Illinois Per Diem Allowance

Calculate Illinois’s per diem rate based on GSA guidelines to simplify your business travels.

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For companies operating in Illinois, a well-defined per diem policy is a key tool for managing the costs of this travel in a legally compliant way.

This guide is designed to bring clarity to that process. We'll explore the official GSA per diem rates for Illinois, explain the state's important laws on employee expense reimbursement, and show you how to streamline your system for efficiency and control.

Illinois Per Diem Rate

Per diem rates for official travel in Illinois are set by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). These federal rates are mandatory for federal employees and serve as a common benchmark for private sector companies looking to create an IRS-compliant reimbursement policy.

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

Chicago Metro Area

The state's primary business and tourism hub, the Chicago metro area, has some of the highest and most seasonally-variable rates in the country.

  • Chicago (Cook & Lake Counties):
    • M&IE: $92 per day
    • Lodging: Highly seasonal, with peak rates of $234 per night (Apr-June) and rates as low as $142 per night in the winter.
  • Oak Brook Terrace (DuPage County):
    • M&IE: $80 per day
    • Lodging: A flat rate of $115 per night.

The first and last day of travel, the M&IE rate is $69.00 for Chicago and $60.00 for Oak Brook Terrace.

Standard CONUS Rate

For any county in Illinois not specifically listed by the GSA—including other major cities like Springfield (Sangamon County) or Champaign-Urbana (Champaign County)—the standard CONUS rate applies. For FY 2025, this rate is $178 ($110 for lodging and $68 for M&IE).

Illinois Per Diem Rate Calculator

Find the exact per diem allowance for your business trip to Illinois with our easy-to-use calculator. Select the fiscal year, choose your destination, and input your travel dates. The tool will instantly provide the correct lodging and M&IE rates 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.

Illinois GSA Lodging Rates

Financial year
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County
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Illinois Meals and Incidental Rates

Financial year
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Some Important Illinois Per Diem Laws

Illinois has robust laws that protect employees from bearing the costs of business-related expenses.

  • Mandatory Reimbursement Under The Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act: The law (820 ILCS 115/9.5) explicitly requires that an employer "shall reimburse an employee for all necessary expenditures or losses incurred by the employee within the employee's scope of employment." This creates a clear legal duty for all private employers in the state to reimburse necessary travel costs.

  • The Role of A Written Policy in Setting Limits: While reimbursement is required, the Act allows employers to set reasonable guidelines and spending caps in a written policy. An employee who fails to comply with a clear written policy may not be entitled to full reimbursement for expenses that exceed the established limits, as long as the policy is not "de minimis" (offering virtually no reimbursement).

Illinois Per Diem Laws vs Federal Law

It's crucial for Illinois employers to understand how the state's legal mandate interacts with the federal per diem system.

Primary Applicability

  • Federal Law (GSA): Mandatory for U.S. federal government employees traveling to Illinois. Private companies often use these rates as a benchmark for what is considered a "reasonable" reimbursement.
  • Illinois State Law: Mandatory for all private sector employers in Illinois. It establishes the legal duty to reimburse, not the specific rates.

Rate Setting and Usage

  • Federal Law (GSA): Sets specific, non-negotiable per diem rates that federal agencies must use.
  • Illinois State Law: Does not set its own rates but legally requires that reimbursement be sufficient to cover an employee's actual, necessary costs. Using GSA rates is a common way to establish a policy that is presumed reasonable and compliant with this law.

Legal Focus

  • Federal Law (GSA): Aims to create a uniform, cost-controlled system for government travel.
  • Illinois State Law: Aims to protect employees by ensuring they are not financially burdened by having to pay for their employer's business costs.

How Fyle Can Automate Per Diem and Expense Tracking

In a state like Illinois where expense reimbursement is a legal requirement, maintaining a compliant, accurate, and efficient system is paramount. Fyle’s expense management software automates the entire process, providing an ironclad audit trail while making it simple for employees to get reimbursed quickly.

Here’s how Fyle helps you build a compliant and efficient expense process in Illinois:

  • A Powerful Policy Engine To Ensure Compliance: Codify your travel policy, including GSA per diem rates and custom spending limits, directly into Fyle. The platform automatically checks every expense against these rules, ensuring every reimbursement aligns with Illinois law and your company's budget.

  • Effortless Expense Documentation For Your Team: Fyle makes it easy for employees to create compliant expense reports. A simple photo of a receipt is all it takes to capture the necessary data, which means no more lost documentation or delayed submissions.

  • Real-Time Visibility and Control Over Corporate Card Spend: Integrate your company's existing corporate cards with Fyle to get a live feed of all transactions. This gives finance leaders immediate oversight into spending and automates the reconciliation process for employees.

  • Accurate Mileage Tracking For In-State Travel: Whether driving to a client meeting in the Chicago suburbs or traveling downstate, Fyle’s GPS-powered mileage tracker provides a simple and IRS-compliant way to log business travel, guaranteeing accurate reimbursement.

  • Seamless Accounting Sync To Eliminate Manual Work: Fyle connects directly with all major accounting systems, including Sage, NetSuite, QuickBooks, and Xero. All approved expense data flows automatically to your general ledger, saving hours of manual work and ensuring your financial records are always up-to-date.

With Fyle, you can confidently meet your legal reimbursement obligations in Illinois, giving your finance team powerful controls while offering a simple, modern 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.