nps travel policy

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Travel tips.

Visiting a national park is easier than you might think. The hardest part is choosing between all of the parks and activities available. There are more than 400 national parks to choose from, so if you need a little help picking one, you're in the right place. The event calendar shares activities and ideas to inspire your planning.

Tips to Get You Started

• Most national parks don't even charge an entrance fee. Admission for parks that do charge an entrance fee fee range from $5 to $35, usually good for up to seven days for an entire carload of people. Learn about Free Entrance Days and national passes that may save you money.
• Find A Park gets you where you want to go. Select a park from the list or search for parks by state, activity, or topic.
• Check out park maps and National Park System maps .
• Once you've decided where you're headed, check out the park's online Plan Your Visit section. You'll find great things to do, maps, calendars, directions, park brochures, and operating hours.
• Be sure to read the park's Basic Information section so you can have a safe, enjoyable visit.
• If you're traveling with children , learn more about the Junior Ranger Program . It's sure to be a hit with the kids.
• If you're traveling with pets , be sure to check with the park. Many of our parks allow pets on leashes and in campgrounds, some even have kennels. You'll generally find pet information in the Plan Your Visit section or contact the park (see each park's Contact Us page for details). Also check out the Pets site for more information about pets in parks.
• Check out www.recreation.gov . You can make online reservations for some of our tours and campgrounds here, as well as learn about activities at other recreation sites.

A pass is your ticket to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites.

Discover tips for planning for your trip to national parks and avoiding common mistakes. Make your fun adventure a safe one too!

Once You Arrive

• Stop by the park visitor center to pick up maps and guides and for up-to-the-minute information on everything from road conditions to hiking trails.
• Learn about the special programs offered in every park. Enjoy a ranger program or two—they offer something special for all ages and every interest.
• Ask a park ranger . These are some of the most knowledgeable people you will encounter on your travels … not to mention the friendliest!
• Be respectful of wild animals and keep your distance . The animals you may encounter in some national parks are not captive in a zoo—these animals are in their natural habitat and behave accordingly. Learn more about watching wildlife .
• Be conscious of the effects our actions may have on plants, animals, other people, and even entire ecosystems . Please help us care for these special places. Learn more about how we can minimize our impacts in parks .

Last updated: May 10, 2024

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Charge Card

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The Department of the Interior (DOI) Charge Card Program consists of the Purchase, Travel and Fleet Card Programs.

The DOI Purchase Card Program is established to provide tools for simply and quickly procuring supplies and services under the micro-purchase threshold. The purchase card is a centrally billed, government charge card used to pay for goods and services in support of official government business.

The DOI Travel Card Program is established to provide a tool for simplified paying of official business travel services and expenses at DOI. The Travel Card Program includes the GSA Tax Advantage travel card, the corporate travel card, sponsor travel card, and the declining balance travel card.

The DOI Fleet Card Program is established to provide payment tools for purchasing fuel, authorized repairs, parts, or services for government owned or leased vehicles, fueled appliances and equipment, small marine craft, and aviation, in support of official government business.

State Tax Exemption

For state tax exemption information by state, please visit  GSA SmartPay Tax Information

GSA Tax Advantage Travel Card Guide

Links of Interest

GSA SmartPay Program

Appendix B to Circular No. A-123, A Risk Management Framework for Government Charge Card Programs

Points of Contact

Charge Card Program Manager:

Kenneth Casey, [email protected] , 720-826-9791

Interior Business Center’s Charge Card Support Center :

[email protected]

Freedom of Information Act 

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• Per Diem Lookup

Local Travel Policy

1.  Purpose . This directive provides guidance on the reimbursement of transportation expenses incurred on official business within the local area of an employee’s official worksite/duty station or appropriate alternative worksite. While the Federal Travel Regulation regulates expense reimbursement for temporary duty travel away from the official station for GSA employees, it does not provide guidance for local travel expense reimbursement.

2.  Scope and Applicability . 

     a.  This directive applies to all GSA organizations, programs, and personnel, including all Services, Staff Offices, and Regions. This Order applies to the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) to the extent that the OIG determines it is consistent with the OIG’s independent authority under the Inspector General Act and does not conflict with other OIG policies or the OIG mission. This Order applies to The Civilian Board of Contract Appeals (CBCA) to the extent that the CBCA determines it is consistent with the CBCA’s independent authority under the Contract Disputes Act and applicable Federal Court decisions and does not conflict with other CBCA policies or its mission.

     b.  Non-GSA employees who perform local travel at the request of GSA may be reimbursed as provided by their contract or inter- and intra-Government agreement, as applicable. Reimbursement to non-GSA employees will be processed through the financial system, not the E-Gov Travel Service 2 (ETS2).

3.  Cancellation . This directive cancels and supersedes OAS 5770.1, Local Travel.

4.  Responsibilities . The Office of Travel and Charge Card Services, Office of Administrative Services (OAS) develops local travel policy for GSA employees. Regional offices may supplement this policy, but regional policy may not change or conflict with official policy. Regional policy must be cleared by the Office of Travel and Charge Card Services.

5.  Revisions . The following changes have been made to the Order:

     a.  All references to “HCO 6040.1A, GSA Mobility and Telework Policy” have been changed to “HRM 6040.1A, GSA Workforce Mobility and Telework Policy.”

     b.  All references to “OAS 4200.1A, Management and Use of the GSA SmartPay® Purchase Card” have been changed to “OAS 4200.1B CHGE 1, Management and Use of the GSA SmartPay® Purchase Card.”

     c. All references to “Government contractor-issued travel charge card” have been changed to “GSA travel card”

     d. Paragraph 6 has been revised to spell out the requirement for employees to obtain their authorizing official’s approval prior to incurring local travel expenses.

     e. Paragraph 9 has been revised to add guidance regarding which modes of local travel should be considered more advantageous to the Government in relation to other modes.

     f. Paragraph 9.d. has been revised to include transportation network companies (TNCs) and innovative mobility technology companies (IMTCs) as authorized methods of transportation for local travel.

     g.  Paragraph 9.d. has been revised to increase the maximum allowable tip to 20% of the method of transportation’s fare.

     h. Paragraph 11.f.  has been revised to add guidance requiring justifications in the comments section of local vouchers involving claims for mileage and claims involving use of a taxicab, TNC, or IMTC.

     i. Appendix A: Glossary of Terms has been added.

     j. “Appendix: Local Travel Scenarios” has been changed to “Appendix B: Local Travel Scenarios”.

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PER DIEM LOOK-UP

1 choose a location.

Error, The Per Diem API is not responding. Please try again later.

No results could be found for the location you've entered.

Rates for Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. Territories and Possessions are set by the Department of Defense .

Rates for foreign countries are set by the State Department .

2 Choose a date

Rates are available between 10/1/2021 and 09/30/2024.

The End Date of your trip can not occur before the Start Date.

Traveler reimbursement is based on the location of the work activities and not the accommodations, unless lodging is not available at the work activity, then the agency may authorize the rate where lodging is obtained.

Unless otherwise specified, the per diem locality is defined as "all locations within, or entirely surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city, including independent entities located within those boundaries."

Per diem localities with county definitions shall include "all locations within, or entirely surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city as well as the boundaries of the listed counties, including independent entities located within the boundaries of the key city and the listed counties (unless otherwise listed separately)."

When a military installation or Government - related facility(whether or not specifically named) is located partially within more than one city or county boundary, the applicable per diem rate for the entire installation or facility is the higher of the rates which apply to the cities and / or counties, even though part(s) of such activities may be located outside the defined per diem locality.

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Travel Overview

When travel is required in the regular performance of your duties as an NEW Solutions Enrollee, established NEW Solutions Program policies will apply. These policies are based on excerpts from the federal regulations governing travel under federally funded grants. Enrollees should:

• Operate a Government Owned Vehicle (GOV) only when preauthorized in writing by your monitor.  However, riding in a GOV or a vehicle rented by a federal employee is permissible.
• Drive a Privately Owned Vehicle (POV) only when preauthorized in writing by your Monitor/Technical Advisor.
• Use the most economical means of transportation available.
• Report expenses for business purposes only.
• Submit a separate travel expense statement for each trip.

Enrollees are not to represent themselves at any time as government employees to obtain discounts.

Local Travel: 12 hours or less

Definition Business travel that does not involve an overnight stay.

Authorization Your position description should reflect travel expectations. All travel must be budgeted for in advance by your Coordinator and receive the prior approval of your Monitor/Technical Advisor.

If your position description did not initially reflect travel requirements but business needs dictate a change in that status, your Monitor/Technical Advisor must request a modification to your position description through your Coordinator.  The Coordinator is responsible for informing NEW Solutions of any travel status changes and for budgeting accordingly.

Ground Transportation Allowable means of transportation include limousines, taxis, buses, or subways.  Preauthorization by your Coordinator is required for the use of Government Owned Vehicles (GOVs), Privately Owned Vehicles (POVs), and rental vehicles.  Rental vehicles may not be used unless budgeted for in advance by your Coordinator and authorized in advance by your Monitor.

If your PD states that travel is included, you have prior authorization to drive a POV, GOV or a rental vehicle.

Reimbursement A completed  Enrollee Local Travel and Expendable Supplies Expense Statement  must:

• Must be digitally signed, with date-stamp, by both the Enrollee and the Monitor/Technical Advisor.
• Must be emailed directly to [email protected] by the Monitor/Technical Advisor.
• Must have all necessary documentation included.
• Must be submitted within thirty (30) days after travel or purchase to [email protected] .
• May alternatively be manually signed and mailed to NEW Solutions HQ Office at National Experienced Workforce Solutions, 3811 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 900, Arlington, VA 22203.

Necessary documentation , to be included with the travel expense form, is listed below. Reimbursement will be delayed when appropriate documentation is not attached, such as:

• vehicle rental receipt
• gasoline receipt (vehicle rental)
• single item receipt of $25.00 or more (i.e., taxi, parking)
• pre-approval authorization from monitor/technical advisor

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Local Travel: 12 to 24 hours

Important! For continuous travel of more than 12 hours, but less than 24 hours with no lodging required, reimbursement for Meals & Incidental Expenses (M&IE) is allowed. In these instances, enrollees must submit both the "Enrollee Travel Authorization and Advance Request" form and use the "Enrollee Travel Expense Statement" form instead of the  Enrollee Local Travel and Expendable Supplies Expense Statement  form.

Travel with Overnight Stay

Definition Business travel that involves an overnight stay.

Authorization

• Prior to travel : even if an advance is not being requested, Enrollee Travel Authorization and Advance Request form must be filled out, signed and dated by the enrollees and the Monitor/Technical Advisor, and then sent to [email protected] prior to travel commencing. 
• After travel : Send Travel Authorization and Advance Request, Expense Statement and receipts (all originals) to Accounts Payable. Keep copies of everything that you send.
• Call Field Office for instructions and use of AXIOM website for air fare only:  https://nowcc.gbtconnect.com

Advances Enrollees may request travel advances up to 85% of anticipated expenses or $1,000 (whichever is smaller) to help defray costs of preauthorized travel.

A completed  Enrollee Travel Authorization and Advance Request  form must:

• be submitted for each trip,
• be signed and dated by the Enrollee's Monitor/Technical Advisor  BEFORE  the travel date, and
• be submitted to the Accounts Payable Specialist, [email protected], at NEW Solutions Headquarters immediately after approved travel arrangements have been made. Remember, this form must be submitted regardless of whether a travel advance is being requested; and,
• have all necessary documentation included,
• approved Travel Authorization should be sent to Accounts Payable directly by the Monitor/Technical Advisor at the time it is approved. 
• Authorizations and Advance Requests can also be mailed to NEW Solutions HQ Office at National Experienced Workforce Solutions, 3811 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 900, Arlington, VA 22203

Travelers must submit receipts within 30 days of the conclusion of travel.  Enrollees are also required to return to NEW Solutions any unspent portion of the advance within 30 days.

Non-compliance If any unspent monies are not returned within the 30-day time limit, the enrollee and the Accounts Payable Specialist will then establish a payment plan under which the amount owed is deducted from the enrollee's paycheck(s) when necessary. If for any reason a payment plan cannot be established (e.g. separated enrollee), the amount(s) in question will be recorded as taxable income to the enrollee.

This policy is designed to comply with the accountable plan rules of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the U.S. Treasury Department

Ground Transportation

Enrollees are urged to use mass transit systems whenever available rather than rental cars or taxis to keep costs to a minimum.

Reimbursement A completed enrollee  Travel Expense Statement  must:

• Must be digitally signed, with date-stamp, by both the Enrollee and the Monitor/Technical Advisor
• Must be submitted within thirty (30) days after travel to [email protected] .

Necessary documentation, to be included with the travel expense form, is listed below. Reimbursement will be delayed when appropriate documentation is not attached, such as:

• airline ticket stub,
• itemized hotel bill,
• itemized phone bill,
• vehicle rental receipt,
• gasoline receipt (vehicle rental),
• single item receipt over $25.00 (i.e., taxi, parking), 
• pre-approval authorizations from monitor/technical advisor

Items not reimbursable:   trip cancellation insurance, club memberships, personal phone charges in excess of the $6.00 allowed per overnight, gifts, family/friends' expenses, entertainment, pay-for-view movies or other personal expenses other than transportation, food, lodging and business expenses.

Travel Outside the lower 48 States

Definition Business travel in Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. Possessions and territories. Please follow instructions in the  Travel With Overnight Stay  section. 

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Personal Travel with Business Travel

When combining personal travel with business travel, additional non-business overnights and expenses will be considered personal expenses.  A note of explanation (such as “personal” or “provided”) must be made on original receipts and expense forms to break out personal costs.

A few reminders about combining business and personal travel:

Please provide a cost comparison document (separate letter or email with a breakdown explanation and print-out of airline/train tickets, etc.). Airline tickets must have printed cost of business days and personal days.

• Please include travel start and end dates (including personal days). For example, business with personal days 2/24/20-3/7/20. 

Calculating Work Hours During Travel

Enrollees should:

• Count travel time during normal work hours (weekday and weekend) as paid time.
• Not count travel time before or after normal work hours (weekday and weekend) as paid time.
• Count all hours spent WORKING (weekday and weekend) as paid time.

Mileage Rates

Effective January 1, 2024, the rates for the use of the following modes of transportation are:

GOV - Government Owned Vehicle

Read this section thoroughly regarding your personal insurance requirement before you agree to drive a Government Owned Vehicle (GOV). In every case, you should contact your insurance professional to make sure that you, your family, and your assets are adequately protected.

As a general rule, Enrollees with business travel requirements will be authorized by their Monitors/Technical Advisors to operate a Government Owned Vehicle (GOV).  Thus funds need not be budgeted for travel expenses.

Enrollees must provide proof of a valid state driver’s license before driving a GOV.

• NEW Solutions will request a Motor Vehicle Records (MVR) Report for each Enrollee who is designated to drive a GOV. NEW Solutions will also require a copy of the Enrollee's personal automobile insurance declaration page.  This helps ensure that only those with safe driving records will be driving GOVs. A negative MVR outcome or failure to provide a copy of the required declaration page may be cause for termination of enrollment in NEW Solutions older worker programs.

Explanation of Insurance Coverage with GOV Usage

It is important to recognize that there is nothing to prevent another person from suing whomever they want.  Having personal liability insurance is strongly recommended for all Enrollees who drive GOVs.   It is wise to check with your insurance professional to ascertain whether you have adequate protection.   Although laws vary from state to state, in general, if you are involved in an accident that caused injury to another or their property, one or more of the following may apply:

• Injuries received by you during assigned duties would be covered by NEW Solutions’ Worker’s Compensation and/or your personal health insurance
• Damage to the GOV would be covered by the government agency that owns the vehicle
• Consult your insurance professional to determine that you have adequate protection for injury to an occupant of your vehicle or to others caused by an accident in which you were involved while driving a GOV for business purposes. 
• Consult your insurance professional to determine that you have adequate protection for damage to another person’s property caused by an accident in which you were involved while driving a GOV for business purposes.     

POV - Privately Owned Vehicle

As a general rule, the use of POVs for business purposes is discouraged and should be a rare occurrence. Reimbursement from NEW Solutions for POV usage must be budgeted for by the Coordinator  in advance  of Monitor approval for such travel.

When operation of a POV is required for business use, the Enrollee must carry valid liability and property damage insurance that covers BUSINESS use of the vehicle. Enrollees need to consult with their insurance professional to ensure they have adequate coverage to include:

• valid bodily injury, property damage and liability insurance to meet the state minimum requirement.   You may wish to elect a higher level of protection. Consult your insurance professional to determine the extent of additional coverage needed to protect you, your family and your personal assets while driving your POV for government business purposes.
• comprehensive and collision insurance for physical damage to your personal vehicle is suggested, and
• no-fault and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage in those states where required.

Air Transportation

Enrollees who are preauthorized to use a commercial airline for business travel may either:

• Use the American Express Business Travel Center to direct bill their airline tickets to NEW Solutions, or
• Purchase the airline tickets directly and be reimbursed through their expense report.

Privately Owned Vehicle (POV) vs. Air Travel To assure the most cost-effective method of travel is utilized, documentation must be submitted with the expense report to verify that travel by the POV does not exceed the cost of a round trip coach class airfare. When a POV must be used and the expected cost of mileage exceeds the cost of a round trip coach class airfare, advance approval from the Enrollee's Monitor and the NEW Solutions Field Office must be submitted with the expense report. Direct Billed Tickets Enrollees who want to direct bill airline tickets are required to register with American Express Business Travel Center.  For instructions on how to register, please contact the Accounts Payable Specialist at NEW Solutions Headquarters by telephone (703-558-4200).

Important! Enrollees may not purchase airline tickets more than thirty (30) days in advance of the travel departure date through the American Express Business Travel Center.

Your NEW Solutions Field Office will have the details about how to contact the American Express Business Travel Center.

The American Express Business Travel Center will:

• offer the lowest available fare that accommodates the requested schedule,
• send the ticket directly to the Enrollee, usually via E-mail, or
• fax an electronic "e" ticket to the Enrollee when necessary.

To cancel direct billed airline tickets:

• Call the American Express Business Travel Center to cancel the reservation ASAP.
• Send a copy of the cancelled electronic ticket (non-refundable or otherwise) to the Accounts Payable Specialist at NEW Solutions Headquarters.
• If airline policy allows the cancelled ticket to be applied to a future trip, the NEW Solutions Accounts Payable Specialist will hold the ticket for re-issuance. When rescheduling the trip, the Enrollee should call the NEW Solutions Accounts Payable Specialist for assistance.

Enrollee Purchased Tickets Enrollees are required to:

• seek the lowest possible fare, and
• pay for the airline tickets with their own funds.

To cancel enrollee purchased airline tickets:

• cancel the reservation ASAP through the source from which the airline ticket was purchased,
• send the cancelled ticket (non-refundable or otherwise) to the Accounts Payable Specialist at NEW Solutions Headquarters, and
• submit the cost of the ticket for reimbursement on the  Enrollee Travel Expense Statement .

If airline policy allows the cancelled ticket to be applied to a future trip, NEW Solutions will hold the ticket for re-issuance. When rescheduling the trip, the Enrollee should call the NEW Solutions Accounts Payable Specialist for assistance.

Enrollee Responsibility for Cancelled Tickets When cancellations are not attended to promptly, the Enrollee could be liable for the ticket charge and in that case, the ticket becomes the property of the enrollee.

Rental Vehicle

Rental of cars by NEW Solutions Enrollees can be utilized only within the context of preauthorized business assignments.

When rental cars are necessary, the Enrollee must rent from a nationally recognized agency to avoid service problems often associated with smaller local rental firms.  Travelers are directed to always accept both the rental agency's Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) insurance, which will cover collision damage to the vehicle and the additional liability coverage which covers injury or damage to the other party in case of an accident.  NEW Solutions will reimburse these additional charges. No other additional insurance charges, such as medical insurance, will be reimbursed.

The Enrollee is expected to make advance reservations for  economy model automobiles  and to compare rental plans carefully in order to obtain the most economical package.

Enrollees on business travel outside of the 50 States or the District of Columbia should purchase additional rental car insurance coverage for damage to or loss of the vehicle and pay the additional fees. If rental or leasing agency requirements, foreign statute or legal procedures of the foreign country could cause extreme difficulty to an Enrollee involved in an accident, an Enrollee on foreign business travel should purchase the full insurance coverage offered by the rental car company.

Phone Calls

Personal phone calls may be reimbursed to a maximum of $6.00 for each overnight stay and should be itemized on the Enrollee’s expense form.

Business phone calls may be reimbursed by submitting a documented phone bill with the business calls highlighted.

NOTE: When a phone bill arrives after submitting your travel expense report, a memo referencing the appropriate trip/dates attached to the phone bill will suffice for reimbursement purposes.

Per Diem Instructions

Lodging: Taxes are treated separately as a miscellaneous expense and not part of the room rate. Actual lodging reimbursement is limited to a maximum of 200% of the GSA lodging Per Diem rate.    Meals and Incidental Expenses :

• are based on the traveler's overnight stay location, and
• are affected according to how long the travel lasts as depicted in the chart below.
• NOTE: When travel is to multiple locations with different M&IE rates and NO LODGING is required, the allowance will be based on the highest-location M&IE rate.

NOTE:  For computing M&IE allowances, official business travel begins at the time you leave the office, home or other point of departure and ends when you return to the point of origin at the conclusion of the trip.

Furnished Meals reduce your M&IE as detailed in the following chart. If ALL meals are furnished, you receive a daily amount of $5.00 for incidental expenses.

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Per Diem Rates

NEW Solutions follows the Federal GSA and Department of Defense per diem (lodging and M&IE) rates for travel within the continental United States, Alaska and Hawaii.  Although NEW Solutions Enrollees are to use these government standard per diem rates, Enrollees are not Federal employees and must not represent themselves as Federal employees while traveling. Click here  to access per diem rates for travel within the United States. On this page, select the year your travel is occurring (the GSA page can display both current and past per diem rates), and then click on the state you are visiting on the map. If you are visiting outside the “lower” States, click on the link just below the map.

Important Note : Travel to a location not listed in the above per diem rate tables requires an Enrollee to use the Standard CONUS (Continental United States) rates for lodging and M&IE listed at the beginning of each state's rate table.

Travel to Foreign Locations To obtain the approved per diem rates covering Puerto Rico, the Northern Marianas, U.S. Possessions and foreign locations, contact the Accounts Payable Specialist at NEW Solutions Headquarters by telephone (703-558-4200).

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Nps public health update.

The National Park Service works with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as state, tribal, and local public health authorities and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to ensure the safety of park visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners. When we are responding to an ongoing public health incident, this page will provide timely updates about our response activities and links to specific information about parks that may be involved. Additional information is available from the NPS Office of Public Health in its A-Z Health Topics Index .

The NPS is following DOI’s COVID-19 Workforce Safety Plan (Version 7.0) released in June 2023 and available to the public on DOI.gov . The NPS Office of Public Health maintains a public health information page for COVID-19 as part of its A-Z Health Topics Index . Please check with individual parks for specific details about park operations.

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at the US Department of Health and Human Services is the lead federal agency with responsibility for public health.

Last updated: August 1, 2023