University Travel Guide

• Prudent Spending:  Travel expenses must be reasonable, necessary, and cost-effective. Luxury accommodations, personal delays, or circuitous routes are strictly prohibited. 
• Personal Liability:  Travelers are personally responsible for unauthorized expenses or costs incurred for personal preference.
• System Requirement:  All travel pre-approvals and reimbursement requests must be processed through Emburse Enterprise. 
• Payment Methods:
  • University T-Cards (Bank of America Visa):  Permanent employees are strongly encouraged to use T-Cards for business travel. Misuse is grounds for termination. 
  • Personal Funds:  Reimbursed only after the trip is completed and supported by itemized receipts (who, what, when, where, why, and amount). 

• Pre-Approval:  Travel authorizations must be fully approved in Emburse Enterprise prior to making travel arrangements. 
• 30-Day Rule (State Funds G.S. 138-6(c)):  Expense reports must be submitted within 30 days post-trip to use state funds. Submissions after 30 days require non-state funding. 
• IRS Accountable Plan Limits:  Expenses must be accounted for within 60 days. Any excess advance or overpayment must be returned within a reasonable time. 
• 60-Day Cutoff:  Employee reimbursements will NOT be granted after 60 days post-trip, unless the Chancellor grants an exception. 

• 35-Mile Rule:  To qualify for travel status, lodging, or meal allowances, your destination must be at least 35 miles away from your regular duty station or home (whichever is closer).
• Meals:
  • Meals are reimbursed on overnight trips based on standardized OSBM per diem rates. Tips and transportation are included in the per diem rates. Meals provided by conferences cannot be reimbursed. 
  • Partial-day eligibility (day of departure/return):
    • Breakfast:  Depart before 6:00 a.m. (workday extended by 2 hours).
    • Lunch:  Depart before 12:00 p.m. or return after 2:00 p.m.
    • Dinner:  Depart before 5:00 p.m. or return after 8:00 p.m. (workday extended by 3 hours).
  • Day Trips without an overnight stay do not qualify for meal allowances. 
• Tips & Gratuities:  Reimbursable gratuity or tips must be considered reasonable for items that are not already covered under subsistence. Excessive tips will not be reimbursed. A reasonable tip would be one that a prudent person would give if traveling or conducting personal business and expending personal funds. Generally, up to 20% is considered reasonable. Skycab and Bell Hop tips should not exceed $2.00 per bag. 
• Third-Party Lodging (Airbnb, VRBO, etc.):
  • Requires pre-approval submitted to your fund manager prior to booking.
  • Must demonstrate cost savings compared with standard lodging options. Attach comparative quotes to the pre-approval for review. 
  • Must include the property/host contact information.
  • Must include a signed rental agreement and receipt. 
  • Rental agreements with family members are strictly prohibited. 

• Contracted Rental Cars:  If using a rental vehicle for either in-state or out-of-state travel, employees shall use the State's term contract when available. (Enterprise, National, or Hertz).
• Air, Bus, or Rail:  Economy, Coach, or Main Cabin for domestic travel. Employees traveling internationally on overseas flights may be reimbursed for the actual business class fare (substantiated by receipt). For Special Accommodations, supporting documentation must be submitted to Human Resources, and HR approval or verification must be included with the expense report. 
• Personal Vehicle:
  • Driven mileage is reimbursed at the current IRS business rate. Commuting to your regular duty station is non-reimbursable.
  • Mileage reimbursement is generally limited to 750 round-trip miles. Reimbursement for trips exceeding 750 round-trip miles may be allowed when justified and approved. 
• International Travel:  Requires an approved International Travel Registry from the Office of International Affairs (OIA). Federal Funds require compliance with the Fly America Act. 

Travel Advances

• Eligibility:  Restricted to international travel, athletic team travel, student travel, or faculty/staff escorting students.
• Limits:  Must be between $100 and the estimated trip cost. Must be requested in Emburse Enterprise at least 15 business days prior to departure.

Trip Cancellations

• Department Expense:  Cancellations for valid business reasons or documented personal emergencies (e.g. serious illness, family death) are covered by the department.
• Traveler Expense:  Cancellations for personal convenience are the financial obligations of the traveler.

Non-employees traveling for the University are required to comply with University Travel Policy.

• Job Candidates:  Interview travel reimbursement is limited to transportation, lodging, and in-state meal allowances.
• Independent Contractors:  Travel expenses must not be processed through Emburse Enterprise. 
• Students:  Students traveling on official University business follow the standard University travel requirements. Examples:
  • Travel by a graduate student to conduct research or other activities on behalf of a university-sponsored research project or program that directly benefits the University.
  • Travel by a student officially designated to represent the University at an approved student government, student organization, academic, or similar meeting or event. 
  • Travel to a conference to present University-sponsored research or otherwise officially represent the University. 

• Travel Policy
• Quick Facts
• Enterprise/National Rental Car Portal
• Hertz Rental Car Instructions
• Travel Card Guide
• Global Card Access PIN Check