Joint Travel Regulations Changes

Changes to the JTR are published to DTMO's Policy & Regulations RSS feed.

TitleDescriptionEffective Date
CTD FOR CAP 50-20(E) OCONUS CIVILIAN TOUR LENGTHS REVISIONS.PDFThis item makes updated to the Civilian Tour Lengths section of the Tour Lengths and Tours of Duty OCONUS website document. The change removes locations that are no longer relevant and clarifies what the applicable accompanied and unaccompanied tour lengths are for each location.7/19/2022
CTD for CAP 46-24(E), Clarification when Authorizing Temporary Quarters Subsistence Expenses and House Hunting TripThis item amends the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR) to align JTR, pars. 054008, 054206, and 054207 with Federal Travel Regulation § 302–6.30. This item clarifies that the Authorizing Official must reduce the total number of days civilian employees are authorized for TQSE (Lodging Plus) and TQSE (Actual Expense) by the number of house hunting trip days. Effective on September 1, 2024.9/1/2024
CTD for CAP 39-24(R), Removal of Temporary Quarters Subsistence Expenses Actual Expense (TQSE (AE))On May 7, 2024, the General Services Administration (GSA) published new regulations in the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) affecting Title 41 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Parts 300-2, 302-6, and 302-17. These changes established Temporary Quarters Subsistence Expenses “Lodgings Plus” (TQSE (LP)) as the preferred reimbursement method and granted the DoD the authority to discontinue use of TQSE Actual Expense (TQSE (AE)). The DoD has determined that TQSE (AE) is unnecessary, redundant, and administratively burdensome. As a result, this item will remove TQSE (AE) as a reimbursement option. Instead, the DoD will offer TQSE (LP) as the preferred reimbursement method and TQSE Lump Sum (TQSE (LS)) as a second option. When compared with TQSE (AE), the new TQSE (LP) method results in a more efficient process for the civilian employee, travel examiner, and certifying official by significantly reducing the administrative burden of maintaining, submitting, and reviewing itemized subsistence expenses and receipts. Effective February 1, 2025.2/1/2025
CTD for CAP 35-24(S), Redefining Temporary Quarters Subsistence Expenses (TQSE) AllowancesThis item implements a mandatory provision of the Federal Travel Regulation affecting Title 41 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Parts 300-2, 302-6, and 302-17, issued by the General Services administration on May 7, 2024. This item inserts changes to the Temporary Quarters Subsistence Expenses (TQSE) allowances and establishes TQSE Lodgings Plus (LP) as the preferred reimbursement method. Effective July 1, 2024.7/1/2024
CTD for CAP 31-21(R) Unaccompanied Baggage for Dependent Student TravelThis item specifies the rules for unaccompanied baggage for travel of a civilian employee’s dependent student, to mirror the Service member rules. The Department of State Standardized Regulations (DSSR) Section 285.1 contains the allowances for dependent student travel but does not specify the weight limitation for unaccompanied baggage.4/26/2022
CTD for CAP 22-24(E), Shipment of Alternative Fueled POV or Circuitous Route to New PDSThis item inserts clarifying language identified in General Service Administration’s (GSA) Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) Case 2022-03, which issued a final ruling to allow agencies greater flexibility for authorizing shipment of an alternative fueled privately-owned vehicle (POV) or authorizing a circuitous route for these types of POVs to a new permanent duty station (PDS). These changes will provide Services with additional factors to help determine whether shipping a traveler’s alternative fueled POV is more cost-effective and advantageous to the Government than authorizing the traveler to drive their POV to the new permanent duty station (PDS).6/1/2024
CTD for CAP 17-25(I), Update GSA Waiver Authority for Storage in Transit ExtensionsThis item updates the Joint Travel Regulations, in accordance with the General Services Administration's waiver authority for storage in transit extensions, January 22, 2025. Effective April 1, 2025.4/1/2025
CTD for CAP 11-25(I), Update Flat Payment Miscellaneous Expense Allowance (MEA) RatesIn accordance with Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) Bulletin 25-05, this item updates the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR), Table 5-80 to provide the new relocation MEA flat rate amounts of $905 or the equivalent of one week’s basic gross pay, whichever is the lesser amount, for an employee without immediate family members relocating with them, and $1,810 or the equivalent of two week’s basic gross pay, whichever is the lesser amount, for an employee with immediate family members relocating with them. Effective upon the date of signature and retroactively applies to travel authorized on or after January 15, 2025.2/12/2025
CTD for CAP 06-23(I), “Expiration of FTR Bulletin 22-07”This item removes certain provisions from the JTR which implemented Federal Travel Regulations (FTR) Bulletin 22-07, “Relocation Allowances – Extended waiver of certain Federal Travel (FTR) provisions during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.” The bulletin temporarily waived certain provisions of the FTR governing official relocation travel and renewal agreement (RAT) travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. FTR Bulletin 22-07expired effective December 31, 2022.1/24/2023
CTD for CAP 03-24(R), Authority to Negotiate a Service AgreementThis item allows retired or separated Service members to negotiate a service agreement if appointed to a position at a non-foreign OCONUS duty station. Effective March 12, 2025.3/12/2025
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