Meal & Incidental Expense (M&IE) Reimbursement Max
University of California’s Meal and Incidental Expenses (M&IE) meal cap guideline sets the daily maximum you can be reimbursed for meals and tips. It is used for all trips within the Continental United States that are shorter than 30 days.
The M&IE Meal Cap Rate is currently $92 (effective Oct. 1, 2024)
Effective Oct. 1, 2024, the maximum M&IE Meal Cap Rate changed from $79 to $92. The maximum M&IE amount is per person, per day and cannot exceed the maximum amount. No exceptions, this in compliance with the UC Policy and with the IRS regulations.
This meal cap is the maximum amount that UCI travelers can claim daily for meals and incidentals (tips) during short-term business travel in the continental United States. Claim only the actual reasonable costs incurred. Do not treat the meal cap as a per diem and claim the whole amount every day.
M&IE Meal Cap Guidelines
- Meal costs can be claimed only for travel longer than 24 hours and with overnight lodging.
- You may only claim the actual amount spent up to the maximum listed above per day.
- M&IE meal cap is not the same as a per diem, which applies to long-term U.S. travel (30 days or more) and travel outside the continuous 48 states.
- Departments may require receipts to calculate the actual amount to claim for reimbursement up to the M&IE meal cap and also to show compliance with grant and contract restrictions.
- For the full list of receipt requirements see the Required Receipts and Supporting Documents Guide.
UCI’s Corporate Travel Card is useful for keeping track of meal expenses —as long as the traveler remembers to charge only travel related expenses to the account.
Learn more about the card on Corporate Travel Card.
Trips Outside CONUS or More than 30 Days
A Per Diem is given to travelers for lodging and meal expenses when travel is 30 days or longer or when the destination is outside the continuous 48 States (CONUS).
Learn more on Calculating Per Diem.