1. A. General Lodging Information
2. 1. Lodging rates for the 48 contiguous states are based on the GSA lodging rates for the applicable location. The GSA lodging rates can be found at https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates.

3. 2. ALASKA, Hawaii, and U.S. Territories shall follow the rate below:

   1. a. Lodging Rate- $225 per night
   2. 3. The state has contracted with HotelPlanner for hotel booking (use is not mandatory). Lodging rate, plus tax (other than Louisiana Sales Tax) and any mandatory surcharges are allowed.
   3. 4. When traveling in-state on official state business and expenses are being charged to an employee’s State Corporate Travel Card, State’s LaCarte Card, or the agency’s CBA account, it is the employee’s responsibility to ensure state sales taxes are not charged.
   4. 5. When two or more employees, on official state business, share a lodging room, the state will allow the actual cost of the room; subject to a maximum amount allowed for an individual traveler multiplied by the number of employees per room.

4. B. Conference Lodging Allowance

   1. 1. Travelers may be allowed the conference lodging rates, plus tax (other than Louisiana Sales Tax) and any mandatory surcharge. Receipts are required along with documentation showing the actual conference rate. Department heads or his/her designee have the authority to approve the actual cost of conference lodging for a single occupancy or standard room when the traveler is staying at the designated conference hotel. If there are multiple designated conference hotels, the lower cost conference hotel should be booked, if available. In the event the designated conference hotel(s) have no room availability, a department head or his/her designee may approve to pay the actual hotel cost not to exceed the conference lodging rates for other hotels in the immediate vicinity of the conference hotel. Rates exceeding the Conference Lodging Rate must be approved by the Commissioner of Administration. This allowance does not include Agency Hosted Conference Lodging Allowances. Documentation required is a formal agenda, program, letter of invitation, or registration fee. Participation as an exhibiting vendor in an exhibit /trade show also qualifies as a conference. For a hotel to qualify for conference rate lodging, it requires that the hotel is hosting or is in conjunction with hosting the meeting.
   2. 2. Training courses held over several consecutive days and have a designated hotel and rate, could be considered a “conference hotel.”
   3. 3. If staying at a designated conference hotel or an overflow hotel(s), you may not rent a vehicle unless prior approval is granted from the department head. Rental vehicles must be for official state business needs and supporting documentation must be maintained in the file.
   4. 4. No reimbursements are allowed for functions not related to a conference. Examples include tours, dances, and golf tournaments.

5. C. Extended Stays

   1. 1. For travel assignments approved by the Commissioner of Administration involving duty for extended periods (30 or more consecutive days) at a fixed location, the reimbursement rates indicated should be adjusted downward whenever possible. Claims for meals and lodging may be reimbursed on a per diem basis supported by a lodging receipt.
   2. 2. The only exemptions which do not require the Commissioner of Administration’s approval when traveling 30 days or more are students, professors, or other state travelers which are traveling on a grant, scholarship, studying aboard or any other occasion where funds utilized are not state funds. Department head approval is required for these travelers.

6. D. Lodging Fees

   1. 1. Non-Conference Related Fees. Many hotels charge mandatory fees variously termed resort fees, amenity fees, urban destination fees, facilities fees and daily destination fees, among others. Agencies should review these fees and see what they include before authorizing reimbursement, as they can vary from simply covering internet access to including items that may be considered gifts, like tours or tickets. If the fees do not include an item that can be considered a gift, these fees are reimbursable.
   2. 2. Added value charges which include, but are not limited to, early check-in fees, additional person fees, mini-bar/snack fees, gym fees, and spa fees are not reimbursable.
   3. 3. Tax recovery charges are not allowed when booking through companies other than the State of Louisiana’s travel agency or its affiliated company.

7. E. Louisiana Sales Tax

   1. 1. Travelers are responsible for reimbursing the agency for any Louisiana sales taxes when the agency’s tax exemption form is not presented at time of check-in at hotel. Contractors are subject to Louisiana sales tax and can be reimbursed for this expense.
   2. 2. Travelers should use the tax-exempt form located on the State Travel Office website for all in-state lodging: https://www.doa.la.gov/media/er0b2lwj/travelexemption-travelexpense.pdf

8. F. Lodging with Relative or Friends

   1. 1. May not be reimbursed unless the host can substantiate costs for accommodating the traveler. The reimbursement will be at the actual cost of lodging but must not exceed the lodging rate for the applicable area. The host must show proof of the added costs for water, electricity, and other expenses.

9. G. Hotel Reward Points

   1. 1. Travelers may retain hotel reward points earned on official state travel unless an agency deems the points as property of the state.

10. H. Lodging Exceptions

    1. 1. Non-Conference Lodging Overage Allowances. Department head or his/her designee has the authority to approve actual costs for routine lodging on a case by case basis, but shall not exceed 50 percent over the lodging rate for the applicable travel location. (This authority is for routine lodging only and not for conference lodging or any other area of PPM 49). Receipts, justification, and approval must be maintained in the file to show that attempts were made with hotels in the area to receive the best rate.

       1. a. Travelers are responsible for reimbursing the agency for lodging rates that exceed the published lodging rates for the travel location unless prior approval is granted by the Commissioner of Administration.
    2. 2. In areas where the Governor has declared an emergency, a department head or his/her designee has the authority to approve actual routine lodging provisions on a case-by-case basis, but shall not exceed 75 percent over the lodging rate for the applicable travel location. Each case must be documented to justify necessity (e.g. proximity to meeting place) and cost effectiveness. Documentation, including receipts, must be readily available in the agency’s travel reimbursement files and kept in accordance with record retention policies.
    3. 3. Lodging overages in excess of 1 and 2 of this Section require approval from the Commissioner of Administration prior to being paid or reimbursed by the agency. Requests for approval must contain justification and estimated costs. If prior approval is not obtained, overages must be repaid to the agency by the traveler.
    4. 4. Actual expenses for Elected Officials, Board Members (if allowed by the Board), State Officers, persons authorized by statute, or any individual with a preapproved exception will be reimbursed on an actual expense basis, for meals and lodging only, while in travel status, except in cases where other provisions for reimbursement have been made by statute. Itemized receipts are required for reimbursement. Requests must be reasonable in relation to the purpose of travel. Travelers entitled to actual expense reimbursement are only exempt from meals and lodging rates; they are subject to all other requirements as listed in these travel regulations.

Authority Note

AUTHORITY NOTE: Published in accordance with R.S. 39:231.

Historical Note

HISTORICAL NOTE: Written by the Office of the Governor, Division of Administration, November 1, 1972, published LR 1:179 (April 1975), amended LR 1:338 (August 1975), LR 2:312 (October 1976), LR 5:93 (May 1979), LR 6:405 (August 1980), LR 7:7 (January 1981), LR 8:406 (August 1982), LR 15:820 (October 1989), LR 16:965 (November 1990), LR 26:1256 (June 2000), LR 27:807 (June 2001), republished LR 27:1495 (September 2001), LR 28:1130 (June 2002), LR 30:1116 (June 2004 LR 31:1189 (June 2005), LR 32:939 (June 2006), LR 33:967 (June 2007), republished LR 33:1320 (July 2007), amended LR 34:1305 (July 2008), LR 35:1198 (July 2009), LR 36:1654 (July 2010), LR 37:2055 (July 2011), , LR 38:1482, (July 2012), LR 39:1667 (July 2013), LR 40:1060 (June 2014), LR 41:1051 (June 2015), LR 42:990 (July 2016), LR 43:1119 (June 2017), LR 44:1183 (June 2018), LR 45:821 (June 2019), LR 46:849 (June 2020), LR 46:1484 (October 2020), LR 47:823 (June 2021), LR 47:1061 (July 2021), LR 48:1453 (June 2022), LR 48:2522 (October 2022), LR 49:1019 (June 2023), LR 51:760 (June 2025), effective July 1, 2025, LR 52:000 (June 2026), effective July 1, 2026.