Policy & Regulations

Joint Travel Regulations

The Joint Travel Regulations (JTR) implements policy and law to establish travel and transportation allowances for Uniformed Service members (i.e., Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, Coast Guard, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, and Public Health Service Commissioned Corps), Department of Defense (DoD) civilian employees, and others traveling at the DoD’s expense.

The JTR is published on a monthly basis; however, policy changes may occur at any time during the month. In each issue of the JTR, the cover letter outlines all policy changes from the previous version and the updated sections are highlighted throughout the document. Refer to the travel regulations archive for previous versions.

For Uniformed Service members, the JTR's authority is primarily derived from U.S.C. Titles 10 and 37 statutes. For DoD civilian employees, the JTR's authority is primarily derived from U.S.C. Title 5 statutes, General Service Administration's (GSA) Federal Travel Regulation (FTR), and the Department of State's Standardized Regulations.

Provisions of the JTR are also determined by decisions of the Comptroller General (CG), the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals (CBCA), the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA), and DoD General Counsel.

The Per Diem Travel and Transportation Allowance Committee (PDTATAC), or Per Diem Committee, has oversight of the JTR, per DoD Instruction 5154.31, Volume 5 [PDF, 8 pages]. Two working level advisory panels support the subcommittee – the Military Advisory Panel (MAP) and the Civilian Advisory Panel (CAP). The Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO) serves as the administrative staff for the PDTATAC by developing, administering, and maintaining JTR.

MAP and CAP meet monthly and evaluate issues pertaining to travel and transportation allowances for Uniformed Service members and DoD civilian employees respectively.

 

Learn more about governance.

Proposed changes to the JTR may be submitted through a MAP or CAP member or the PDTATAC’s staff. Some changes to the JTR are required by changes to law and Service or DoD policy, or decisions of the Comptroller General, the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals, or the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals.

To request a JTR policy change, submit your recommendation through your chain of command to your component’s MAP or CAP member.

Review the JTR frequently asked questions. For questions about Pay, Travel Vouchers/Claims, Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS), Tax Exemptions, and Clothing Allowances, go to DFAS-Feedback.

Check your organization’s local business rules as they may contain additional clarification or guidance. If you need assistance locating your organization’s local business rules, contact your local level support.

Use your chain of command or contact your local servicing finance, transportation, or personnel office. The local offices are in the best position to review your circumstances and provide appropriate answers.

If you still need information after consulting these resources, submit a question to the PDTATAC’s staff. You must provide contact information for your servicing finance, transportation, or personnel office (whichever you consulted), the name of the person(s) with whom you spoke to, and a summary of any guidance given to you. A copy of the reply is forwarded to the Military or Civilian Advisory Panel member from your service.

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