Wisconsin Per Diem Allowance

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

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As a leader in manufacturing, agriculture, and a growing hub for technology and healthcare, Wisconsin is a key destination for business travel in the Midwest. From the major metropolitan areas of Milwaukee and Madison to its famous tourist regions like the Wisconsin Dells, managing travel expenses effectively is crucial. 

Per diem, a daily allowance for lodging, meals, and incidentals, provides a streamlined approach to reimbursement. This guide offers a comprehensive look at the per diem rates for Wisconsin, important state laws for employers, and how to automate the entire process for compliance and efficiency.

Wisconsin Per Diem Rates

Per diem rates for official travel in Wisconsin 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. The rates vary, with the state's largest cities having their own designated rates.

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

Major Metro Areas 

Wisconsin's primary business and government centers have specific Non-Standard Area (NSA) rates.

  • Milwaukee (Milwaukee County):
    • M&IE: $80 per day
    • Lodging: A flat rate of $140 per night.
  • Madison (Dane County):
    • M&IE: $80 per day
    • Lodging: Seasonal, with a rate of $138 per night (Oct, May-Sep) and $110 per night (Nov-Apr).
    • The first and last day of travel, the M&IE rate is $60.00.

Tourist and High-Cost Areas 

It's important to note that not all major tourist destinations have their own high-cost designation.

  • Wisconsin Dells / Lake Delton (Columbia County): This popular tourist area does not have a specific NSA rate and is covered by the Standard CONUS Rate.

Standard CONUS Rate 

For any county in Wisconsin not specifically listed by the GSA—including major tourist destinations like Wisconsin Dells (Columbia County)—the standard CONUS rate applies. For FY 2025, this rate is $178($110 for lodging and $68 for M&IE).

Wisconsin Per Diem Rate Calculator

To find the precise per diem allowance for your trip anywhere in Wisconsin, our calculator provides instant, accurate results based on the official GSA schedule.

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Your per diem allowance

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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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*For the first and last day of travel, M&lE spend is limited to 75% of its normal, daily allowance.

Wisconsin GSA Lodging Rates

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Wisconsin Meals and Incidental Rates

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Some Important Wisconsin Per Diem Laws

For private employers, the legal landscape in Wisconsin regarding expense reimbursement is guided by strong wage protection laws rather than a direct reimbursement mandate.

  • No State Law Mandating Expense Reimbursement: Wisconsin law does not have a statute that requires private companies to reimburse employees for business-related expenses. The decision to use a per diem system is based on the employer's internal policy.
  • Strict Rules on Wage Deductions (Wis. Stat. § 103.455): This is the key protection for employees in Wisconsin. The law strictly limits an employer's ability to make deductions from an employee's wages for things like loss, theft, or faulty workmanship. An employer cannot unilaterally deduct the cost of a business expense from a paycheck, as this would be considered an illegal deduction.
  • Federal Minimum Wage Applies: Wisconsin's state minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, the same as the federal rate.
  • Federal FLSA Protections: The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) provides the primary legal protection. This law ensures that required business expenses paid by an employee do not cause their effective hourly pay to fall below the $7.25 per hour minimum wage.

Wisconsin Per Diem Laws vs Federal Law

The per diem framework for a private company employee in Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin.
  • Wisconsin Law: Does not set per diem rates but provides strong protections against wage deductions, which effectively prevents employers from making employees pay for business expenses out of their wages.

Rate Setting and Usage

  • Federal Law (GSA): The GSA sets specific, non-negotiable per diem rates for various locations in Wisconsin that federal agencies must use.
  • Wisconsin Law: The state does not set or regulate per diem rates. Private companies can create their own reimbursement policies. Using GSA rates is a common and fair business practice, but not a legal requirement.

Legal Foundation

  • Federal Law (GSA): A comprehensive regulatory system designed to standardize and control government travel costs.
  • Wisconsin Law: Focuses on protecting an employee's earned wages from unauthorized deductions. The legal principle is that an employee's paycheck is for their labor, not for subsidizing the employer's operating costs.

How Fyle Can Automate Per Diem and Expense Tracking

Navigating Wisconsin's per diem rates, from the business centers of Milwaukee and Madison to its popular tourist spots, requires a precise and compliant expense management system. Fyle’s intelligent platform is designed to automate this process, protecting your business and simplifying travel for your employees.

Fyle helps you master Wisconsin per diem and expense tracking:

  • Automated and Accurate Rate Calculation: Fyle automatically applies the correct GSA per diem rates for any destination in Wisconsin, instantly handling seasonal changes in Madison and applying the standard rate for places like Wisconsin Dells.
  • Enforce Your Company Policy: With Wisconsin's laws focused on wage protection, having a clear and consistently enforced reimbursement policy is crucial. Fyle allows you to build your specific rules directly into the workflow, ensuring every expense is compliant before submission.
  • A Seamless Employee Experience: Make expense reporting effortless. Employees can instantly submit expenses with a photo of a receipt from Fyle’s mobile app or by forwarding a receipt from their email, allowing them to focus on their work, not paperwork.
  • Proactive Compliance Engine: Fyle’s platform checks every expense against your policies before it gets submitted. This prevents out-of-policy spend and frees your finance team from tedious manual reviews.
  • IRS-Compliant 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 compliant records 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 Wisconsin travel expense process, ensuring you adhere to your internal policies and state law 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.