc.) | Yes | Applicable only as the expense pertains to the travel business purpose. | Receipt/documentation providing amount paid. |
| Childcare costs | No | Additional travel costs for children and child care providers, as well as costs associated with the shipment of breast milk are non reimbursable. | |
| Clothing or toiletry items | No | ||
| Conference registration | Yes | Use Pcard or Travel Card if possible. May be paid via DV if venue will accept a check or wire. If paid out of pocket, may not be reimbursed until travel has occurred. | Receipt/documentation providing amount paid. |
| Currency Conversion Fees | Yes - with exceptions | Yes, only if using expense from credit card/receipt where in home currency and conversion fees were charged. No if using the conversion tool in Concur as it includes a conversion fee factor. | Itemized credit card statement showing the fees charged. |
| Expenses related to vacation or personal days taken before, during or after a business trip | No | ||
| Haircuts and personal grooming | No | ||
| Inoculation costs | Yes | Reimbursement after travel has occurred related to approved MSU business travel only. | Receipt/documentation providing amount paid. |
| Laundry and dry cleaning expenses | No | ||
| Loss or theft of cash advance money or airline tickets | No | ||
| Loss or theft of personal funds or property | No | ||
| Magazines, newspapers or personal reading materials | No | ||
| Medical expenses while traveling | No | International Health Insurance — Provided by Chubb and InternationalSOS (ISOS) and managed by the MSU Office for Global Health, Safety and Security (517.884.2174 or globalsafety@msu.edu). | |
| Movies | No | ||
| No-show/Cancellation fees (flights, rail, lodging) | No - with exceptions | Travelers are encouraged to make transportation and lodging arrangements that do not have cancellation penalties. Exceptions may be made in circumstances beyond anyone's control (natural disasters, safety and weather cancellations, etc.) or circumstances that occurred due to business reasons, and bereavement. | Receipt/documentation providing amount paid. |
| Passports | Yes | Reimbursement after travel has occurred for associated application and shipping costs related to approved MSU business travel only. | Receipt/documentation providing amount paid. |
| Personal entertainment | No | ||
| Pet Care | No | ||
| Recreational expenses | No | ||
| Saunas or massages | No | ||
| Shoe shines | No | ||
| International Health Insurance | No | No Provided by Chubb and InternationalSOS (ISOS) and managed by the MSU Office for Global Health, Safety and Security (517.884.2174 or globalsafety@msu.edu). | |
| Travel Accident Insurance | No | Please refer to MSU Human Resources Life/Accident Insurance. | |
| Trusted Traveler Programs | No | ||
| Visas | Yes | Reimbursement after travel has occurred for associated application and shipping costs related to approved MSU business travel only. | Receipt/documentation providing amount paid. |