Houston Per Diem Calculator and Rates

Calculate Houston's per diem rate based on GSA guidelines to simplify your business travels.

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As a global hub for the energy industry and home to the world's largest medical center, Houston is a vital destination for business travel. Navigating travel expenses in this sprawling metropolis requires a clear and consistent strategy. 

Per diem, a fixed daily allowance for lodging, meals, and incidental expenses, is the standard method used by federal agencies and many private businesses to efficiently manage these costs. This guide offers a detailed look at the per diem rates for Houston, key Texas laws that affect employers, and how you can simplify the entire reimbursement process.

Houston Per Diem Rates

Houston is designated as a Non-Standard Area (NSA) by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), meaning it has specific per diem rates that are higher than the standard U.S. rate to reflect local costs. These rates are mandatory for federal employees and are widely used as a benchmark by private companies.

For Fiscal Year 2025 (October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025), the rates are as follows:

Houston Area Rates (Harris County)

  • M&IE: The Meals and Incidental Expenses rate is $80 per day.
  • Lodging: The maximum lodging allowance is a flat rate of $128 per night for the entire year.
  • First and Last Day of Travel: On the first and last day of a trip, the M&IE allowance is calculated at 75% of the full daily rate, which amounts to $60.00.

It's important to note these rates apply to all locations within Harris County.

Houston Per Diem Rate Calculator

To easily determine the correct allowance for your trip to Houston, our per diem calculator provides instant and accurate results based on the official GSA schedule.

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Your per diem allowance

Dates
Lodging (L)
Meals & Incidentals (M&IE)
Total (L + M&IE)
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Lodging (L)
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Meals & Incidentals (M&IE)
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Total (L + M&IE)
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*For the first and last day of travel, M&lE spend is limited to 75% of its normal, daily allowance.

Houston GSA Lodging Rates

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County
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Houston Meals and Incidental Rates

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Some Important Houston Per Diem Laws

Private employers in Houston are governed by Texas state law, which has a unique approach to employee expense reimbursement.

  • No State Mandate for Reimbursement: Texas law does not require private employers to reimburse employees for business-related expenses. The decision to use a per diem system or another reimbursement method is based entirely on the employer's policy.
  • Company Policy as a Binding Agreement: While not mandated by law, if an employer establishes a policy to reimburse expenses, that policy creates a binding contract. An employee could sue for breach of contract if the employer fails to follow its own written rules.
  • Federal FLSA Protections: The primary legal safeguard for employees is the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). This law ensures that required business expenses paid by an employee do not cause their effective hourly pay to fall below the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.
  • Strict Rules on Wage Deductions: The Texas Payday Law strictly regulates what an employer can deduct from a worker's pay. An employer cannot withhold wages for a business expense without the employee's explicit prior written authorization for that lawful purpose.

Houston Per Diem Laws vs Federal Law

The per diem framework for a private company employee in Houston is fundamentally different from the GSA system that governs federal employees.

Primary Applicability

  • Federal Law (GSA): Mandatory for all U.S. federal government employees on official business in Houston.
  • Texas Law: State law does not set per diem rates. The primary legal considerations for private employers are their own policies and the federal FLSA minimum wage protection.

Rate Setting and Usage

  • Federal Law (GSA): The GSA sets specific, non-negotiable per diem rates for Houston that federal agencies must use.
  • Texas Law: The state does not set or regulate per diem rates. Private companies have the flexibility to design their own travel reimbursement policies. Using GSA rates is a common business practice for fairness but is not a legal requirement.

Legal Focus

  • Federal Law (GSA): Aims to create a uniform, cost-controlled system for all government travel.
  • Texas Law: Focuses on upholding employment agreements. If a company promises reimbursement, it is expected to adhere to its policy.

How Fyle Can Automate Per Diem and Expense Tracking

With a high volume of business travel in the energy, medical, and aerospace sectors, managing expenses for trips to Houston requires a system that is efficient, consistent, and compliant with your company's established policies. Fyle’s intelligent expense management platform is designed to handle these specific challenges.

Fyle helps you master Houston per diem and expense tracking:

  • Automated and Accurate Rate Application: Fyle automatically applies the correct $128 lodging and $80 M&IE GSA rates for Houston. The system instantly calculates the proper allowances, including the 75% M&IE rule for travel days, eliminating manual lookups.
  • Enforce Your Binding Policy: Since your internal policy is the guiding standard in Texas, consistent enforcement is crucial. Build your specific rules directly into Fyle’s policy engine to ensure every expense is checked for compliance before submission.
  • Real-Time Expense Capture: Empower your employees to report expenses on the go. A quick photo of a receipt from Fyle’s mobile app or a forwarded email is all it takes to create an expense entry, eliminating post-trip administrative work.
  • Proactive Compliance Engine: Fyle’s platform checks every expense against your policies before it gets submitted. This saves your finance team countless hours of manual review and ensures every expense report is accurate from the start.
  • IRS-Compliant Mileage Tracking: For employees driving around the Houston metro area, Fyle’s Google Maps-powered mileage tracker provides an easy and accurate way to log trips for reimbursement.
  • Direct Accounting Integration: Fyle syncs seamlessly with all major accounting software, including NetSuite, QuickBooks, Xero, and Sage Intacct. All approved per diem and travel data flows directly into your general ledger, saving time and ensuring financial accuracy.

With Fyle, you can confidently manage your Houston travel expense process, ensuring you meet your policy obligations while providing a modern, hassle-free experience for your employees.

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The content on this page is for informational use. As legal standards and per diem rates are subject to change, users should verify current details with official GSA or government resources. This information does not serve as financial or legal counsel.