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IRS Publishes Special Per Diem Rates for 2018-2019

SEP. 26, 2018

Notice 2018-77; 2018-42 IRB 601

DATED SEP. 26, 2018
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Citations: Notice 2018-77; 2018-42 IRB 601

Superseded by Notice 2019-55

Supersedes Notice 2017-54

2018-2019 Special Per Diem Rates

SECTION 1. PURPOSE

This annual notice provides the 2018-2019 special per diem rates for taxpayers to use in substantiating the amount of ordinary and necessary business expenses incurred while traveling away from home, specifically (1) the special transportation industry meal and incidental expenses (M&IE) rates, (2) the rate for the incidental expenses only deduction, and (3) the rates and list of high-cost localities for purposes of the high-low substantiation method.

SECTION 2. BACKGROUND

Rev. Proc. 2011-47, 2011-42 I.R.B. 520 (or successor), provides rules for using a per diem rate to substantiate, under § 274(d) of the Internal Revenue Code and § 1.274-5 of the Income Tax Regulations, the amount of ordinary and necessary business expenses paid or incurred while traveling away from home. Taxpayers using the rates and list of high-cost localities provided in this notice must comply with Rev. Proc. 2011-47 (or successor). Notice 2017-54, 2017-42 I.R.B. 321, provides the rates and list of high-cost localities for the period October 1, 2017, to September 30, 2018.

Section 3.02(3) of Rev. Proc. 2011-47 (or successor) provides that the term “incidental expenses” has the same meaning as in the Federal Travel Regulations, 41 C.F.R. 300-3.1, and that future changes to the definition of incidental expenses in the Federal Travel Regulations would be announced in the annual per diem notice. Subsequent to the publication of Rev. Proc. 2011-47, the General Services Administration published final regulations revising the definition of incidental expenses under the Federal Travel Regulations to include only fees and tips given to porters, baggage carriers, hotel staff, and staff on ships. Transportation between places of lodging or business and places where meals are taken, and the mailing cost of filing travel vouchers and paying employer-sponsored charge card billings, are no longer included in incidental expenses. Accordingly, taxpayers using the per diem rates may separately deduct, if permitted, or be reimbursed for transportation and mailing expenses.

SECTION 3. SPECIAL M&IE RATES FOR TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRY

The special M&IE rates for taxpayers in the transportation industry are $66 for any locality of travel in the continental United States (CONUS) and $71 for any locality of travel outside the continental United States (OCONUS). See section 4.04 of Rev. Proc. 2011-47 (or successor).

SECTION 4. RATE FOR INCIDENTAL EXPENSES ONLY DEDUCTION

The rate for any CONUS or OCONUS locality of travel for the incidental expenses only deduction is $5 per day. See section 4.05 of Rev. Proc. 2011-47 (or successor).

SECTION 5. HIGH-LOW SUBSTANTIATION METHOD

1. Annual high-low rates. For purposes of the high-low substantiation method, the per diem rates in lieu of the rates described in Notice 2017-54 (the per diem substantiation method) are $287 for travel to any high-cost locality and $195 for travel to any other locality within CONUS. The amount of the $287 high rate and $195 low rate that is treated as paid for meals for purposes of § 274(n) is $71 for travel to any high-cost locality and $60 for travel to any other locality within CONUS. See section 5.02 of Rev. Proc. 2011-47 (or successor). The per diem rates in lieu of the rates described in Notice 2017-54 (the meal and incidental expenses only substantiation method) are $71 for travel to any high-cost locality and $60 for travel to any other locality within CONUS.

2. High-cost localities. The following localities have a federal per diem rate of $241 or more, and are high-cost localities for all of the calendar year or the portion of the calendar year specified in parentheses under the key city name.

Key city

County or other defined location

Arizona

 

Sedona

City Limits of Sedona

California

 

Los Angeles 

(October 1-October 31 and January 1-September 30)

Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, Edwards AFB less the city of Santa Monica

Monterey 

(July 1-August 31)

Monterey

Napa

(October 1-October 31 and May 1-September 30)

Napa

Oakland

Alameda

San Diego 

(January 1-July 31)

San Diego

San Francisco

San Francisco

San Mateo/Foster City/Belmont

San Mateo

Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara

Santa Monica

City limits of Santa Monica

Sunnyvale/Palo Alto/San Jose

Santa Clara

Colorado

 

Aspen

(October 1-March 31 and June 1-September 30)

Pitkin

Denver/Aurora

Denver, Adams, Arapahoe, and Jefferson Grand

Grand Lake 

(December 1-March 31)

 

Silverthorne/Breckenridge 

(December 1-March 31)

Summit

Telluride

San Miguel

Vail 

(December 1-March 31 and July 1-August 31)

Eagle

Delaware

 

Lewes 

(July 1-August 31)

Sussex

District of Columbia

 

Washington D.C. (also the cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, and Fairfax, and the counties of Arlington and Fairfax, in Virginia; and the counties of Montgomery and Prince George's in Maryland) (See also Maryland and Virginia)

 

Florida

 

Boca Raton/Delray Beach/Jupiter

(December 1-April 30)

Palm Beach and Hendry

Fort Lauderdale 

(January 1-April 30)

Broward

Fort Meyers

(February 1-March 31)

Lee

Fort Walton Beach/De Funiak Springs 

(June 1-July 31)

Okaloosa and Walton

Key West

Monroe

Miami 

(December 1-March 31)

Miami-Dade

Naples 

(February 1-April 30)

Collier

Vero Beach 

(December 1-April 30)

Indian River

Georgia

 

Jekyll Island/Brunswick

(March 1-July 31)

Glynn

Illinois

 

Chicago

(October 1-November 30 and April 1-September 30)

Cook and Lake

Maine

 

Bar Harbor/Rockport 

(July 1-August 31)

Hancock and Knox

Maryland

 

Ocean City

(July 1-August 31)

Worcester

Washington, DC Metro Area

Montgomery and Prince George’s

Massachusetts

 

Boston/Cambridge 

(October 1-November 30 and March 1-September 30)

Suffolk, City of Cambridge

Falmouth 

(July 1-August 31)

City limits of Falmouth

Hyannis 

(July 1-August 31)

Barnstable less the city of  Falmouth

Martha's Vineyard

(June 1-September 30)

Duke

Nantucket 

(June 1-September 30)

Nantucket

Michigan

 

Traverse City 

(July 1-August 31)

Grand Traverse

Minnesota

 

Duluth 

(June 1-August 31)

St. Louis

New York

 

Lake Placid 

(July 1-August 31)

Essex

New York City

Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens, and Richmond

Oregon

 

Portland

(October 1-October 31 and April 1-September 30)

Multnomah

Seaside

(July 1-August 31)

Clatsop

Pennsylvania

 

Hershey 

(June 1-August 31)

Hershey

Philadelphia 

(October 1-November 30 and April 1-September 30)

Philadelphia

Rhode Island

 

Jamestown/Middletown/Newport 

(June 1-August 31)

Newport

South Carolina

 

Charleston 

(October 1-October 31 and March 1-September 30)

Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester

Texas

 

Pecos 

(January 1-March 31)

Reeves

Utah

 

Moab 

(October 1-October 31 and March 1-September 30)

Grand

Park City 

(December 1-March 31)

Summit

Virginia

 

Virginia Beach

(June 1-August 31)

City of Virginia Beach

Wallops Island 

(July 1-August 31)

Accomack

Washington, DC Metro Area

Cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, and Falls Church; Counties of Arlington and Fairfax

Washington

 

Seattle

King

Vancouver 

(October 1-October 31 and April 1-September 30)

Clark, Cowlitz, and Skamania

Wyoming

 

Cody 

(June 1-September 30)

Park

Jackson/Pinedale

(July 1-August 31)

Teton and Sublett

3. Changes in high-cost localities. The list of high-cost localities in this notice differs from the list of high-cost localities in section 5 of Notice 2017-54.

a. The following localities have been added to the list of high-cost localities: Sedona, Arizona; Los Angeles, California; San Diego, California; Vero Beach, Florida; Jekyll Island/Brunswick, Georgia; Duluth, Minnesota; Pecos, Texas; Moab, Utah; Cody, Wyoming.

b. The following localities have changed the portion of the year in which they are high-cost localities: Oakland, California; Aspen, Colorado; Boca Raton/Delray Beach/Jupiter, Florida; Naples, Florida; Bar Harbor/Rockport, Maine; Boston/Cambridge, Massachusetts; Jamestown/Middletown/Newport, Rhode Island; Charleston, South Carolina; Vancouver, Washington; Jackson/Pinedale, Wyoming.

c. The following localities have been removed from the list of high-cost localities: Mill Valley/San Rafael/ Novato, California; Steamboat Springs, Colorado; Petoskey, Michigan; Saratoga Springs/Schenectady, New York.

d. The following localities have been redefined: Traverse City, Michigan no longer includes Leland; Bar Harbor, Maine now includes Rockport.

SECTION 6. EFFECTIVE DATE

This notice is effective for per diem allowances for lodging, meal and incidental expenses, or for meal and incidental expenses only, that are paid to any employee on or after October 1, 2018, for travel away from home on or after October 1, 2018. For purposes of computing the amount allowable as a deduction for travel away from home, this notice is effective for meal and incidental expenses or for incidental expenses only paid or incurred on or after October 1, 2018. See sections 4.06 and 5.04 of Rev. Proc. 2011-47 (or successor) for transition rules for the last 3 months of calendar year 2018.

SECTION 7. EFFECT ON OTHER DOCUMENTS

Notice 2017-54 is superseded.

DRAFTING INFORMATION

The principal author of this notice is Maxine Woo-Garcia of the Office of Associate Chief Counsel (Income Tax & Accounting). For further information regarding this notice contact Maxine Woo-Garcia at (202) 317-7005 (not a toll-free call).

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