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The Dos and Don’ts of Government Travel Charge Cards

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What is a Government Travel Charge Card?

Obtaining a government travel charge card, types of government travel charge cards, uses of a government travel card, the rules of a government travel card, how to responsibly use your government travel card, incorrect uses of a government travel card, resources and contacts.

You just received your first GTCC — the federal government’s version of a corporate travel credit card. But before your “ Wolf of Wall Street ” fantasies about perks and points come alive, it’s best to learn a bit more about how the GTCC program works, what’s expected of you as a cardholder, and how to use the card appropriately and legally.

Within this article, we explore the basics of the GTCC program at the Department of Defense, the different types of charge cards offered, and ways to obtain a card. Read on for some savvy tips on how to use (and how not to use) your government charge card so that you remain in control and out of trouble.

A GTCC is a commercial credit card offered to DoD personnel (both military and civilian) to pay for costs related to government-specific travel. For military members, this may include Permanent Change of Station moves and temporary duty assignments so that the service member doesn’t have to pay for work-related expenses out of pocket.

Currently, credit cards issued under the GTCC program are from the commercial partner, Citibank. However, the program itself is managed by DoD program coordinators within the Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO), who provide troubleshooting assistance to service members and federal employees. While Citibank issues GTCC credit card statements, DTMO set policy regarding GTCC use. It is the main agency that does so.

In general, military members will not have access to the GTCC program until it becomes a job requirement. Those who become eligible for holding a GTCC must first complete an online training course and then be invited to apply for the card through Citibank.

There are two main classifications for government charge cards: 

• Individually Billed Accounts (IBAs) 
• Centrally Billed Accounts (CBAs)

Individually Billed Accounts (IBAs)

Individually Billed Accounts are issued to service members for travel and travel-related expenses. With these types of cards, the service member is responsible for settling the account. 

According to the DoD , the Standard card options within this category are typically issued to those with a 660 or higher credit score. They have a credit limit of $7,500. 

In contrast, the Restricted card option is issued to those with lower credit scores (500-659) and has a lower credit limit of $4,000. Restricted government charge cards are closely monitored. They are sometimes deactivated during periods when travel has not been approved.

Centrally Billed Accounts (CBAs) 

Centrally Billed Accounts can also be used to pay for travel expenses. 

These cards are settled directly by the U.S. government (so the cardholder has fewer personal responsibilities). They have limited use. Unlike Individually Billed Accounts, where the service member is personally liable for card charges, Centrally Billed Accounts assume government liability.

Approved uses of a government travel charge card include, but are not exclusively:

• Meals (not including alcohol)
• Transportation (airfare, train, etc.)

For additional guidance on what constitutes “official travel,” see page 14 in the GTCC Regulations (2020) and the newly amended Joint Travel Regulations (2021) .

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Responsible use of your government charge card entails three main activities: 

• Ethical use of the card for official government travel expenses only;
• Timely and accurate reporting of charges (often with printed receipts);
• Timely payment of the card’s balance

The cardinal rule to follow: the government charge card is not to be treated as a personal card in any way. It should be used only for official travel . (Commuting to work or going on a family vacation do not constitute “official travel”). 

Following the travel event such as PCS or TDY , cardholders are expected to submit a “travel claims” report within five days of its conclusion in the Defense Travel System. This should include scanned receipts of individual charges as well as amounts, dates and descriptions. Foreign currency charges must be converted into U.S. dollars.

Additionally, cardholders with Individually Billed Accounts are responsible for ensuring that the government travel card is ultimately paid off. When entering trip report details in the Defense Travel System, cardholders are encouraged to use the split disbursement option to ensure that the service member is reimbursed for all out-of-pocket expenses and per-diem rates while the charges on the government credit card are settled in full.

Although it isn’t difficult to imagine the multitude of ways that service members can get into hot water for misuse of government travel cards, the most common missteps involve:

• Using the card for unofficial/non-approved travel or personal use
• Overspending
• Using the split disbursement feature incorrectly
• Failing to submit timely and/or accurate travel reports in DTS
• Failing to pay the card balance on time
• Including alcohol on receipts for DTS submission 

In addition to accruing late fees, which begin at 75 days past the due date, cardmembers can have their accounts suspended or terminated for improper use of a GTCC. For more serious offenses, service members may receive formal counseling, an Article 15, or even a court-martial . Therefore, it’s best to be on the safe side and remember the basics for proper GTCC etiquette:

• Use it only for official/approved government travel;
• Provide a timely and accurate report in DTS, using the split reimbursement option;
• Ensure that the GTCC is paid off in full by the due date

For more information on the DoD GTCC:

Citibank Customer Service: 1-800-200-7056 (or 757-852-9076 when calling collect)

GTCC Travel Assistance Center: 1-888-HELP1GO (1-888-435-7146)

Citi’s DoD Travel Card Webpage

Email of the DoD Travel Card Helpdesk

DoD GTCC Regulations (2020)

DoD Joint Travel Regulations (2021)

About Post Author

Meaghan Doherty Myers

Meaghan Doherty Myers is a freelance writer, specializing in military benefits, personal finance, and defense and security issues. She holds an M.A. in Strategic Studies and International Relations from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and recently graduated from the Russian language program at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA. She is an Army spouse, a former ballet dancer, and a former management consultant who lives with her husband and daughter in Alexandria, VA.

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Travel charge card

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What is the travel charge card? The GSA SmartPay® 3 program provides charge cards to U.S. government agencies, as well as tribal governments, through master contracts that are negotiated with major banks. 

There are currently more than 560 federal agencies, organizations and Native American tribal governments participating in the program, spending $30 billion annually, through 100 million transactions on more than three million cards.

There are three types of travel accounts:

• Individually billed accounts are issued to employees to pay for official travel and travel-related expenses. The government reimburses employees for authorized expenses. The employee is responsible for making payment to the bank.
• Centrally billed accounts are established by some agencies to pay for official travel expenses. Centrally billed accounts are paid directly by the government to the bank.
• GSA SmartPay Tax Advantage Travel accounts  are new product offerings that combine an Individually Billed Account (IBA) and Centrally Billed Account (CBA), providing a means to obtain tax exemption automatically at the point of sale for rental cars and lodging charges. The combined features of CBAs and IBAs are a key characteristic of this product. When using the Tax Advantage Travel Account, charges for rental cars and lodging will be automatically billed to a CBA for payment. Charges for other travel-related purchases, such as meals and incidentals, are billed to the IBA portion of the account.

What is the benefit for federal agencies? Each agency or organization using the travel charge card receives a rebate based on sales volume. The sale refund is remitted to the organization. In addition, a separate refund is provided to agencies and organizations based on improving speed of payment.

How can travel managers make it happen? In 1988, Congress mandated that federal employees use the government travel charge card for all payments of expenses related to official government travel, with some exceptions. 

Travel managers should ensure that all of their travelers use their government-issued travel charge card for all purchases of travel-related services or products such as rental cars, hotel rooms, and telephone or Internet service.

Looking for more information on SmartPay? The  GSA SmartPay program provides charge cards to U.S. government agencies/departments, as well as tribal governments, through master contracts that are negotiated with major national banks. Additionally, to contact Travel Program call 888-472-5585 or email [email protected]

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PER DIEM LOOK-UP

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Error, The Per Diem API is not responding. Please try again later.

No results could be found for the location you've entered.

Rates for Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. Territories and Possessions are set by the Department of Defense .

Rates for foreign countries are set by the State Department .

2 Choose a date

Rates are available between 10/1/2022 and 09/30/2025.

The End Date of your trip can not occur before the Start Date.

Traveler reimbursement is based on the location of the work activities and not the accommodations, unless lodging is not available at the work activity, then the agency may authorize the rate where lodging is obtained.

Unless otherwise specified, the per diem locality is defined as "all locations within, or entirely surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city, including independent entities located within those boundaries."

Per diem localities with county definitions shall include "all locations within, or entirely surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city as well as the boundaries of the listed counties, including independent entities located within the boundaries of the key city and the listed counties (unless otherwise listed separately)."

When a military installation or Government - related facility(whether or not specifically named) is located partially within more than one city or county boundary, the applicable per diem rate for the entire installation or facility is the higher of the rates which apply to the cities and / or counties, even though part(s) of such activities may be located outside the defined per diem locality.

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Government Travel Credit Card: The Good and Bad

The government travel credit card program has existed since the mid-90s, and has gradually grown to be the required form of payment for almost all official travel. As a result, more service members are being issued government travel credit cards. There are quite a few good things and quite a few bad things about the government travel cards — for a rundown, see this Paycheck Chronicles post .

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Government Travel Charge Card Program

Written by Veteran.com Team

The Government Travel Charge Card Program (GTCC) is something new recruits won’t learn about until it is required of them to carry it, but this DoD-wide program is an important part of an individual military member’s financial readiness, as the military calls it.

What do you initially need to know about GTCC before and after signing up? Before signing up, it’s critical to remember that the travel card is only for official travel and cannot be used for personal reasons at any time.

The most important thing AFTER signing up is to stay current on the latest policies and procedures associated with use of the travel card. If you assume that last year’s cash advance limit is the same this year, for example, you may end up in an awkward position if you try to pull that cash advance and hit a newly imposed limit you weren’t expecting.

And that’s not all; you will need to stay current about policies related to things like upgrades, frequent flyer mile offers that may be associated with the use of a charge card (any charge card) while flying, etc.

What Is The GTCC?

The Government Travel Charge Card is considered the “primary” way for all DoD personnel (including civilian contractors and those in uniform alike) to pay for official travel.

That official travel may include PCS moves, temporary duty assignments or TDY, deployments , travel to conferences or trade shows, etc.

Why The GTCC?

The GTCC may be given to military members, especially junior enlisted military members who don’t earn nearly as much as higher-ranking NCOs and definitely not as much as even the newest, greenest 2nd Lieutenant fresh out of Officer Candidate School.

The travel card program eliminates the financial hardship that would happen to these troops if they were required to pay up front for their own official travel even if they are reimbursed later via travel voucher. The travel card is safer as the need to carry cash is minimized, and there are other perks associated with the card:

• Providing extended payment terms when compared to personal credit cards
• No interest charge
• No annual fee
• Direct payment (split disbursement)
• Payment due at 61 days past billing before considered delinquent (120 days for PCS travel)
• Card-provided travel insurance

Those are perks for the Airmen, Sailors, Soldiers, Marines, and all others who use the card. But what about the perks for the government?

Why The DoD Likes The Government Travel Charge Card Program

There are significant benefits to the GTCC. Financial discipline is a learned skill and many who start their careers in uniform aren’t fully educated or disciplined enough to manage their finances properly–at first.

The GTCC program helps eliminate needless financial difficulties for troops who perform official travel; that’s a benefit to the government in the form of keeping disciplinary problems in this area to a minimum, while establishing financial checks and balances for those who use the card. DoD benefits from the program in the following ways:

• Reducing the amount of travel advances
• Improving the financial readiness and security of DoD travelers
• Earning rebates based on card usage at the DoD level
• Access to the GSA City Pair Program
• Providing some travelers tax exemption benefits in certain states

Who Must Use The GTCC?

At the time of this writing, it’s DoD policy that all official travel be purchased with the GTCC program’s credit cards. DoD regulations go so far as to formally prohibit the use of a traveler’s private funds or personal credit to pay for official travel. Those who disobey these rules are subject to punishment.

The Department of Defense official site reminds, “Use of the travel card is mandated by the Travel and Transportation Reform Act of 1998 ”.

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The Different Types Of Government Travel Cards

There are two basic types of government cards issued to individuals. One is called a Standard card, the other is classified as Restricted. If that sounds slightly punitive, it’s because the GTCC program requires a creditworthiness check and those who do not qualify for the Standard government card due to credit issues will be recommended for a Restricted card.

What are the basic differences between the Standard and Restricted DoD Travel Charge Cards?

Standard GTCC Cards

• Minimum credit score of 660
• Total monthly cycle credit limits up to $7500
• Cash advance limit of $250
• Split disbursement payment arrangement is mandatory

Restricted GTCC Cards

• For those with FICO scores between 500-659 OR
• For circumstances where the credit check is declined
• Total monthly cycle credit limits up to $4000
• Split disbursement mandatory
• Activation/Deactivation required

GTCC Centrally Billed Accounts (CBA)

This is a different kind of GTCC account; these CBAs are used for specific departmental needs including local official travel and other official business.

Individuals are not responsible for paying on these accounts since CBAs are maintained by the Defense Department. Transportation Accounts and Unit Cards fall under this program and are for limited use only. They also require:

• Limited use
• Component Program Manager approval for use
• Credit limit consistent with mission
• Government liability
• Account Manager responsible for management

How To Use The GTCC

• Regardless of when your first official travel is, set up your card with PIN, current contact information and other details as you never know when a last-minute TDY may require you to perform official travel.
• You cannot travel on your new card until you have verified your account and are told it is ready for use. The point of contact for this is your Agency Program Coordinator or APC, who may be required to unblock all travel cards prior to initial use.
• You must have the most current contact information on file with your card account. Add any updates to your name, address, email, and phone number with the APC and travel card vendor.
• Ensure all profiles are current including the correct account number and expiration date. Outdated information may result in failure to obtain the required tickets and other reservations for official travel.
• Prior to any official travel, but especially before your first trip, contact the APC to ensure your travel card is “in an activated status and has enough credit to cover your estimated expenses” according to the DoD official site.

What To Do After Your Official Travel Is Over

When you return from your official travel, your first step should be to complete a travel voucher within five duty days of your return. You should at this time review your official travel expenses to ensure accuracy, due dates, and other issues. Make sure you know how much of your travel voucher is paid directly via split disbursement.

For official travel greater than 45 days, you may be required to pay the card issuer every 30 days regardless of travel status, and you may also be required to file interim vouchers for extended official travel.

Government Travel Card Security Measures

DoD instructions to all card holders includes a requirement that you contact the card issuer immediately if your card is lost or stolen. You will also need to notify the APC assigned to your organization to begin following up with the card issuer.

The DoD official site has some advice for those who are concerned about identity theft, phishing, telephone scams and related problems:

• Beware of any outside requests for personal account information. If you receive such requests, do not answer them. Inform your APC immediately so that appropriate steps can be taken to halt the activity as soon as possible.
• Do not give your GTCC account number, Social Security number, or other sensitive data to people who call you.
• Verify ANY request for account data. According to the DoD, “the travel card vendor already has that information but may ask you to provide other information to confirm your identity.” If you are concerned about such a request, do not give out the information–call the toll-free number on the back of your card to confirm the request before providing the information.

How You Stay Current On Travel Card Program Changes

It is never safe to assume that terms and conditions remain the same on any credit card from one year to the next. You should view your credit card terms and policies as one year winds down and another begins just in case changes may be coming.

The DoD also has a built-in protection against some being caught unaware of new policy changes. That’s why you are required to sign the legally binding DoD Statement of Understanding when you get your card for the first time.

You will also have to re-verify this document when you PCS and inprocess into your new unit, AND you will re-sign the paperwork every three years, regardless.

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Department of Defense Travel Card Benefits

Progress informed from the past, and inspired by the future, cardholder guide.

Official travel for the Department of Defense just became easier with the Citi Department of Defense Travel Card. When you are preparing to use your new card, please read What To Do When I First Receive My New Card . For more information regarding your new card, please read the Department of Defense Cardholder Guide .

Department of Defense Travel Insurance

As a cardholder, you will receive global travel accident and lost luggage insurance so you feel safe and secure wherever you travel with a Citi ® Commercial Card.

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In addition to the card benefits provided by Citi, Visa provides card benefits such as Car Rental Insurance and Travel and Emergency Assistance. For full details, please read the Visa Guide to Benefits .

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EU Entry/Exit System

Information about changing requirements for UK nationals travelling to countries in the Schengen area.

From November 2024, the EU plans to introduce the Entry/Exit system ( EES ). This is a new digital border system that will change requirements for British nationals travelling to the Schengen area.

If you are travelling to a country in the Schengen area using a UK passport, you will be required to register your biometric details, such as fingerprints or a photo, when you arrive. EES registration will replace the current system of manually stamping passports when visitors arrive in the EU.  ​

The exact date that EES will be introduced has not been confirmed.

If you are travelling to the Schengen area

When EES is introduced, you will need to create a digital record on your first visit to the Schengen area at the port or airport on arrival. You will be required to submit your fingerprints and have your photo taken at dedicated booths. 

You will not need to provide any information before travelling to a Schengen area country.  

If you are flying to a country in the Schengen area, you may experience longer queue times when you arrive at your destination.  

At some ports and international stations (Dover, Eurotunnel and St Pancras), there may be increased wait times while EES registration is completed before passengers leave the UK. ​If you are travelling through one of these stations, you should check with your travel operator to find out whether EES will affect your journey.

Your digital record is valid for 3 years. If you enter the Schengen area again during this time, you will only need to provide a fingerprint or photo at the border, when you enter and exit.

Why the EU is introducing EES

EES is designed to improve border security within the EU and its neighbouring countries, and reduce illegal migration in the Schengen area.  It will automate border control checks to help the EU stop visitors overstaying.​

EES is part of wider work the EU is doing to strengthen their border security. In 2025, the EU will introduce the new European Travel Information and Authorisation System ( ETIAS ).  ​ 

When ETIAS is introduced, you will need to apply for authorisation to enter Schengen area countries if using a UK passport. You will need to provide personal information and details about your trip, and pay a 7 Euro fee, as part of the authorisation process.  

The EU has already set out more information on ETIAS , including what information will be required from each nationality, on the EU’s official Travel Europe website .

How EES will affect travelling to the Schengen area

The UK government has been working closely with the European Commission, member states, local authorities and the travel industry to prepare ports for EES . The government is supporting ports and carriers to ensure EES registration is simple for people travelling to the Schengen area.

UK government support includes providing Eurostar, Eurotunnel and Port of Dover with £3.5 million each, to spend on registration kiosks and infrastructure. 

Eurostar expects EES registration to be quick and easy. ​It will have 50 kiosks across 3 locations at stations for people to carry out the checks.

Eurotunnel will have over 100 kiosks and estimate EES checks will add just over 5 minutes to journey times.​ 

Port of Dover will have 24 kiosks for coach passengers and will register passengers in cars using agents and tablets to make the process as straightforward as possible. 

Find out more information on the EES initiative on the EU’s official  Travel Europe website .

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