Temporary Duty Travel Entitlements

Overview

An officer on authorised temporary duty may receive travel reimbursement for the journey and daily allowance for qualifying absence from headquarters. Entitlement depends on the sanction, Pay Matrix level, route, actual mode, duration, accommodation and transport provided, and supporting evidence. Some special duties follow additional rules.

What the handbook says

The source covers rail, air, road and sea travel; road mileage; daily allowance; and a range of specialised duties. It records domestic travel entitlements linked to Pay Matrix level from 1 July 2017. Temporary-duty components include the authorised inter-station journey, eligible terminal journeys, qualifying local travel, accommodation and the food lump sum.

The source generally treats a move expected to last no more than 180 days as temporary duty, subject to exceptions and reclassification rules.

What this means

Start with the movement sanction and classification. Then separate the claim into the inter-station fare, road or terminal mileage, hotel cost, local travel and food component. Each is governed differently; free transport, boarding or lodging may remove or alter individual components.

Who this applies to

• The movement must be authorised by the appropriate authority.
• The source generally does not allow TA where the officer never reaches a point beyond eight kilometres from the headquarters duty point; separate local-journey provisions may apply.
• No mileage allowance is due for a journey made in free transport or another officer's vehicle without personal conveyance expenditure.
• Local travel, courses, attachments, examinations and ceremonial duties may carry additional conditions not summarised here.
• A continuous halt beyond the period permitted by the temporary-duty rule may require transfer action rather than continued daily allowance.

Rates and dates

The source records domestic rail and air class entitlements and daily-allowance ceilings effective 1 July 2017. It also records later changes for certain within-city evidence requirements from 16 March 2021 and road-mileage handling from 1 October 2022. These historical figures require later verification.

What you may need

• movement sanction showing the nature of temporary duty;
• completed IAFT-1716 (Revised);
• tickets, boarding pass and warrant or DTS details;
• detention certificate;
• hotel and eligible local-travel vouchers where required;
• ration, free-board, free-lodging and free-transport certificates as applicable; and
• approval for travel by own arrangement where required.

Authorities and source references

• Rules 40(A), 56, 61, 91, 92, 108, 111 and 114, Travel Regulations
• GoI, MoD letter No. 12630/Mov C/242/D(Mov)/2017, 15 September 2017
• GoI, MoD letter No. 12650/TA/Mov C/198/D(Mov)/2018, 6 December 2018
• GoI, MoD letter No. 12630/TPT.A/Mov C/81/D(Mov)/2022, 25 February 2022

Related guidance

• Road Mileage on Temporary Duty
• Daily Allowance on Temporary Duty
• Preparing Travelling Allowance Claims
• Air Journey Booking Rules for Official Travel

About this guidance

This is a plain-language summary for general information. It is not an official order or an authority for a claim. Confirm the applicable order and your individual eligibility with the competent authority or PCDA(O) before acting.