Business trips and pay: how to get your travel expense claim right

Employers
Business trips are part of many jobs. Getting the travel expense claim right can quickly become a challenge, though. Which costs can you claim? Which flat rates apply in Germany? How can you make the process efficient? This post shows you how to prepare your travel expense claim correctly.
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Contents

Which costs can be claimed?

In Germany, the Income Tax Act (§9 EStG) sets out which travel expenses are recognised for tax purposes. The main categories are:

  • Travel costs: These include public transport (for example train or plane tickets), taxis or the use of your own car. For your own car, a mileage allowance of 30 cents per kilometre driven applies.
  • Additional meal expenses (Verpflegungsmehraufwand): Flat rates apply to extra meal costs during a business trip, so no receipts are needed. The current rates (as of 2025) are:
    €14 for an absence of more than 8 hours,
    €28 for an absence of more than 24 hours,
    €14 for the arrival and departure days of trips lasting several days.
  • Accommodation costs: Hotel or other accommodation costs can be claimed in full if backed by receipts. There is also a tax-free overnight allowance. In 2025 it is €20 per night for a trip of at least 24 hours. It only applies if no other accommodation costs were incurred.
  • Other costs: These include parking fees, tolls or work-related phone calls.

Step by step to your travel expense claim

A correct travel expense claim takes care and good organisation. These steps make it easy:

  1. Record all expenses
    Collect all relevant receipts during your business trip.
  2. Document the mileage
    If you use your own car for the trip, you need to record the kilometres driven precisely.
  3. Apply the meal allowances
    Instead of providing receipts for individual meals, you can use the statutory flat rates.
  4. Submit your claim
    Submit your travel expense claim promptly, ideally within three months of the trip (§195 BGB).

Make use of tax benefits

Travel expenses that your employer does not cover can be claimed as income-related expenses (Werbungskosten) in your tax return (§9 EStG). Complete records save you time and help you avoid mistakes when you claim them.

Conclusion

Business trips often bring extra costs. A correct travel expense claim makes sure you are not left out of pocket. A digital partner like cleverlohn makes the whole process easier for you. That leaves more time for what matters: your work.

Sources

Federal Travel Expenses Act (BRKG)

BMF circular on the tax treatment of travel expenses

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