10-4: Travel requests

Effective: January 15, 2024
Revised: September 3, 2024
Approved by: Van Christensen
References: Utah Code 63A-3-107, Administrative Code R25-7, Administrative Code R13-4, International Travel Policy

Purpose

This policy outlines how travel requests must be submitted, the order for required approvals, and who has the authority to approve travel requests.

Definitions

Agency – Any agency, board, bureau, commission, office, department, or other administrative subunit of state government. This definition includes the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

Chief of staff – The chief of staff to the governor.

Concur – Software used by the state to manage travel, reimbursements, and p-card transactions.

Designee – The person who has written permission from the executive director to act on the executive director’s behalf. The executive director is responsible for selecting a designee who has the knowledge, skills, and experience to make decisions in the best interest of the agency.

Executive director – The executive leader of an agency.

International travel – Travel outside the United States or to Hawaii, Alaska, and U.S. territories. U.S. territories include Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Northern Marianas Islands, and American Samoa. 

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 policy – All policies labeled travel policy established by the GovOps Division of Finance.

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 – Travel requests must be submitted in Concur

1 – Travelers must submit a travel request in Concur for out-of-state or international travel before the trip. 

1a – If a traveler leaves for an unexpected, urgent out-of-state trip without submitting a travel request, they must submit a travel request after their trip. In the travel request, the traveler must explain why the trip was urgent.

2 – Travel requests aren’t required for in-state travel unless the traveler needs a cash advance or the traveler keeps a third-party reimbursement. 

3 – Travelers must add each expected expense to a travel request in Concur. Estimates for expenses must be reasonable and reflect realistic costs.

B – Travel requests must be approved by an appropriate authority

1 – Travel for state business, whether reimbursed by the state or not, must be approved by an appropriate authority. This includes travel by non-state employees when the state pays for travel expenses.

2 – All travel requests submitted in Concur must be approved by: 

• a budget officer;
• the traveler’s supervisor; and 
• the division director (or agency equivalent). 

2a – Out-of-state travel requests must also be approved by the executive director or designee.

2b – International travel requests must also be approved by:

•  the executive director or designee; and 
• the chief of staff if the traveler works for an agency that reports to the governor.

3 – Each approver has 10 calendar days to approve a travel request.

4 – For in-state travel, the traveler must receive either verbal or written approval from their supervisor before the trip.

4a – Agencies and the GovOps Division of Finance may use the approval of a traveler’s reimbursement request as evidence that in-state travel was approved.

C – Approval for specific travelers

1 – The traveler is the chief of staff

1a – The governor or designee must approve travel requests for the chief of staff.

1b – For the chief of staff, any reference in travel policy to manager, supervisor, or executive director approval means the governor or designee.

2 – The traveler is an employee who reports directly to the governor

2a – The chief of staff or designee must approve travel requests for any employee reporting directly to the governor. The chief of staff serves as the manager and supervisor for all executive directors, cabinet members, or other state employees that report directly to the governor.

2b – For these employees, any reference in travel policy to manager, supervisor, or executive director approval means the chief of staff or designee.

3 – The traveler is an executive director who doesn’t report to the governor

3a – The board chair must approve travel requests for an executive director who does not report to the governor but instead reports to a board. For these executive directors, any reference in travel policy to manager, supervisor, or executive director approval means the board chair.

3b – The deputy director or finance director must approve travel requests for an executive director who doesn’t report to the governor or a board. For these executive directors, any reference in travel policy to manager, supervisor, or executive director approval means the deputy director or finance director.

D – International travel

1 – International travel includes travel to Hawaii, Alaska, and U.S. territories.

2 – Read the International Travel Policy to learn how to request approval for international travel. Travelers should request approval at least 2 months before their departure date.

3 – To take state equipment out of the country or to Alaska, Hawaii, or U.S. territories, travelers must get approval from the executive director or designee and the chief of staff or designee. This rule applies to both business travel and personal travel.

4 – Travelers are strongly encouraged to record international travel with the U.S. State Department through the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program.

E – Travel requests must be closed in Concur

1 – Once travelers are reimbursed for all expenses, they must mark their original travel request as closed.

F – Travelers who can’t use Concur

1 – Travelers who can’t use Concur must use the form FI 5: Travel request.

2 – The FI 5 form isn’t required for in-state travel. Agencies can use the approval of form FI 51: Travel reimbursement request as evidence that in-state travel was approved.

3 – If the executive director delegates approval responsibility to a designee, the delegation must be in writing and maintained for audit purposes.