More of this Feature • CONUS Per Diem Rates

Join the Discussion Visit Our Message Forum

Related Resources • Military Pay Charts • PCS/TDY Mileage Rates • What the Recruiter Never Told You

Per Diem is paid to military members (and civilian DOD employees) who are on official temporary duty (TDY) at a location other than their permanent duty assignment for more than one day (except if under "field conditions"). Note: Members undergoing IADT (i.e., basic training, followed by job-school) are not in a "TDY Status," and therefore do not receive per diem.

The amount of daily per diem a member receives depends on the location of the TDY. The daily per diem rate is the cost of lodging (up to the maximum lodging rate), plus the daily meal rate, plus the daily incidentals rate.

If the TDY orders state that government meals (chow hall) are directed, the daily meal rate is $9.05 per day. If the TDY orders state that government meals are not available, the daily meal rate is the "Local Meals" rate shown in the chart below. If the TDY orders do not require government meals, or do not state that government meals are not available, the "Prop-Meal" rate shown in the chart below applies.

When the Location or DOD Installation does not appear in the first column, search the second column for the County. If the County is not listed, use the STANDARD CONUS PER DIEM RATE.

Special per diem rules apply for the first and last day of travel. On the first day of travel (from the duty location to the TDY location), members receive the cost of lodging (up to the maximum lodging rate), plus 75 percent of the meal and incidental rates, for the TDY location. On the last day of travel (from the TDY location to the home station), the member does not receive lodging, but is entitled to 75 percent of the meal and incidental rate (for the TDY location) for that day.

If there is an authorized overnight stop-over during the days of travel, the member receives lodging costs (up to the maximum lodging rate), plus 75 percent of the meal and incidental rate, for the location of the overnight stop-over.

Shown below are the FY 2006 per diem rates for South Carolina: