Travel

Receipt Requirements

Original receipts are required for all expenses submitted for reimbursement $75 or greater.  The receipt must indicate that payment was made in full.

Documentary evidence will be considered adequate if it shows the amount, date, place and essential character of the expense.

Canceled checks by itself does not prove a business expense without other evidence to show that it was for a business purpose.

NOTE:  Lodging receipts are always required regardless of amount.  Additional details on specific types of receipts are included on this page.

 Expenses Under $75:

Documentary evidence, i.e. receipt, is not required if the following apply:

• Expense, other than lodging, is less than $75.  Receipts are always required for lodging.
• Incidental expenses may be totaled in reasonable categories without receipts as long as the total is under $75, e.g., parking, telephone calls/internet connection, or taxi/shuttles.
  • Destinations must be listed for all taxi and shuttle expenses.

 Airfare:

• The passenger coupon or detailed itinerary generally provides the documentation needed for air travel purchased online or from a travel agency.
• Airfare receipts totaling $75 or more are adequate when the following items are included:  
  • Traveler's Name
  • Name of Air Carrier
  • Designator Code and Flight Number
  • Dates of Travel
  • Destination(s) or Legs of Trip
  • Fare/Class of Travel
  • Total Cost of Ticket
• If the traveler uses an internet booking tool, such as Egencia, Travelocity, Expedia, etc., be sure to print out the receipt (not the quote).  NOTE:  Some receipts printed from online booking tools do not provide all the information needed in #1 above.  In this case, the traveler should also print out the itinerary for additional information.
• Boarding passes, credit card receipts or statements may be used as "backup information" only.
• Airline ticket service fees or fees for paper tickets, if ticket is not eligible for e-ticketing, are reimbursable expenses.  Costs should be itemized on ticket.
• If the employee is traveling on a PRF Foreign Travel Grant, a copy of the ticket and any other reimbursed receipts must be attached to the reimbursement voucher along with a copy of the letter awarding the grant.

Air/Hotel Packages should be avoided unless purchased through Egencia Corporate Travel, Purdue University's preferred online booking tool.  The Internal Revenue Service requires that expenses be itemized.  Generally online tools such as Expedia, Orbitz, Priceline, etc., give one aggregate total for both air and hotel.  In addition, changes or cancellations are generally not allowable in the leisure online booking tools.

Lodging receipts:

A receipt is always required for reimbursement of lodging.

• The acceptable lodging receipt is an itemized receipt provided by a place that is in the business of providing lodging.  It should include the name and address of the establishment, the nightly single room rate, dates of occupancy, and itemized costs for telephone calls, meals and parking.
• If a staff member occupies a room with a spouse or other non-university person (double room rate), the place of lodging must note and initial the single room rate on the lodging receipt even if the single and double rates are the same.

Car Rental & Other Transportation receipts:

Car Rental fees $75 or greater may be reimbursed upon presentation of an original receipt.

• The acceptable car rental receipt is an itemized receipt provided by a place that is in the business of renting vehicles.

Registration Receipts:

Registration fees $75 or greater for attendance at professional meetings may be reimbursed upon presentation of an original receipt. 

If receipts are not provided by the conference/workshop, it is the traveler's responsibility to obtain an acceptable proof of the claim for reimbursement, i.e., proof of payment (credit card receipt) and a supporting document indicating the amount.

Receipts for Purchases:

Additional charges $75 or greater for books, publications, CDs, tapes, etc. from conferences or workshops are reimbursable on the Form 25 with an original receipt.   A statement that the items purchased becomes property of the department must appear on the travel reimbursement request.

To be reimbursed for purchases, such as, copying, presentation materials, research materials, an original receipt must be included with the Form 25 request for reimbursement.  The purchases must be directly related to the purpose of the travel.

Parking receipts:

Parking charges $75 or greater are a reimbursable expense based on the following criteria.  Parking expense must be reduced for personal day expenses.

• Use of Personal Vehicle or Rental Vehicle:
  • Parking Garage or Parking at Hotel:  Receipt required if total cost is $75 or greater.
  • Separate the parking expense from the lodging amount and claim it on the Form 25 as miscellaneous expense.
• Use of University Vehicle:
  • When a University vehicle is used the reimbursement for the parking expense is made on the Form 25 or through a Concur expense report.

 Missing/Lost Receipts

The requirements listed below must be followed if the receipt for an expense $75 or greater is lost or unobtainable,

• Lodging Expense:  
  • Lodging requires copy of statement from provider.  The Missing Receipt, Form MR25 is not allowable for lost lodging receipts.
• Airfare Expense:  
  • Airfare requires copy of documentation from provider (travel agency or online website) or background documentation which gives as much information to meet the requirements above.  For example: boarding passes, credit card receipt, copy of front and back of canceled check or bankcard statement or a combination of these documents.
• Rental Car Expense:
  • Rental car requires copy of documentation from provider.
• Other Expenses:
  • Other lost receipts for expenses $75 or greater must be documented using the Form 25MR, Certification for Missing Receipt, or a written explanation signed by traveler.

Airfare or Hotel:  Copy or verification of receipt from airline/hotel or travel agency or some combination of charge card bill plus other documentation.

If it isn't possible to get confirmation of expenditures, a statement is required.  Please attach the Form 25MR, Missing Receipt Form or typed statement to the Form 25, Request for Reimbursement.