IX. Restrictions and Exclusions

Policy:

  • Personal expenses or expenses not supporting Official University Business are not reimbursable
  • Expenses that are not properly authorized, documented, or compliant may be denied
  • Additional restrictions may apply based on funding source requirements, including sponsored project limitations

Procedures: 

Arrival and Departure:

  • Travelers may arrive at their destination up to 24 hours prior to the start of official UMBC business and may depart up to 24 hours following its conclusion.
  • For destinations with a time difference of 12 hours or more from the point of departure, travelers may arrive up to 48 hours in advance of the start of official UMBC business.
  • Any time outside of these parameters will be considered personal travel.
  • If business activities occur outside of a published schedule, they must be noted in the header of both the Request and Expense Report to justify any additional expenses.

Example: Arriving early for a pre-conference meeting or site visit not listed on the agenda—note this in the header (e.g., “Pre-conference meetings on [date]”).

Restrictions and Exclusions

Travel expenses must support official university business and comply with university policy, State requirements, sponsor restrictions, and applicable federal regulations. Expenses determined to be personal, excessive, inadequately documented, or otherwise non-compliant may be denied reimbursement.

Personal Expenses

Personal expenses are not reimbursable.

Examples of personal expenses may include:

  • Personal entertainment;
  • Personal travel deviations;
  • Family or spouse-related expenses not associated with official university business;
  • Personal grooming services;
  • Personal convenience purchases;
  • Commuting expenses between home and primary work location; and
  • Personal upgrades or optional services not required for business purposes.

Non-Reimbursable Charges

Examples of generally non-reimbursable expenses include:

  • In-room movies or entertainment charges;
  • “No show” lodging or transportation charges;
  • Passport fees;
  • Gift cards, gift certificates, or gifts of sentiment;
  • Personal fines, penalties, or violations;
  • Laundry, valet, porter, or housekeeping gratuities included within the Travel Allowance;
  • Expenses paid using reward points, vouchers, credits, or promotional payment methods; and
  • Expenses lacking sufficient documentation or business purpose substantiation.

Prohibited Payment Methods

Peer-to-peer payment platforms such as Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, PayPal personal transfers, or similar person-to-person payment methods are not allowable for reimbursement purposes.

Non-conventional lodging arrangements may not be paid using:

  • pCards;
  • TCards; or
  • Cash Advances / Working Funds.

Additional payment restrictions may apply depending on the funding source, travel type, or university procedures.

Policy Circumvention

Travelers, arrangers, and departments may not intentionally circumvent university policy, approval workflows, documentation requirements, procurement requirements, payment restrictions, or funding limitations.

Examples may include:

  • Misrepresenting the business purpose of travel;
  • Intentionally splitting expenses;
  • Bypassing required approvals;
  • Utilizing unauthorized payment methods;
  • Submitting duplicate reimbursement requests; or
  • Knowingly submitting incomplete, misleading, or inaccurate documentation.

University Authority

The university reserves the right to:

  • Request additional documentation;
  • Require additional justification;
  • Deny reimbursement;
  • Reduce reimbursement amounts; or
  • Determine final allowability of expenses

when expenses are determined to be:

  • Non-compliant;
  • Excessive;
  • Personal in nature;
  • Inadequately documented; or
  • Otherwise inconsistent with university policy or applicable requirements.

Approval of a Request or Expense Report does not guarantee final reimbursement eligibility

Travel with Spouses or Other Companions

Spouses, family members, or other companions may accompany travelers during approved university travel. However, expenses associated with companions are generally considered personal expenses and are not reimbursable unless a documented official university business purpose exists.

Non-Reimbursable Companion Expenses

Expenses associated with spouses or other companions are generally not allowable and may include:

  • Airfare;
  • Rail transportation;
  • Additional lodging costs;
  • Meals;
  • Entertainment expenses;
  • Registration fees;
  • Ground transportation; and
  • Other personal travel-related expenses.

Additional costs associated with companion travel are the responsibility of the traveler.

Shared or Combined Expenses

When a traveler shares lodging, transportation, or other travel arrangements with a spouse or companion, reimbursement is limited to the business-related portion of the expense.

When expenses are combined, the university may prorate the reimbursable portion of the expense based on the documented business-related traveler share.

Travelers may be required to provide:

  • Cost comparisons;
  • Single occupancy lodging rates;
  • Business-only airfare comparisons;
  • Transportation cost breakdowns; and/or
  • Additional supporting documentation substantiating the business-related portion of the expense.

Documented Business Purpose Exception

Companion-related expenses may only be considered allowable when:

  • The companion’s presence directly supports official university business;
  • Required by a sponsor, program, or official university function; or
  • Otherwise specifically authorized under university policy or approved university procedures.

Travelers are strongly encouraged to contact Travel Services prior to planning or booking travel involving spouses or other companions to obtain guidance regarding allowable expenses, required documentation, and comparison quote requirements.

Additional supporting documentation and justification may be required.

Documentation Requirements

Travelers combining university travel with companion travel may be required to provide:

  • Business-only comparison quotes;
  • Lodging cost comparisons;
  • Transportation cost comparisons;
  • Documentation identifying additional companion-related costs; and
  • Other supporting documentation necessary to substantiate the reimbursable business portion of the trip.

Class of Service

Coach or standard economy airfare is the university standard for business travel.

First-class airfare is not allowable.

Preferred seating, premium economy, business class, or other upgraded seating accommodations may be allowable when:

  • Required as part of an approved accessibility accommodation;
  • A single continuous flight leg exceeds eight (8) hours;
  • Total scheduled travel time exceeds fourteen (14) hours; or
  • Otherwise approved in accordance with university procedures.

Additional documentation, business justification, or pre-approval may be required for upgraded airfare accommodations.

Selection of upgraded or preferred seating based solely on personal preference or convenience is non-reimbursable.

Combining Business and Personal Travel

Domestic Travel (U.S.) – Business and Personal Travel

For domestic travel, roundtrip airfare may be reimbursed when the primary purpose of the trip is Official University Business.

Personal travel days may be added before or after the business portion of the trip; however, all additional personal travel costs are the responsibility of the traveler.

If the trip is determined to be primarily personal:

  • Airfare is not reimbursable; and
  • Only business-related expenses incurred at the destination may be reimbursed.

A comparison quote is required for all domestic travel combining business and personal travel.

International Travel – Business and Personal Travel

International travel that includes a personal component must be evaluated in accordance with IRS Publication 463.

Roundtrip airfare may remain fully reimbursable when:

  • The primary purpose of the trip is Official University Business; or
  • The traveler does not have substantial control over the travel arrangements.

For purposes of IRS Publication 463, a traveler may be considered to not have substantial control over the travel when:

  • The travel requires approval from a higher university authority; or
  • The travel is directed, assigned, sponsored, or substantially controlled by the university, sponsor, conference, grant, or other official business purpose.

Examples may include:

  • Conference travel;
  • Sponsored travel;
  • Grant-funded travel;
  • University-directed travel; or
  • Other travel requiring formal university approval.

If the traveler has substantial control over the travel and the trip is not primarily for business purposes, airfare must be allocated between business and personal use in accordance with IRS Publication 463.

A comparison quote is required for all international travel combining business and personal travel.

Accommodations

Travelers requesting an exception to standard travel policy due to a religious, medical, accessibility, or other qualifying accommodation must obtain formal approval in advance.

Religious Accommodations

Requests for religious accommodations must be submitted to the Office of Equity and Civil Rights (OECR) through the official accommodation request process.

Medical or Accessibility Accommodations

Requests for medical or accessibility accommodations must be submitted to the Office of Accessibility and Disability Services (OADS) through the official accommodation request process.

For questions regarding medical or accessibility accommodations:

Office of Accessibility and Disability Services (OADS)
Email: adasupport@umbc.edu

Requirements

Approved accommodations must:

  • Be approved in writing by the appropriate university office prior to booking travel;
  • Be attached to the Request;
  • Be attached to the Expense Report; and
  • Be reviewed as part of the travel approval process.

Failure to obtain accommodation approval in advance may result in denial of associated travel expenses.