Washington, DC per diem ratesDC, with nearby Virginia and Maryland · FY 2027
Washington, DC’s full-year average lodging cap, $246 a night, is the 15th highest of the 295 non-standard areas, between Telluride (CO) and Napa (CA). Washington, DC’s March to June peak of $295 a night is the 19th highest monthly cap in the continental U.S., between Silverthorne / Breckenridge (CO) and Monterey (CA). GSA splits Washington, DC’s year into five rate periods, as it does for only 14 areas.
Washington, DC among the 295
| Months | Cap | Nights |
|---|---|---|
| October | $287 | 31 |
| November to February | $203 | 120 |
| March to June | $295 | 122 |
| July to August | $192 | 62 |
| September | $287 | 30 |
Four days in March
Monday, March 1, 2027, to Thursday: up to $1,207, three nights at the March cap plus $322 M&IE. Starting July 5 instead, in a low month, the same trip comes to $898.
Meals and incidentals are paid at the top tier, which 33 areas share. Weighted by days, the cap sits 117.6% above the standard rate over the year.
Washington, DC since FY 2021
Since FY 2021 Washington, DC’s full-year average has grown 11.7%; ranked by that growth, Washington, DC sits between Springfield / Cranford / New Providence (NJ) and Denver / Aurora (CO). Against FY 2026, Washington, DC’s full-year average rose 5.2%, between Loudoun (VA) and Riverhead / Ronkonkoma / Melville (NY) among year-on-year changes. In FY 2021 Washington, DC ranked 12th of 293 by full-year average, between San Mateo / Foster City / Belmont (CA) and Nashville (TN). Along the way: flat in FY 2023, up 1.3% in FY 2024, up 4.8% in FY 2025.