North Carolina Per Diem Allowance

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

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From the financial hub of Charlotte and the tech-driven Research Triangle Park to the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway and the coastal Outer Banks, North Carolina offers a diverse landscape for business travel. Managing travel expenses effectively across these varied regions is key for any organization. 

Per diem, a fixed daily allowance for lodging, meals, and incidental expenses, provides a standardized and efficient method for handling travel reimbursements. This guide offers a clear breakdown of the per diem rates applicable in North Carolina, important state-specific laws,

North Carolina Per Diem Rates

Per diem rates for official travel in North Carolina are set by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). These rates are the mandatory standard for federal employees and are commonly used as a reliable benchmark by private sector companies. The rates vary by location to reflect local costs.

For Fiscal Year 2025 (October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025), key rates include:

Major Metro Areas 

Cities like Charlotte and Raleigh have their own specific per diem rates.

  • Charlotte (Mecklenburg County): The M&IE rate is $80 per day, and the lodging rate is a flat $131 per night. The first and last day of travel M&IE rate is $60.00.
  • Raleigh (Wake County): The M&IE rate is $74 per day, and the lodging rate is a flat $131 per night.

Tourist and High-Cost Areas 

Destinations like Asheville and the Outer Banks have unique, often seasonal, rates.

  • Asheville (Buncombe County): The M&IE rate is $80 per day. Lodging rates are seasonal, set at $141 per night(October-December) and $120 per night (January-September).
  • Kill Devil Hills (Dare County / Outer Banks): The M&IE rate is $74 per day. Lodging rates are highly seasonal, with a peak summer rate of $254 per night (June-August).

Standard CONUS Rate 

For any county in North Carolina not specifically listed by the GSA, the standard CONUS rate applies. For FY 2025, this rate is $178 ($110 for lodging and $68 for M&IE).

North Carolina Per Diem Rate Calculator

Our North Carolina Per Diem Rate Calculator is designed to give you precise and current allowance information for any destination within the state, eliminating guesswork and ensuring accuracy.

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Your per diem allowance

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Meals & Incidentals (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.

North Carolina GSA Lodging Rates

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North Carolina Meals and Incidental Rates

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Some Important North Carolina Per Diem Laws

For private employers, the legal framework in North Carolina regarding expense reimbursement is based on general wage and hour laws rather than specific per diem statutes.

  • No State Law Mandating Expense Reimbursement: North Carolina law does not require private employers to reimburse employees for business-related travel expenses. The decision to pay a per diem or reimburse actual costs is based on the employer's own policy or employment agreement.
  • Importance of Company Policy: While not legally mandated, an employer’s own written reimbursement policy is considered a binding agreement. If a company handbook or employment contract promises to reimburse expenses, that policy is generally enforceable under contract law.
  • Federal FLSA Protections are Key: The primary legal protection for employees is the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). This law establishes that required business expenses paid by an employee cannot cause their effective hourly pay to fall below the minimum wage. In North Carolina, the minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.
  • No Limit on Work Hours: North Carolina law does not limit the number of hours or consecutive days an adult employee can be required to work. Overtime pay at time-and-a-half is required for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek for non-exempt employees.

North Carolina Per Diem Laws vs Federal Law

The per diem rules for a private company employee in North Carolina are 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 North Carolina.
  • North Carolina Law: State law does not set per diem rules for private employers. The primary legal considerations are the employer's 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 various locations in North Carolina, which federal agencies must follow.
  • North Carolina 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 and convenience, but it is not a legal requirement.

Legal Focus

  • Federal Law (GSA): Aims to create a uniform, cost-controlled system for all government travel.
  • North Carolina Law: Focuses on upholding employment agreements and ensuring federal minimum wage laws are met. If a company promises reimbursement, it is expected to adhere to its policy.

How Fyle Can Automate Per Diem and Expense Tracking

Managing travel expenses across North Carolina's diverse economic and geographic regions—from Charlotte's financial district to research hubs and coastal destinations—demands an efficient and compliant system. Automation is the key to handling this complexity without the administrative burden.

Fyle’s expense management software is built to handle the unique needs of your business:

  • Automated Rate Calculation: Fyle automatically applies the correct GSA per diem rates for any location in North Carolina. It instantly factors in seasonal lodging changes and the 75% M&IE rule for travel days, eliminating manual lookups and errors.
  • Custom Policy Enforcement: Whether you adhere to GSA rates or have a unique corporate travel policy, Fyle allows you to build your specific rules directly into the workflow. This ensures that every submitted expense is compliant with your company’s standards.
  • Effortless Reporting on the Go: Employees can submit expenses in real-time from anywhere. A quick photo of a receipt with the Fyle mobile app or a forwarded email is all it takes to create an expense entry, freeing your team from tedious end-of-trip reporting.
  • Proactive Compliance Engine: Fyle’s platform checks every expense for policy compliance before it gets submitted. This saves countless hours of manual review and ensures every expense report is accurate and audit-ready from the start.
  • Built-in Mileage Tracking: For employees driving across the state, Fyle’s Google Maps-powered mileage tracker offers an easy and accurate way to log trips, ensuring IRS-compliant records for reimbursement.
  • Direct Accounting Integration: Fyle syncs seamlessly with all major accounting software, including QuickBooks, NetSuite, 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 streamline your entire travel expense process for North Carolina, ensuring compliance, improving employee satisfaction, and gaining better control over your business spend.

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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.