Travel Policies
The purpose of the State Travel Manual and RF Travel Handbook is to help employees understand and apply the travel rules and regulations and to provide instructions regarding reimbursement for expenses while in Travel Status. The Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) and Research Foundation set rules and regulations for reimbursement of expenses incurred while traveling on official University business. As an employee traveling on behalf of Stony Brook University, you are performing a valuable service. At the same time, it is your responsibility to spend this travel money as efficiently and economically as possible. The basic rule to remember is that when an employee travels on official University business, only actual, necessary and reasonable business expenses will be reimbursed, or should be incurred.
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All Stony Brook faculty, staff, and graduate student employees planning domestic or
international travel to conduct research, attend a conference, or participate in other
University business must abide by the following instructions for pre-approval. We advise that
pre-approval be obtained prior to booking any travel arrangements. Travel undertaken
without the appropriate pre-approvals may not be reimbursed, and other disciplinary
actions may apply. Employee Travel All State employee travel requires pre-approval from the Traveler's Supervisor and/or
the Account Approver via the Request module in Concur. Non-Employee Travel Departments should have an internal approval process for all non-employee travel (i.e.
visitors, prospective candidates, undergrad students etc.). State NET Card holders
are required to submit a Concur Request for the non-employee travel expenses that
they charge to their card. Know & understand Stony Brook University's travel rules and regulations An employee is in travel status when the employee is: Official Station is generally defined as the address of the office to which the employee
is assigned. When an employee is assigned to work at an alternate work location which is less than
35 miles from their home or official station, the employee is not considered to be in travel status, but rather is considered to be traveling in the
proximity of his or her official station. The term proximity refers to travel distances of less than 35 miles. When traveling in the proximity
of home or official station, an employee using a personal vehicle is entitled to reimbursement
of transportation expenses associated with travel as outlined below: a.) from home to an alternate work location b.) between the official station and an alternate work location c.) between alternate work locations d.) from an alternate work location to the employee’s home When travel is from an employee’s home to an alternate work location, or from an alternate
work location to home, transportation expenses must be reimbursed at the Internal
Revenue Service (IRS) mileage rate using the lesser of: 1) Mileage between the employee’s home and the alternate work location, or 2) Mileage between the employee’s official station and the alternate work location This reimbursement method is called the “lesser of mileage rule.” When travel is between an employee’s official station and an alternate work location,
or between two or more alternate work locations, transportation expenses must be reimbursed
by payment for the actual mileage between such locations, multiplied by the IRS mileage
reimbursement rate. Reimbursement for travel in the proximity of the home or the official station is subject
to audit of the Travel Office, Internal Audit, SUNY, and the Office of the State Comptroller
(OSC). No transportation costs will be allowed between any employee's home and their official
station. Meal Eligibility Requirements This method provides for a fixed rate allowance for meals, lodging and incidental
expenses regardless of where lodging is obtained, including lodging with relatives
or friends. To be entitled to the full per diem rate, travelers must be in overnight
“travel status” and meet the “meal eligibility requirements” for dinner and breakfast. Current Flat Rate Per Diem Allowance (includes Lodging/Meals and Incidentals) Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and their respective surrounding
metropolitan areas - $40 per diem Addition or Reduction of Meal Allowances When the traveler is using the Overnight Un-receipted Method, but is not eligible
for the full meal allowance per diem (according to the meal eligibility requirements),
the traveler will receive the per diem less the allowance for the meals as listed
below. Likewise, if the traveler is entitled to an additional breakfast on the first
day of travel or an additional dinner on the last day of travel (according to the
meal eligibility requirements), the rate schedule below can be used. Dinner / $12 Meal Eligibility Requirements Current Flat Rate Per Diem Allowance (includes Lodging/Meals and Incidentals) Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and their respective surrounding
metropolitan areas - $40 per diem All Locations Dinner / $12 Domestic Per Diem Travel Rates NY State and Local Sales and Use Tax Exemption Certificate ST-129 On occasion, travelers may be unable to find a hotel at a rate that does not exceed
the maximum federal lodging per diem rate for the location of travel. If that occurs,
travelers must obtain prior approval from their supervisor and account manager to
exceed the federal lodging per diem rate. Evidence of approval must be submitted with
the Travel reimbursement request. Domestic Per Diem Travel Rates: look up the total meal per diem from the GSA site then go to the Per Diem Meal Allowance Breakdown to calculate Breakfast and Dinner. (Do not use the breakdown on the GSA site) For example, when looking up the meal per diem for Albany, NY, the GSA site shows the following: GSA Site - Total Meal Per Diem: $86 NYS does not reimburse employees for lunch.; therefore, lunch is not included in the
NYS M&IE per diem breakdown rate. NYS does not reimburse incidental expenses seprately from the M&IE allowance. NYS does not use "First and Last day of Travel" per diem rates. Next, go to the Meal Allowance Breakdown site: the per diem of $74 is broken down as $15 for breakfast and $59 for dinner. October 1, 2025 – September 30, 2026 Meals and Incidental Expenses Total Breakfast Dinner $68 $14 $54 $74 $15 $59 $80 $16 $64 $86 $17 $69 $92 $18 $74 If a traveler is not entitled to the full meal per diem, the allowance is divided
into 80% for dinner and 20% for breakfast. Visit the US Department of State for Foreign Per Diem Rates by Location. Only actual, reasonable and necessary business-related expenses will be reimbursed,
and such expenses must be properly indicated and justified on the expense report. Reimbursable Expenses Business-related expenses such as: business telephone calls, internet connection fees,
and baggage fees may be reimbursed. Non-Reimbursable Expenses When employees attend conferences sponsored by organizations other than a state agency,
there is no control over the location of the conference. If the lodging rate exceeds
the maximum per diem rates, the traveler should obtain prior approval from their supervisor
and account manager to exceed the federal lodging per diem rate. Evidence of approval
must be included in the Concur travel pre-approval Request. When considering an employee’s request to exceed the nightly lodging per diem rate
the following should be considered: If there is available lodging within the rate at a nearby location Transportation cost is saved by staying at the conference site; when travelersstay
at the conference site, it is usually not necessary to incur transportation expenses
to attend conference events. Also, many conferences offer direct transfers from transportation
terminals to the conference site. If a traveler rents a vehicle, the expense must
be justified. Late evening or early morning conference functions The attendee is an officer of the sponsoring organization The attendee is a speaker or performing other functions essential to the conference Social activities, such as sight-seeing, golf outings, etc. are considered personal
expenses and will not be reimbursed Rental cars are generally not reimbursable when staying at the hotel conference site.
Shuttle/taxis are a more cost effective method of transportation when traveling between
the airport and conference site Transportation costs for meals from the hotel and back are not reimbursable When meals and/or lodging are provided as part of a conference or event, additional
reimbursement is not permitted. The conference agenda must be submitted with your
Travel Voucher to confirm that meals are not included. If the meals and/or lodging
are provided by a third party, there may be ethics considerations that should be discussed
with your agency's ethics officer before the conference or event takes place. Domestic Travel: If an employee is traveling on University business, they should be given a reasonable
time frame to reach their intended destination. In some cases, they must leave the
day before in order to prepare presentations or participate in conferences. If their
supervisor has approved the travel, and it is deemed fair and reasonable, this should
be allowed. At the conclusion of the conference, the traveler should make the most
concerted effort to obtain return travel on the same day if the option is available.
If not, return travel should be arranged as early as possible the next day, so as
not to incur any additional travel expenses. Foreign Travel: In most cases of foreign travel, the same expectations as above should be met. In
addition, the University should take into consideration the loss of calendar dates
flying over various time zones when traveling internationally. Reimbursement or payment is not permitted for expenses for personal travel combined
with business travel or personal expenses incurred while in business travel status.
Costs attributable to personal expenses, such as extended hotel stays, auto rentals,
transportation, meal costs, or other personal incidentals that are not qualified for
reimbursement under the University Policy for business travel, must not be submitted
for reimbursement, or if included with business expenses, must be identified and deducted
from the request for reimbursement. Reimbursement for travel costs from the home site to the business venue, or vacation
site, will be reimbursed at the lesser of the two costs. Cost comparisons must be
presented. At completion of business, the traveler will be reimbursed for the return
to their home site from the business site, or the vacation site, whichever is less.
Again, cost comparisons must be presented. Travel outside the continental United States is reimbursed based on the maximum per
diem allowance established by the U.S. Department of State. The foreign travel rates
are published monthly on the US Department of State website. Expenses submitted on your Travel voucher should be converted to American dollars,
based on the exchange rate in effect during the period of travel. The Foreign Travel Rates provide for lodging costs up to a maximum amount, and an
allowance for meals and incidental expenses. Similar to Method 2, the meal per diem
is for dinner the first night and breakfast the following day. If a traveler is not
entitled to the full meal per diem, the allowance is divided into 80% for dinner and
20% for breakfast. Expenses directly related to lodging and meals are included in the per diem allowance.
In addition, some expenses unique to foreign travel may be reimbursed. Examples of
some of these expenses include: Travelers should use the most efficient and cost effective method of transportation
available. When choosing a method of transportation, several factors should be considered: Charges for traveling between a transportation terminal (e.g., airport, bus, or train
station) and home or official station may be incurred and are reimbursable. Common Carrier University travelers are required to exercise the same care in incurring air travel
expenses that a prudent person would exercise if traveling on personal business, and
therefore should obtain the lowest cost coach airfare available. Early bird check in charges, seat upgrades or airline insurance are not permissible
for reimbursement. Justification for excess baggage fees, and airline change fees
will be required for reimbursement. *Seat upgrades are not allowed unless due to a medical disability or special need,
which must be documented and on file with the Office of Equity and Access. The passenger’s portion of the airline ticket or an e-ticket documenting price paid
must be submitted with the expense report. Boarding passes alone are not acceptable. Business Class accommodations for international business travel may be authorized/approved
if any of the following apply and a travel pre-approval Request has been completed
in Concur with the approval of the respective Vice President/Dean (if the Vice President/Dean
is not already in the Concur workflow they must be added to the workflow or an emailed approval must be attached to the Request). A personal owned vehicle (POV) may be used for State business purposes when a State
vehicle, rental vehicle or common carrier is not available, is not cost effective
or is otherwise not appropriate. When using your personal car for State business,
you will be reimbursed at the IRS business mileage rate. This rate includes all charges
for gasoline, oil, accessories, repairs, depreciation, anti-freeze, towing and insurance
on your car. No other charges will be reimbursed. When a vehicle is required for travel trips over 100 miles and there are no State
vehicles available, employees are to determine the most economical method of transportation;
a rental vehicle or a POV. To assist travelers in determining whether a rental vehicle
or POV is the most cost effective method of transportation, a "Trip Calculator" tool can be used and is located at: https://www.ogs.ny.gov/bu/ss/trav/calculators.asp Employees who choose to use their POV when a rental would have been more economical,
will be reimbursed at the lesser of the two costs. The trip calculator tool provides the allowable mileage to be claimed when using this approach. When
supported by proper justification, personal vehicles may be used due to extenuating
circumstances. The applicable justification, is to be selected in the Concur drop
down menu when using the Personal Car Mileage expense type. Mileage will be reimbursed
in accordance with the current standard IRS mileage rate at the time of travel. The following IRS mileage reimbursement rates are in effect based on the date of travel. Effective January 1, 2026 $0.725 Effective January 1, 2025 $0.70 Effective January 1, 2024 $0.67 Effective January 1, 2023 $0.655 Non-employees using the Non-Employee Travel Reimbursement Form for mileage reimbursements
are required to document their mileage using the AC-160 form. If available, State vehicles should always be considered when the use of an automobile
is required. Gasoline and other necessary expenses incurred while a State vehicle
is being used for business purposes will be reimbursed. Emergency expenses, if justified,
will be reimbursed. Rental Vehicle When the use of a rental vehicle is necessary, travelers should use the Office of
General Services (OGS) centralized passenger vehicle rental contract. Both Enterprise
and Hertz are on contract. Information about this contract may be obtained from the OGS Travel Contracts website. When renting a vehicle for State business, the traveler should rent in the name of
New York State and sign the agreement as an agent for the State. This ensures that
the traveler and State are properly covered and eliminates any confusion regarding
liability for coverage in the event of a claim. The NYS contract provides: UPDATED CHANGES TO VEHICLE RENTAL POLICY REGARDING PRICE AND INSURANCE Enterprise Rent-A-Car and National Car Rental: Below are locations which are included under the State Price Agreements with Insurance: Hertz: All Hertz Nationwide locations and certain International locations are under the State
Price Agreements. If you are in one of Enterprise/National, or Hertz cities, you are recommended to
use this program. If you are in a city and there is no Enterprise, Hertz or National
location(s) there, you may use another provider, and must purchase the LDW (Loss Damage
Waiver) or CDW (Collision Damage Waiver). Driver Protection Products in the U.S. Damage Waiver (DW): Full coverage $0.00 deductible included in rate list. Liability: 1,000,000.00 CSL included in rate list. If travelers are unable to rent from one of the NYS contracted companies, LDW (Lost
Damage Waiver) or CDW (Collision Damage Waiver) must be purchased and is reimbursable
when traveling on business. Any other type of insurance, including PAI (Personal Accident
Insurance), will not be reimbursed when renting a car from either a contract or a
non-contract car rental agency. One-Way Fee: Enterprise/National: One-Way Rentals within New York State: Enterprise and National Home-City locations will charge the base rate plus city
surcharges if applicable, along with an additional $25 drop fee. One-Way Rentals Out of State: Enterprise and National Home-City locations will charge the base rate plus city
surcharges if applicable, along with an additional $125 drop-fee. Reservations should
be requested in advance to drop off in a different location. Hertz: No additional fees for one-way Hertz rentals within 500 miles of the renting location.
Hertz charges $125 per rental for all one-way rentals exceeding 500 miles. Early Pick-Up: Within New York, travelers are allowed to pick up a rental vehicle at any home-city
location during the last hour of Enterprise Rent-A-Car’s business day, and have the
charges start the very next day at 8:00 am. This also holds true for weekend travel
(i.e. Pick up Saturday during the last hour of business, charges start Sunday morning
at 8:00am). Tax Exempt in New York State: When renting under the contract and picking up your rental, the traveler must present
their University ID and remind the counter agent to remove all NYS taxes from your
rental agreement. The renter must also present the AC-946 Tax Exemption Certificate to the agent. Always review your agreement before leaving to ensure all NYS taxes
have been removed. Travelers who pay NYS taxes must obtain a credit from the rental
company or reimburse the University directly through other funds. Important Reminders: In Case of Vehicle Accident: In the event of a rental vehicle accident the first thing you do is call the Police
and file a Police report. You should then call the Enterprise/National/Hertz branch
and provide information on the accident . The rental agency staff will walk you through
the next steps. Then next, you should contact the credit card company used for this
rental regarding their accident policy. Enterprise: When booking with Enterprise, the Stony Brook account number JN0645 must be given
to receive contract rates. These rates can be booked by calling the individual branch
or toll-free number at (800) 736-8222 or on-line by visiting the Enterprise website. Hertz: When booking with Hertz, the Stony Brook account number 1928949 must be given to receive
contract rates. These rates can be booked by calling the individual branch or toll-free
number at (800) 654-3131 or on-line by visiting the Hertz website. All reasonable and necessary parking and toll charges will be reimbursed. Toll charges
will be reimbursed whether paid in cash or with an EZ Pass. Submit toll receipt or
E-Z Pass statement outlining tolls related to your business trip. Valet parking fees
will only be reimbursed if it is an unavoidable expense (for example, when the hotel
only offers valet parking). If a trip is canceled at the direction of the agency, the traveler will not be responsible
for any costs incurred. If a trip is canceled for the traveler’s convenience, they
may be responsible for any costs. Travelers must provide receipts with expense reports in accordance with the chart
below*: Expense Type Documentation Required Charge on the State Travel Card Receipt Transportation by Common Carrier (e.g., train, bus, airplane, subway) Ticket stub if purchase price is printed on the stub; receipt and ticket stub if
purchase price is not printed on the stub Taxi Receipt Rental Car Receipt showing time of return Tolls - EZ Pass EZ pass statement with applicable charges indicated Tolls - Cash Receipt Gas Receipt Day Trip Meals - Receipted Receipt Hotels - Receipted Receipt Miscellaneous and incidental expenses Receipt The Travel Office has the discretion to, on occasion, allow reimbursement if a receipt
is missing. If you have lost a receipt and are unable to obtain a copy fill out a Missing
Receipt Affidavit form in your Concur Expense Report. Please note that this form cannot
be used for hotels, airfare, Amtrak, car rental or Uber, as copies can easily be obtained.
Repeated use of the form may result in possible Travel restrictions or non-reimbursement. How State Employees receive their Travel Expense Reimbursements: All travel/expense reimbursements to New York State employees are tied to their method
of payment in the NY State payroll system. Employees will not receive any notification from the NYS Treasury that a direct deposit
has occurred; they are advised to be aware of the forthcoming deposit based on travel
expense reimbursements submitted in Concur. Employee reimbursements for travel expenses are processed and paid on an ongoing basis
and do not follow the payroll schedule. Non-Essential Travel to Mississippi The ban on travel to North Carolina and Indiana has been lifted. The ban on travel
to Mississippi remains in effect. This travel ban applies to all travel funded by
the State or certain Research Foundation sponsors. To comply with the Executive Order, please do not schedule, make deposits, or incur
any expenses related to travel to Mississippi. As a first step in planning any trip abroad, check the Travel Advisories for your
intended destination at the U.S. Department of State Alerts and Warnings Travel Site The State allows reimbursement of interviewee travel expenses, (e.g., transportation,
food, and lodging). Travel reimbursement is permitted for both residents and non-residents of New York
State. In no case, however, may reimbursement be made to interviewees residing fifty
miles or less from the interview site. To reimburse candidates for out-of-pocket expenses, the candidate or departments must
prepare a travel voucher in accordance with standard campus procedures. The "Purpose
of Travel" section should indicate that interviewee expenses are being paid. The appropriate
Vice President/Dean signature will denote that all the requirements listed above are
met and that the expense is allowable. Reimbursement of interview travel expenses may be less, but not greater, than the
travel allowances permitted for state employees. Central funds are not maintained
for interviewee travel reimbursement. Respective departmental, dean or vice-presidential
funds should be used for this purpose. If there is a State Non-Employee Travel (NET) Card holder in the department, the cardholder
may use this card to book a candidate's air travel arrangements through the Concur Online
Booking Tool or by calling Direct Travel. The NET Card may also be used for other
travel arrangements such as car service and lodging (so long as the GSA rates are
honored). These transactions will be reconciled through Concur; therefore, a travel
pre-approval Request and Expense Report are required. If a NET Card cannot be used, it is possible for departments to arrange all other
travel plans for interviewees and have the University directly billed by the vendor
for services. This makes it easier for both the department and the interviewee, as
well as enabling the department to control the travel lodging costs. When direct pay arrangements are made, the department will receive the invoice from
the vendor. Departments should submit an invoice on a non-encumbered payment form
in WolfMart or submit a Standard voucher with invoice attached to the Travel Office.
Vouchers must indicate that payment be made directly to the vendor (hotel, travel
agency, etc). Departmental personnel must ensure that State rates are not exceeded
and that only reimbursable items are submitted for payment. If meals are not directly paid by the department, they must inform the interviewee
that meal costs will be reimbursed up to the State per diem rates with itemized original
receipts. Ancillary costs associated with the candidate (such as travel to and from the airport)
may also be reimbursed.
Travel Information
New York City, Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland, Westchester counties - $50 per diem
All other locations in New York State - $35 per diem
Out of State - $50 per diem
All Locations
Breakfast / $5
New York City, Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland, Westchester counties - $50 per diem
All other locations in New York State - $35 per diem
Out of State - $50 per diem
Breakfast / $5
*You may upgrade to other than coach-class accommodations at your personal
Effective January 1, 2026: $0.725
For un-receipted expenses such as mileage travelers are required to document their mileage using the AC-160 form.