Can you claim travel meals without receipts?

Yes — sometimes you can claim travel meals without receipts, but it depends on why you’re claiming them and who is paying you back.

Common situations

• Per diem / meal allowance: If your employer or payer uses a per diem or standard meal allowance, you usually don’t need receipts for the meals themselves. You still need records showing the date, place, business purpose, and travel details.
• Actual-expense reimbursement: If you’re claiming the actual cost of meals, some rules may allow smaller expenses to be substantiated without a receipt, but the details depend on the tax authority and the situation. Lodging is often treated more strictly and usually needs receipts.
• Employer policy: Even if tax rules wouldn’t require a receipt, your company may require receipts anyway to approve reimbursement.

If you’re an employee

In the U.S., employees generally cannot deduct unreimbursed employee business expenses on their federal tax return under current rules. That means the question is usually about reimbursement from an employer rather than a personal federal deduction.

Practical rule of thumb

If you want to avoid problems, keep:

• the receipt if you have one,
• travel dates,
• destination,
• business purpose,
• and any itinerary or meeting record.

Best next step

Check your employer’s travel policy and the current tax authority guidance for your country, because those rules control whether a receipt is required.