All Business Travel outside Maryland, overnight travel, travel that includes a car rental, and travel booked through a UMB contracted travel agency must be pre-approved. You must submit a Travel Request eForm (TR) that includes:

1. Detailed documentation explaining the UMB business purpose for the Business Travel. For example, the invitation, agenda, and/or itinerary for the trip must be submitted if available. This documentation should explain how the traveler’s role (e.g. attendee, presenter) relates to the individual’s job or UMB’s mission.
2. List of the total estimated expenses for the trip. Include meal per diem rates, conference fees, lodging, hotel, etc.
3. Funding source (SOAPF). If you don’t know your department SOAPF, contact provost.finance@umaryland.edu.

Once the Travel Request eForm has been approved, you may move forward with securing transportation, lodging, and other travel purchases.

• Flights and rail tickets can be purchased with personal funds and reimbursed or can be purchased through a contracted travel agency and billed directly to UMB.
• To use a UMB travel agent, travelers must reach out to the agencies directly to book flights and must provide the agents a copy of their approved Travel Request eForm confirmation.

To request payment of a conference registration fee, please submit a Financial Transaction Request detailing the link and/or invoice for the registration and any other details required to make the purchase. A copy of your approved Travel Request eForm confirmation must also be attached to this request.

• Lodging can be purchased with personal funds and reimbursed or may be reserved and paid via UMB PCard.
• To request lodging to be paid with a UMB PCard, the employee must first make the reservation using a personal card (credit or debit card will not be charged for the reservation); then submit a Financial Transaction Request including the details of the reservation, the credit card authorization form from the hotel, and a copy of your approved Travel Request eForm.
• Please note, hotels require a credit card authorization to be completed in order to pay for lodging without the physical credit card present. The traveler will need to provide this form for the analyst to complete for the travelers' card to not be charged. It is the traveler's responsibility to confirm with the hotel that the reservation is complete and will be charged to the UMB PCard on file with the hotel at least 5 business days prior to check-in.

• Meals are reimbursed based on GSA Per Diem rates not including incidentals for the city of travel. GSA rates can be found here. Actual receipts are not required.
• Per diem for the first and last Day of Travel are reimbursed at 75% of the daily rate.

Paid using personal funds. Receipts are required for reimbursement and must include the amount of the tip. Tips cannot exceed 20%.

• The use of a personal vehicle will be reimbursed at the Mileage rate in effect at the time of travel.
• Mileage should be rounded to the nearest whole mile and substantiated with maps detailing mileage for both ways of the trip.
• An employee's daily commute miles from home to the employee’s regular work location are not reimbursable. Commute miles must be subtracted from the total miles claimed, except when the employee has a fully remote position. If an employee has a hybrid work schedule splitting their time between home (off-site workplace) and on-campus, then it is required for commute miles to be subtracted.

Paid using personal funds and itemized receipts are required. Employees will not be reimbursed for charges incurred for using University parking facilities located at their primary worksite.

Employees may rent cars only when other means of transportation are unavailable, more costly, or impractical. Any travel that includes a car rental must be pre-approved and have a clear business reason. Travelers must review the car rental insurance and liability policy. 

If car rentals are approved, they will be reimbursed for the least expensive car available. Travelers should take advantage of USM, state, and UMB vendor discount rates. 

Mileage reimbursement is not available for rental cars, but gas expenses can be reimbursed as evidenced by receipts.  

Operational units have the authority to deny vehicle rental for Business Travel. 

All allowable travel expense reimbursements must be submitted via the Travel Expense eForm (TE) within 60 days of the last day of the business travel.  Reimbursements submitted after 60 days of the last day of business travel are taxed per federal law.

Adequate documentation for travel expense payments must include:

1. Reference to the approved Travel Request eForm (TR)
2. Itemized receipts to support actual costs incurred and paid
3. In extraordinary circumstances where an itemized receipt cannot be obtained, the traveler is required to complete a Missing Receipt Certification Form.