Travel Receipts: Reimbursement Requirements

Find out about requirements for receipts in order to be reimbursed for business travel expenses.

Certain receipts are required to report expenses and request reimbursement. Receipts provide proper documentation for travel expenses charged to UC San Diego fund sources, in compliance with UC and IRS regulations. 

Note: Reimbursement and receipt requirements do not change if an expense has been prepaid or reimbursed to a third party.

Avoid "package deals" as they're generally ineligible for reimbursement. Expenses combined in a package usually fail to meet receipt requirements (details below).

Secure documentation

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Original receipt required for reimbursement for any dollar amount:

• Airfare
  • The receipt must show the form of payment used, name of passenger(s), dates and routes of travel, airfare class, and amount paid 
  • An invoice or itinerary from the travel agency, booking service or airline may serve as the original receipt
  • You can request a receipt at the check-in gate
• Lodging
  • The receipt must be an itemized hotel folio showing the form of payment used, name of traveler, nightly rate, taxes/fees, and any other incidental expenses associated with the lodging
  • Receipt not required if travel is outside the continental U.S., or lasts 30 days or more, as per diem applies. See also Per Diem (Travel Allowance)
• Registration fees
• Rental car
  • The receipt must be itemized

• Any expense not listed above
• Ground transportation and associated parking costs:
  • No documentation is required for mileage reimbursements for a single trip (the start and end locations need to be described in the trip)
  • A mileage log is required only if the mileage claim is >$75.00
• Miscellaneous items including but not limited to:
  • Business office expenses such as printing, copying, overnight delivery, postage, etc.
  • Special fees for foreign travel such as obtaining a passport and/or visa
  • Charges for checking and storing baggage, excess baggage
• Other miscellaneous items which are eligible for reimbursement only if they are ordinary and necessary to accomplish the business purpose of the trip, and explanation is included in the claim as to why the expense is being claimed.

Meals: 

• Check with your unit's business office to confirm their internal requirements, as departments may have stricter policies. For example, some departments may require that all receipts regardless of the dollar amount. 
• Short-term domestic travel: Travelers are to track actual expenses for meals and incidentals via a daily log. Per UC Travel Policy, if it appears that a traveler is routinely claiming the maximum amount throughout the duration of their trip, receipts will be required.
• Travel outside the U.S.. or lasting 30 days or more: Per diem applies and receipts are not required for meals and lodging.
• Travel to Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. possessions or a foreign destination lasting 29 days or less: If actual costs exceed per diem due to special circumstances receipts are required to claim the actual expenses.
• UC Travel Policy specifies that for travel in excess of 24 hours within the continental US (CONUS), travelers should be required to submit meal receipts if it appears that they are treating the max amount of $92 as per diem by routinely claiming the full M&IE amount.

• Attach original receipts in Concur so the appropriate contact in your department can review them.
• If an original receipt is unavailable, make all reasonable efforts to supply documentation that supports the expense. If a receipt is unavailable for expenses incurred out-of-pocket, you may request an exception to policy by providing a secure copy of the traveler's credit card transaction history reflecting the charges. (For security purposes, be sure to block out credit card numbers and any other personal identifiable information.) If a redacted bank statement can't be provided, complete the Missing Receipt Affidavit in Concur. If a receipt can't be provided for a T&E Card charge, complete the Missing Receipt Affidavit. NOTE: Only the Concur user/traveler can complete the Missing Receipt declaration. The delegate will not have the option to do it on their behalf.
• The traveler can do that two different ways: 
  1. Click on the Attach Receipt icon in the Expense line and then click the Missing Receipt Declaration hyperlink at the top of the pop-up window. Select the expense that you want to create a receipt declaration for and then click on Accept & Create.
  2. Click on the Manage Receipts dropdown and select Missing Receipt Declaration. Select the expense that you want to create a receipt declaration for and then click on Accept & Create. 

Package deals: For reimbursement eligibility, the receipt or itinerary must specify cost for each item. Before purchasing a package, via the web or otherwise, confirm you will be able to obtain the required documentation. If the receipt or itinerary does not show cost for each component (such as airfare, airfare tax, room rate per night, and room tax per night) get a receipt from each service provider such as the airline, hotel, and/or rental car agency. If the separate cost components of a travel package can’t be specified, it’s not possible to substantiate the business expenses and verify no personal benefit to the traveler. This is based on UC policy and IRS guidelines, and makes the expense ineligible for reimbursement. To meet UC San Diego travel policy, UC travel policy, and IRS requirements, the receipt or itinerary must specify the cost of each item but most sellers of package deals are unwilling to provide that information due to relationships with suppliers.