Meals and Lodging Expense Narrative

Meals/Lodging Combined Amount

The UH cap will tell you the maximum amount you can get reimbursed for your daily meals/lodging.  See an exception below**.

Requirement for Meal Receipts

The General Service Administration (GSA) federal meal rate is used to determine if itemized receipts are required for your meals.

• If your actual daily meal amount is more than the GSA federal meal rate, you must provide itemized receipts.
• If it is equal to or less than the GSA federal meal rate, you do not need to provide meal receipts.

Note that the GSA rate varies depending on your travel destinations.  Your daily meal expense cannot exceed 200% of the GSA federal meal rate.

Requirement for Lodging Receipts

An itemized receipt is always required for your lodging expenses, regardless of the GSA federal lodging rate.

Conference Hotel**

If you used a conference hotel published by your conference and your daily meals/lodging amount exceeded the UH cap, the university may pay or reimburse the full conference hotel expenses (lowest published rate) and actual daily meal expenses up to the GSA federal meal rate.  To be qualified for this exception, you will need to upload the document published by the conference showing the lowest conference hotel rate or obtain your VP’s approval.