An employee, when required to travel by motor vehicle or truck in the performance of official duty, should use a state-owned vehicle, whenever possible. 

When an employee drives a state fleet vehicle, the State's liability coverage is primary, should an accident occur. If an employee drives a personal vehicle on state business, the employee's personal insurance is primary. If an employee must drive a personal vehicle because no state fleet vehicles are available, then the State would have primary responsibility. 

Where more than one state employee travels in the same car while engaged upon official duty, whether belonging to different departments, subdivisions, boards, or commissions or not, no claim may be made for more than one mileage, such claim to be made by the owner or lessee of such car. 

If an employee is allowed to use a personal vehicle, reimbursement will be made according to the rates below. 

IN-STATE MILEAGE - The United States General Services Administration mileage rate is used for actual and necessary mileage traveled in the performance of official duty when such travel is by motor vehicle.

OUT-OF-STATE MILEAGE - If only one person engages in travel exceeding any geographic point 300 miles beyond the borders of this state, reimbursement shall be limited to eighteen cents per mile for the out-of-state portion of the travel beyond the first 300 miles. 

When interpreting the law indicated above, it may be helpful to visualize that the state's border has expanded in all directions by 300 miles. When only one person travels outside the state of North Dakota and uses their own vehicle, their miles traveled within the 300 mile expanded border, the employee may be reimbursed at the established United States General Services Administration mileage rate. This includes both the departure and return parts of the trip.  

Mileage allowances are assumed to be total operating costs for vehicles. No additional amounts will be reimbursed to employees for personal items such as: traffic or parking tickets, vehicle repairs, or any other normal automobile expenses.    

For travel on official state business, airline tickets may be either purchased through a travel agency and billed to the department, or purchased by the employee and reimbursed. In either case, the original itinerary should be used to support the travel agency payment or employee reimbursement. 

Reimbursement to an employee or tickets directly billed to a department will be allowed for the actual cost of tourist or coach fare, purchased at the lowest reasonable rate available, except when approved by the President, or President's designee, unless not permitted by federal rules or regulations. Approvals must be filed in the President's Office. First Class or Business Class tickets should normally be through a frequent flyer upgrade or the employee should use frequent flyer miles earned via state travel. Invoices from third parties (like travel agencies) must identify if travel is First Class or Business Class. 

Frequent flyer miles, coupons, or credits received that are used to purchase an airline ticket will not be reimbursed as they are not considered part of the actual cost of the flight. 

The State of North Dakota is participating in a discount program with Delta Airlines. If airline tickets are purchased with Delta, those tickets should be booked using the “Delta EDP” link accessed through the PeopleSoft Employee Hub. At this time Delta Airlines is the only airline offering the State a discount program.

If the ticket is paid by the employee in a month prior to the travel dates, with appropriate department approval, the employee may be reimbursed immediately after the ticket is paid by completing an expense report.  

Meal and lodging expenses will be limited to the days needed to complete the business trip. Meal and lodging expenses for additional travel necessary to get a discounted or reduced airline rate are reimbursable, if a cost savings can be documented.