FY2017 Per Diem Rates for Federal Travelers Released

August 12, 2016

Washington -- Today GSA released the fiscal year (FY) 2017 travel per diem rates, which will take effect on October 1, 2016. By law, GSA sets these rates for the Continental United States annually. Based on local market costs of mid-priced hotels, lodging per diem rates provide caps, or maximum amounts, that can be reimbursed to federal employees for lodging and meals while on official travel.  As an additional savings measure, GSA’s methodology includes taking five percent off of the final average daily rate in each location.  

As part of GSA’s effort to find ways to improve upon our processes and procedures, we will be forming an interagency working group to look at one aspect of our per diem process for FY2018 and beyond that will determine where per diem rates apply or where the boundary lines should be drawn. In most cases across the United States, but not all, a per diem rate applies to an entire county. In some cases, such as a metro area, it can apply to more than one county. In some locations, where individual cities are entirely separate entities from the counties that surround them, a rate can apply to the city only. More details about the working group, including dates when the public can voice comments, will be announced in the coming weeks.

“GSA looks forward to assessing all of the approximately 350 areas where we set rates higher than the standard rate to determine if those boundary lines are drawn in the best way possible to meet agencies’ missions,” stated GSA Administrator Denise Turner Roth.  

For more information on FY 2017 travel per diem rates, please visit www.gsa.gov/perdiem.

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