Police travel per diem: GSA rates vs department policy
When law enforcement travelers use federal GSA CONUS caps versus local agency schedules for training, court, and deployment travel.
Federal GSA caps as a benchmark
Many municipal, county, and state agencies reimburse overnight travel using federal per diem—often GSA CONUS lodging and M&IE for the destination locality. GSA rates set a common ceiling for lodging and meals & incidental expenses on CONUS trips.
Your department may publish its own schedule (flat nightly lodging, fixed daily M&IE, or per-diem tables by city). Compare each category separately in our police travel calculator.
When agency rates differ from GSA
Union contracts, state law, and federal grant rules can require higher or lower reimbursement. Amounts above accountable-plan or policy limits may be taxable wages or require additional documentation—confirm with payroll and your bargaining agreement.
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Planning aid only · Not tax, payroll, or legal advice · Methodology