Lodging

Lodging expenses are reimbursable if the business trip is overnight or long enough that the traveler needs to stop for sleep or rest to properly perform their business duties.

Lodging expense is reimbursed upon presentation of an original receipt from a commercial lodging establishment.  A lodging receipt is always required. The receipt must show the name and address of the place of lodging and dates of occupancy.  If booking through an online tool, be sure to print out the paid receipt, not just the quote.

A person may not claim reimbursement for lodging when the lodging was provided by a person who is not in the business of providing lodging.

Staff members in official travel status shall be allowed reimbursement for actual lodging charges not to exceed the single person occupancy rate, sales tax and an instrument charge for a telephone when it is listed separately on the receipt.  

Extra charges such as tips, room service, movies, personal phone calls, laundry services, late checkout fees, meals or miscellaneous charges are not included in the lodging expense.

Lodging During Foreign Travel

Lodging during foreign travel will be reimbursed at actual not to exceed the federal foreign travel reimbursement rates.  A receipt must be furnished. Regardless of source of funds, the cost of the lodging must be converted to US dollars with the calculation shown on the receipt.

These reimbursement rates are furnished by the U. S. Department of State and are published in "Maximum Travel Per Diem Allowances for Foreign Areas Section 925, A Supplement to the Standardized Regulations". 

For travel in foreign areas involving special or unusual circumstances, the reimbursement of actual and necessary itemized per diem expenses shall not exceed 300% of the applicable maximum foreign travel per diem allowance.

Booking Hotels in Expedia Corporate Travel (ECT)

See guidelines (Prepaid Expenses) for booking hotels in Egencia Corporate Travel (ECT).

If trip is exclusively for university business, lodging for both domestic and foreign destinations may be booked in Egencia Corporate Travel (ECT).  If any personal travel is to be combined with business travel, lodging may not be booked using ECT.

Additional fees charged for late checkout are not reimbursable.  Normally lodging establishments have facilities to store luggage at no additional cost after checkout. 

Actual lodging costs at the single room rate will be reimbursed. However, to minimize costs, staff members must use the most economical lodging suitable to the circumstances of travel. Room rates requested for reimbursement will be reviewed and those thought to be excessive will require justification.

Sharing Rooms

Faculty/staff members may be reimbursed when paying for expenses on behalf of other employees, IF  

• Both employees are conducting official business for the University, and
• The employee bearing the ORIGINAL receipt claims reimbursement, and
• The accounts are distributed on the reimbursement claim, Form 25, (in the case of multiple accounts, and
• Claim forms submitted together and cross-referenced with an explanation of which traveler incurred the expense.

If the staff member occupies a room with a spouse or other non university person (double room rate), it is the traveler's responsibility to have the place of lodging note and initial the single room rate on the lodging receipt, even if the single and double room rates are the same. If this is not done, Disbursements will determine the single room rate from various travel publications or from the local travel agencies and will reduce the reimbursement request accordingly.

Click here for hotel and motel discount programs for Purdue and Big 10 universities.

Campgrounds

Commercial receipts for campgrounds will be reimbursed as lodging receipts.