Even if it seems way too early to start talking about 2025, there’s at least one thing your business might need to prep for: New per diem rates starting October 1, 2024
Quick definition: A per diem — or daily amount — is money paid to an employee for business travel instead of reimbursing them for actual expenses for the costs of away-from-home lodging, meals, and incidentals. You can check out the U.S.’s General Services Administration’s other FAQs here.
And if you forgot 2024’s rates, which are in effect until September 30, 2024, there’s a blog for that.
Per Diem by Location
If you want to know the per diem rates of a specific location, there’s actually a handy government website for that. Or if you like a bunch of spreadsheets, you can go here.
A little more background, in case you’re curious: the GSA establishes the per diem rates for the continental United States, which is the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia. It’s abbreviated “CONUS” for some reason. Anyway, federal agencies use the per diem rates to reimburse their employees for certain expenses they incur when they’re on official travel.
Federal per diem rates include a maximum lodging allowance and a meals and incidental expenses or — M&IE — component.
OK, enough with the background. Below are the changes for 2025.
Per Diem Rates for 2025
- The standard CONUS lodging rate will increase from $107 to $110
- The M&IE will increase and range from $68 to $92. The standard M&IE rate will increase from $59 to $68.
- Incidental expenses are still at $5.
Questions about per diem rates? Let us know.