California · GSA non-standard area · FY2027
Bakersfield / Ridgecrest per diem rates
Federal travelers to Bakersfield / Ridgecrest (GSA area: Kern) can claim up to $164 a night for lodging and $74 a day for meals and incidental expenses in FY2027 (October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027). That is $51 above the standard CONUS lodging rate of $113.
Lodging cap by month, FY2027
FY2027 rates by season
Exactly as listed in GSA's FY2027 per diem file. Season dates are inclusive; the lodging cap applies to the night that begins on each date.
| Season | Lodging | M&IE | Max per day |
|---|---|---|---|
| All year | $164 | $74 | $238 |
Meals, incidentals and a worked trip
| Breakfast | $18 |
| Lunch | $20 |
| Dinner | $31 |
| Incidental expenses | $5 |
| M&IE, full day | $74 |
| First and last day of travel (75%) | $55.50 |
GSA's breakdown of the $74 M&IE tier, used to deduct meals provided by the government or included in a registration fee (FTR §301-11.21). Meals on a common carrier and complimentary hotel breakfasts are not deducted. All tiers
Worked example · November
A 4-night trip (5 travel days) in November:
| Lodging, 4 nights × $164 | $656 |
| M&IE, first and last day at 75% (2 × $55.50) | $111.00 |
| M&IE, 3 full days × $74 | $222 |
| Maximum for the trip | $989.00 |
Lodging is reimbursed up to the cap for actual cost (taxes are claimed separately on CONUS trips, FTR §301-11.16). The 75% first-and-last-day rule is FTR §301-11.20. Use the trip calculator for your own dates.
History, FY2015 to FY2027
Listed in every GSA file since FY2015.
Bakersfield / Ridgecrest: lodging and M&IE by fiscal year
Each fiscal year runs October to September. Dashed line: the standard CONUS lodging rate.
| Fiscal year | Lodging | M&IE | Max/day | Peak change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2027 | $164 | $74 | $238 | +24.2% |
| FY2026 | $132 | $74 | $206 | 0% |
| FY2025 | $132 | $74 | $206 | +2.3% |
| FY2024 | $129 | $64 | $193 | +4.9% |
| FY2023 | $123 | $64 | $187 | +6.0% |
| FY2022 | $116 | $64 | $180 | 0% |
| FY2021 | $116 | $61 | $177 | +4.5% |
| FY2020 | $111 | $61 | $172 | +5.7% |
| FY2019 | $105 | $61 | $166 | +5.0% |
| FY2018 | $100 | $59 | $159 | +4.2% |
| FY2017 | $96 | $59 | $155 | +1.1% |
| FY2016 | $95 | $59 | $154 | +3.3% |
| FY2015 | $92 | $51 | $143 | – |
How it compares
Peak FY2027 lodging cap: Bakersfield / Ridgecrest among all 295 non-standard areas
Rank #141 nationally and #19 of 32 in California. All California rates · National rankings
Where this rate applies
GSA defines this area as Kern in California. Under GSA's rules a non-standard area includes "all locations within, or entirely surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city as well as the boundaries of the listed counties" (GSA per diem FAQs).
69 ZIP codes map to Bakersfield / Ridgecrest in GSA's FY2027 ZIP code file
93203 93205 93206 93215 93216 93220 93222 93224 93225 93226 93238 93240 93241 93243 93249 93250 93251 93252 93255 93263 93268 93276 93280 93283 93285 93287 93301 93302 93303 93304 93305 93306 93307 93308 93309 93311 93312 93313 93314 93380 93383 93384 93385 93386 93387 93388 93389 93390 93501 93502 93504 93505 93516 93518 93519 93523 93524 93527 93528 93531 93536 93554 93555 93556 93558 93560 93561 93581 93596
Other California destinations
| Destination | Peak lodging | M&IE |
|---|---|---|
| San FranciscoSan Francisco | $325 | $92 |
| MontereyMonterey | $293 | $92 |
| Santa MonicaCity limits of Santa Monica | $283 | $92 |
| Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara | $277 | $92 |
| NapaNapa | $266 | $92 |
| South Lake TahoeEl Dorado | $262 | $86 |
| San DiegoSan Diego | $249 | $86 |
| Sunnyvale / Palo Alto / San JoseSanta Clara | $218 | $92 |
Questions
- What is the per diem rate for Bakersfield in FY2027?
- Lodging up to $164 a night, plus $74 a day for meals and incidental expenses, for travel from October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027.
- How much M&IE do I get on the first and last day?
- 75% of the M&IE rate: $55.50 on the day you leave and the day you return (FTR §301-11.20, as published in the eCFR).
- Are hotel taxes included in the lodging rate?
- No. For CONUS travel, lodging taxes on the reimbursable room cost are claimed separately as a miscellaneous expense (FTR §301-11.16(a)).
Source: U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), per diem rates and per diem files. Not affiliated with GSA. All sources