Travel
Policy
10-10: Rental vehicles
Effective: January 15, 2024
Revised: September 3, 2024
Approved by: Van Christensen
References: Utah Code 63A-3-107, Administrative Code R25-7
Purpose
This policy outlines the conditions for renting vehicles for state business, insurance requirements for rental vehicles, and reimbursement for rental vehicles.
Definitions
Agency – Any agency, board, bureau, commission, office, or other administrative subunit of state government. This definition includes the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.
Concur – The software used by the state to manage travel requests, booking, reimbursements, and reports.
P-card – State issued purchasing card used for approved business purchases.
Per diem – The generic term for the federal travel reimbursement rates, sometimes called GSA rates. Reimbursement rates for travel are determined by location and are established by the U.S. General Services Administration, Department of Defense, and the Department of State. Rates can be found on the U.S. General Services Administration website.
Reimbursement – Money paid to compensate travelers for money spent while traveling on official business.
Reimbursement request – The general term for requesting payment for travel expenses. In Concur, the state’s travel software, travelers add their expenses to a report. Travelers who can’t use Concur use form FI 51: Travel reimbursement request.
Traveler – Any person traveling on official state business for an agency or political subdivision. This definition includes employees, non-employees, board members, elected officials, vendors, volunteers, grant recipients, and award beneficiaries.
Travel request – The general term for asking permission to travel for state business. In Concur, the state’s travel software, travelers add their expected expenses to a request. Travelers who can’t use Concur use form FI 5: Travel request.
Policy
A – Booking rental vehicles
1 – Travelers may rent vehicles if approved in writing before the trip. Approval may be through a travel request or email. See travel policy 10-4 section B to learn who must approve a rental vehicle.
2 – Travelers must rent vehicles used for state business in their own name.
3 – Travelers must rent vehicles through a contracted rental company by using the booking tool in Concur or the State Travel Office.
3a – In Concur, travelers must book vehicles from one of the companies labeled as a preferred vendor unless those companies don’t have vehicles available.
4 – Travelers must reserve the type of vehicle based on business needs.
5 – Travelers may not rent a vehicle if staying at an out-of-state conference hotel, except for rare circumstances.
5a – A request for a rental vehicle at an out-of-state conference hotel must be approved in writing by the executive director or designee before the traveler departs. In the request, the traveler must explain why renting a vehicle is necessary.
6 – Travelers must not use a vehicle rented for state business for personal travel days.
6a – Travelers who rent a vehicle for state business must book a different rental vehicle for the personal portion of their trip.
6b – Travelers must not rent a vehicle for personal use through the booking tool in Concur or through the State Travel Office.
B – Billing and payment for rental vehicles
1 – For in-state travel, agencies are billed directly for rental vehicles.
2 – For out-of-state travel, travelers must pay for rental vehicles with their own p-card or a personal credit card.
2a – Expenses paid for with a p-card are not reimbursed, but still must be added to the traveler’s reimbursement request.
C – Insurance for rental vehicles
1 – The state’s rental vehicle contracts include insurance coverage within the 50 states and District of Columbia at no additional cost and with no deductible.
1a – Additional coverage is not required within the 50 states and District of Columbia, and travelers are not reimbursed if they pay for additional insurance.
2 – If travel is outside the 50 states and the District of Columbia, travelers must purchase additional insurance. In this case, travelers are reimbursed the cost of additional insurance.
3 – If a contracted vendor is not available and travelers must book a vehicle from a non-contracted vendor, the traveler must purchase insurance offered by the rental company. In this case, travelers are reimbursed the cost of insurance.
D – Reimbursement for rental vehicles, fuel, and parking
1 – Rental vehicles
1a – Travelers who rent vehicles for out-of-state travel are reimbursed the actual cost of the rental.
1b – Travelers are not reimbursed for size or model upgrades made when picking up rental vehicles.
2 – Fuel
2a – Travelers are reimbursed the actual cost of fuel unless they choose the prepaid fuel option when picking up the rental vehicle. Travelers are not reimbursed for fuel purchased from the rental company.
2b – Travelers must return rental vehicles with a full tank of fuel or with the same level of fuel as when the vehicle was picked up.
3 – Parking
3a – See travel policy 10-14: Parking
E – Documentation
1 – See travel policy 10-6 section B to learn what documents must be attached to the traveler’s reimbursement request.