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Accounts Payable
Travel Office

Non-overnight Meal Allowances

Overview

Texas State travelers may receive monthly meal allowances for non-overnight trips to conduct official university business outside their designated headquarters. The allowance is intended to supplement, not fully compensate, meal costs incurred.

The Internal Revenue Service considers non-overnight meals a non-essential travel cost, therefore, any reimbursement is taxed as ordinary income, processed through payroll for tax withholding.

Expand FAQ List

  • The monthly meal allowance is for travelers whose job responsibilities require frequent and routine non-overnight travel. Examples of eligible faculty and staff include, but are not limited to, admissions counselors, supervising teachers, development/gift officers, and athletics recruiters. This monthly meal allowance is intended for single day non-overnight travel as the allowance is monthly and for cumulative days. Receipt of the allowance must follow normal payroll processes.

  • Travelers may receive a monthly meal allowance for non-overnight meal expenses. The monthly maximum allowance is calculated by multiplying the applicable U.S. GSA M&IE (meals & incidental expenses) per diem for the continental United States and the estimated number of non-overnight travel days.
    Account managers may choose to apply more conservative per diem rates. Account managers must notify travelers of the department’s more conservative policies prior to the traveler’s departure on state business.
    Account managers, in determining traveler eligibility and amounts, must consider whether the allowance is a reasonable, necessary, and justifiable expense which supports the business and educational mission of the university. Account managers must also be aware of the impacts to the account’s travel budget. Award of a monthly meal allowance requires cabinet officer approval.

  • Texas State has elected not to process meal allowances from state appropriated funds due to the onerous reporting requirements of the Internal Revenue Service.