Maryland Per Diem Allowance

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

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With its strategic location bordering Washington D.C. and its thriving biotech, defense, and maritime industries, Maryland is a crucial destination for both government and commercial business travel. For organizations with employees working in Maryland, a clear strategy for managing travel expenses is key to maintaining budgets and ensuring compliance.

Per diem, a daily allowance for lodging, meals, and incidental expenses, is the most common method for handling travel reimbursements. This guide offers a detailed look at the federal per diem rates for Maryland, clarifies important state laws, and shows how you can automate the entire process.

Maryland Per Diem Rate

Per diem rates for official travel in Maryland 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:

Washington D.C. Metro Area

The Maryland suburbs of Washington D.C. have some of the highest per diem rates in the nation, which are aligned with the capital itself.

  • Bethesda / Rockville (Montgomery County) & Greenbelt (Prince George's County):
    • M&IE: $92 per day
    • Lodging: Highly seasonal, with a peak rate of $276 per night and off-season rates as low as $183 per night.
    • The first and last day of travel, the M&IE rate is $69.00.

Other Major Business and Tourist Centers

Maryland's other key cities have their own designated Non-Standard Area (NSA) rates.

  • Baltimore (Baltimore City):
    • M&IE: $86 per day
    • Lodging: A flat rate of $150 per night.
  • Annapolis (Anne Arundel County):
    • M&IE: $80 per day
    • Lodging: Seasonal, with a rate of $161 per night (Oct, May-Sep) and $125 per night for all other months.
  • Ocean City (Worcester County):
    • M&IE: $80 per day
    • Lodging: Highly seasonal, with a peak summer rate of $295 per night (June-Aug) and a rate of $115 per night for all other months.

The first and last day of travel, the M&IE rate is $64.50 for Baltimore and $60.00 for Annapolis and Ocean City.

Maryland Per Diem Rate Calculator

Find the exact per diem allowance for your business trip to Maryland 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.

Maryland GSA Lodging Rates

Financial year
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County
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Maryland Meals and Incidental Rates

Financial year
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County
Daily M&IE Total
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Some Important Maryland Per Diem Laws

For private employers in Maryland, state law offers flexibility, making the company's own policy the most critical factor in managing travel expenses.

  • The Role of Company Policy in Reimbursement: Maryland state law does not require private employers to reimburse employees for business-related travel expenses. Therefore, establishing a clear, fair, and consistently enforced travel policy is essential for managing employee expectations and avoiding potential disputes.
  • Maryland's State Employee Travel Regulations: The State of Maryland has its own detailed travel regulations for its public employees. This policy sets specific reimbursement rates for meals and incidental expenses that are separate from the GSA's combined M&IE system, though lodging reimbursement is often based on actual costs up to the GSA maximum.

Maryland Per Diem Laws vs Federal Law

It's important to understand the distinction between the federal GSA system and Maryland's state law.

Primary Applicability

  • Federal Law (GSA): Mandatory for all U.S. federal government employees on official business in Maryland. It is also the most common standard used by private businesses for an IRS-compliant accountable plan.
  • Maryland State Law: Does not mandate expense reimbursement for private employers. The primary legal considerations are the employer's own policies and federal minimum wage laws (FLSA), which ensure expenses don't drop an employee's effective pay below the minimum wage.

Rate Setting and Usage

  • Federal Law (GSA): Sets specific, non-negotiable per diem rates for various locations in Maryland that federal agencies must use.
  • Maryland State Law: Does not set or regulate per diem rates for private companies. Businesses are free to set their own reimbursement rates or policies, though using GSA rates is a common best practice.

Legal Focus

  • Federal Law (GSA): Aims to create a uniform, cost-controlled system for federal travel.
  • Maryland State Law: Relies on the agreements made between an employer and employee, giving businesses flexibility while holding them accountable to their own written policies.

How Fyle Can Automate Per Diem and Expense Tracking

Managing travel expenses in a state with diverse and often high-cost regions like Maryland requires a system that is both powerful and easy to use. Fyle’s intelligent expense management platform provides robust control for finance teams and effortless reporting for traveling employees.

Here’s how Fyle helps you master your Maryland travel expenses:

  • A Centralized Platform for All Travel Spending: Give your finance team a single, real-time dashboard to monitor all travel expenses—from per diem claims to corporate card spending and mileage logs—for complete visibility and control over your budget.
  • Automated Reconciliation for Your Corporate Cards: Fyle integrates directly with your company's existing Visa, Mastercard, and American Express cards. It provides real-time transaction feeds and helps employees reconcile their card spending instantly, eliminating manual statement reviews.
  • Policy Checks that Prevent Problems Before They Happen: Build your specific travel policies and GSA per diem limits directly into Fyle. The system automatically checks every expense submission for compliance, notifying employees of any issues before they submit, which saves managers and finance teams valuable time.
  • Simplified Expense Reporting for Employees on the Go: Your team can submit expenses from anywhere with the Fyle mobile app. A quick photo of a receipt is all it takes to create a fully documented expense entry, which means no more lost receipts or tedious end-of-trip reports.
  • A Faster Monthly Close with Direct Accounting Sync: Fyle integrates seamlessly with leading accounting software like NetSuite, QuickBooks, Sage, and Xero. This means no more manual data entry for your finance team and a faster, more accurate monthly close.
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Your single platform for tracking per diems, mileage, receipts, and automating all expense reporting.

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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.