D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 6, r. 6-B4012
The District government shall provide reimbursement for lodging expenses when an employee is traveling for government-related purposes for more than twelve (12) hours, if the lodging expenses are authorized by the agency and are consistent with the requirements of this chapter.
Reimbursement for the costs of lodging shall be made on the basis of actual and authorized expenses. An employee shall not be reimbursed for the costs of lodging on a per diem basis.
The number of reimbursable lodging nights shall be determined by the conference, meeting, or training schedule, or other legitimate travel purposes, and the employee's ability to depart or arrive home at a reasonable hour. The employee shall arrange his or her travel schedule so as to minimize the number of lodging nights needed.
An employee shall be reimbursed for lodging incurred on weekends and other non-workdays if the employee's travel status requires his or her stay to include a weekend day or non-workday and the agency determines that the weekend or other non-workday travel status is the most cost-effective situation (that is, remaining in a travel status and paying expenses is more cost-effective than having the employee return to his or her residence) or is otherwise in the best interest of the government.
Lodging taxes paid by an employee are reimbursable as a miscellaneous travel expense. The amount of lodging taxes that are reimbursable are limited to the taxes paid on reimbursable lodging costs. For example, if an agency authorizes an employee a maximum lodging rate of fifty dollars ($50) per night, and the employee elects to stay at a hotel that costs one hundred dollars ($100) per night, the employee may only claim and be reimbursed for the amount of taxes paid on fifty dollars ($50), which is the maximum authorized, reimbursable lodging amount.
Employees shall request exemption from any hotel taxes, based upon their government identification and their travel authorization form. An employee shall not be reimbursed for lodging taxes paid if the jurisdiction in which the lodging is located provides a tax exemption for purchases by the District of Columbia government or its employees. Employees shall be responsible for filing the appropriate paperwork, if any, to obtain the tax exemption.
D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 6, r. 6-B4012