Expense/ Travel Voucher Help
Step-by-step instructions for completing your DAV Department of Virginia Expense / Travel Voucher.
Note: These instructions follow Department policy. Your Chapter may use different rates or rules. Please check with your Chapter Treasurer before submitting a Chapter voucher.
Current Event
2026 Fall Conference
Event Hotel Address | DAV Negotiated Hotel Rate | IRS Mileage Rate | Per Diem for Meals |
|---|---|---|---|
4700 S Laburnum Ave, Richmond, VA 23231 | 113 | 0.76 | Meal allowance: $80 full day, $60 first and last day |
Step 1: Milage
Open the Milage Calculator
IRS Standard Milage Rages
The Department reimburses mileage using the IRS business standard mileage rate.
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Find your miles. Use Google Maps to find the most direct route from your home to the event hotel and back. Round the total to the nearest mile.
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Rate Standard: Select Business.
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When Did You Drive? Select Jul 1 – Dec 31, 2026. (The IRS raised the rate mid-2026 because of higher fuel costs.)
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Miles Driven: Enter your total round-trip miles.
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Your IRS Mileage Deduction: Enter this dollar amount on your voucher.
Tip: You don't have to use the calculator. The math is simply total miles × $0.76.
Example voucher entry:
Total Mileage: 234 miles × $0.76 = $177.84
Step 2: Per Diem (Meals & Incidentals)
Open the GSA Per Diem
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Choose a Location: Select Virginia and enter Richmond [confirm — see editor note].
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Choose a Date: Enter your Travel Start date (the day you left home) and Travel End date (the day you left the event and returned home). Then select Next.
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The tool shows two amounts:
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First and Last Day — 75% of the full rate ($60)
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Full Day — every day in between ($80)
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Tip: Always use your actual travel dates to and from home, not just the conference dates.
Example voucher entry (4-day trip: 2 travel days + 2 full days)
First and Last Day Amount: $60 × 2 = $120
Full Day Amount: $80 × 2 = $160
Total Per Diem: $280
Step 3: Hotel/Lodging
Per the 2026–2027 Budget Guidelines and Policy (Section 2, General Guidelines, Subsection 2, Official Travel), lodging is reimbursed at the lesser of the DAV negotiated rate or $175 per night.
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For the 2026 Fall Conference, the DAV negotiated rate is $113 / night.
ALLOWED
NOT ALLOWED
Room charge for nights stayed
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Lodging-related taxes
Meals or room service charged to your room
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Snacks, bar tabs, or other incidentials
Attach your itemized hotel receipt. Charges that are not allowed will be subtracted from your total. (Meals are already covered by your per diem.)
Step 4: Submit Your Voucher
Email your completed voucher and itemized receipts to the Department Assistant Treasurer, Sebastian Taphanel, at assttreasurer@virginiadav.org.
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IF CORRECTIONS ARE NEEDED: To save processing time, the Department Finance Adjutant (Barbara Stark) will make them, and the Department Finance/Audit Committee Liaison (Past Department Commander Steven Perkins) will double-check them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which mileage date range do I pick?
Pick the date range that includes the day you drove. For travel between July 1 and December 31, 2026, select "Jul 1 – Dec 31, 2026."
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Should I enter one-way or round-trip miles?
Round-trip: from home to the event hotel and back.
Why are my first and last days paid less?
GSA pays 75% of the full daily rate on travel days.
Can I claim the hotel restaurant or bar charges?
No. Only the room and lodging taxes are reimbursed. Meals are covered by your per diem.
My hotel rate was higher than $113. What will I be paid?
The lesser of the DAV negotiated rate or $175 per night. For this event, that is $113 per night plus lodging taxes.
Questions?
Department Assistant Treasurer
Sebastian Taphanel
assttreasurer@virginiadav.org
(434) 429-3495 (please text first)