South Carolina · GSA non-standard area · FY2027
Charleston per diem rates
Federal travelers to Charleston (GSA area: Charleston / Berkeley / Dorchester) can claim up to $288 a night for lodging and $92 a day for meals and incidental expenses in FY2027 (October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027). Lodging is seasonal: $218 in the cheapest months (Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb) and $288 at the peak (Mar, Apr, May). That is $175 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1 – Oct 31 | $244 | $92 | $336 |
| Nov 1 – Feb 28 | $218 | $92 | $310 |
| Mar 1 – May 31 | $288 | $92 | $380 |
| Jun 1 – Sep 30 | $244 | $92 | $336 |
Meals, incidentals and a worked trip
| Breakfast | $23 |
| Lunch | $26 |
| Dinner | $38 |
| Incidental expenses | $5 |
| M&IE, full day | $92 |
| First and last day of travel (75%) | $69.00 |
GSA's breakdown of the $92 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 · March
A 4-night trip (5 travel days) in March:
| Lodging, 4 nights × $288 | $1,152 |
| M&IE, first and last day at 75% (2 × $69.00) | $138.00 |
| M&IE, 3 full days × $92 | $276 |
| Maximum for the trip | $1,566.00 |
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.
Charleston: 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 | $218 – $288 | $92 | $380 | 0% |
| FY2026 | $218 – $288 | $92 | $380 | 0% |
| FY2025 | $218 – $288 | $92 | $380 | −5.0% |
| FY2024 | $249 – $303 | $79 | $382 | +27.3% |
| FY2023 | $195 – $238 | $79 | $317 | +4.4% |
| FY2022 | $162 – $228 | $79 | $307 | 0% |
| FY2021 | $162 – $228 | $71 | $299 | +0.9% |
| FY2020 | $164 – $226 | $71 | $297 | 0% |
| FY2019 | $166 – $226 | $71 | $297 | +3.2% |
| FY2018 | $157 – $219 | $69 | $288 | +3.8% |
| FY2017 | $146 – $211 | $69 | $280 | +3.9% |
| FY2016 | $145 – $203 | $69 | $272 | +9.1% |
| FY2015 | $142 – $186 | $56 | $242 | – |
How it compares
Peak FY2027 lodging cap: Charleston among all 295 non-standard areas
Rank #21 nationally and #1 of 4 in South Carolina. All South Carolina rates · National rankings
Where this rate applies
GSA defines this area as Charleston / Berkeley / Dorchester in South Carolina. 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).
63 ZIP codes map to Charleston in GSA's FY2027 ZIP code file
29018 29059 29401 29402 29403 29404 29405 29406 29407 29409 29410 29412 29413 29414 29415 29416 29417 29418 29419 29420 29422 29423 29424 29425 29426 29429 29431 29432 29434 29436 29437 29438 29439 29445 29447 29448 29449 29450 29451 29453 29455 29456 29457 29458 29461 29464 29465 29466 29468 29469 29470 29471 29472 29476 29477 29479 29482 29483 29484 29485 29486 29487 29492
Other South Carolina destinations
| Destination | Peak lodging | M&IE |
|---|---|---|
| Hilton HeadBeaufort | $226 | $80 |
| Myrtle BeachHorry | $202 | $74 |
| ColumbiaRichland / Lexington | $115 | $74 |
Questions
- What is the per diem rate for Charleston in FY2027?
- Lodging up to $288 a night ($218 to $288 depending on season), plus $92 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: $69.00 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