Washington, DC per diem rates FY2027

Washington, DC lodging cap by month

For Washington, DC hotels: the cap against your ADR

Hotel tax, season and changes in Washington, DC

Hotel tax for federal travellers in Washington, DC

The District taxes a hotel room through its sales tax. The Office of Tax and Revenue says the temporary rate of 15.95% on charges for rooms has been extended through 30 September 2027^[6]. GSA's per diem lodging cap does not include this tax, or any other lodging tax^[3].

For federal travellers, what matters is how the room is paid for. GSA's SmartPay page for the District says centrally billed accounts are exempt from the sales tax and individually billed accounts are not^[7]. The District's own notice on GSA cards says the same about individually billed accounts and adds that federal agencies paying with the cards need no certificate of exemption^[8]. The notice also treats the Tax Advantage travel card, which a hotel can recognise from the sixth digit of the card number, as exempt for lodging and rental cars only^[8]. For a hotel at the front desk, the card in the guest's hand therefore decides the tax: an individually billed card pays it, a centrally billed or Tax Advantage card does not^[8].

This section covers the District itself. GSA's Washington locality also takes in nearby cities and counties in Maryland and Virginia, and hotels there charge their own state and local taxes under different rules, so a traveller booking across the line should check that state's page on GSA SmartPay before arrival.

When Washington, DC's cap peaks

GSA's cap in the District is highest in the spring. The official visitor bureau, Destination DC, lists the city's four-week cherry blossom festival from 20 March to 11 April in 2027^[9] and warns visitors to expect more people on weekends and when the blooms are peaking^[10]. The festival explains the start of the spring season. We found no official source that explains why the cap stays high through May and June, so we describe that part only from GSA's own table above.

What changed from FY2026

By hotels.tools' calculation from GSA rates, Washington, DC's lodging cap rose in 12 months from FY2026 to FY2027, by between +$7 and +$19 a night. Averaged over Washington, DC's 12 months, by hotels.tools' calculation from GSA rates, the cap went from $233.67 to $245.83 a night (+$12.16). GSA kept Washington, DC's M&IE rate at $92 a day in both years. That moved Washington, DC more than GSA's standard lodging rate, by hotels.tools' calculation from GSA rates.

Meals and incidentals in Washington, DC

Where the Washington, DC rate applies

GSA's District of Columbia locality covers Washington DC (also the cities of Alexandria, Falls Church and Fairfax, and the counties of Arlington and Fairfax, in Virginia; and the counties of Montgomery and Prince George's in Maryland), listed under DC, MD, VA.

IRS high-low status in Washington, DC

Long stays in Washington, DC: 13-week totals

Frequently asked questions