Lump-sum accommodation allowance: this applies in Germany in 2023

The accommodation allowance or hotel allowance is a central component of travel expense accounting that affects both employers and employees.

In this article you will find the most important information on the flat rate for overnight stays in Germany for 2023.

What is the flat-rate accommodation allowance?

The overnight accommodation allowance is an essential term in the context of business trips and business travel, which regulates the tax treatment of overnight accommodation costs on a flat-rate basis. It is paid to employees, self-employed persons or entrepreneurs to cover the financial expenses for an overnight stay during a business trip.

The flat rate serves to simplify accounting processes and reduce the bureaucratic effort that often goes hand in hand with the individual recording and accounting of accommodation costs.

The idea of the flat-rate accommodation allowance was developed as part of the tax regulations for business trips in order to meet the increasing demands of the modern working world. Previously, it required a detailed listing and recording of actual overnight expenses, which was not only time-consuming but also left room for potential errors.

The flat-rate accommodation allowance replaces the need to itemize and document actual accommodation costs. Instead of detailed expenses, it enables simplified accounting by providing a predefined amount of money that appears appropriate for overnight accommodation during a business trip. This lump sum is determined according to the destination, country and duration of the trip.

Accommodation rates can change over time, as they are often adjusted to the current cost of living and economic conditions.

Would you like to further optimize your travel expense management? Discover the Travel expense accounting via Teamhero, which helps you to make your accounting processes even more efficient.

Current regulations in 2023

The flat-rate accommodation allowance in Germany will remain unchanged at EUR 20.00 per night in 2023. This flat-rate accommodation allowance applies to business trips within Germany and enables simplified billing of accommodation costs. Companies can choose whether to pay the costs in full, as a lump sum or not at all. However, the flat-rate accommodation allowance can only reimburse costs actually incurred for the overnight stay.

The flat rates for trips abroad vary between 55.00 euros and 314.00 euros per night, depending on the country and location.

Overnight packages for business travelers

For business travelers in Germany, the overnight flat rate is an important tool for simplifying the billing process. Special cases such as overnight stays in trucks, with friends or on ships and air travel have specific regulations. For example, truck drivers have been able to deduct a flat-rate accommodation allowance of 8.00 euros per night since 2020.

The flat rate for overnight stays offers advantages such as the simplification of travel expense accounting and the possibility of making a profit from the flat rate if the accommodation costs less than 20.00 euros. However, there are also disadvantages, such as the possible discrepancy between the flat rate and the actual accommodation costs.

Lump-sum accommodation allowance for employees

Employees benefit from the flat-rate accommodation allowance through simplified billing of accommodation costs. If the actual costs exceed the hotel flat rate in Germany, the company can reimburse them. The digital era of travel expense reimbursement, as introduced with a Personnel planning software such as Teamhero promises to further simplify the process for employers and employees and reduce bureaucracy.

The flat rate simplifies the settlement of accommodation costs and offers companies three options for reimbursement:

1. Flat rate per night: Up to an amount of 20.00 euros, the flat-rate accommodation allowance for employees is tax-free. This method does not require the collection of receipts and offers fast accounting.
2. Boss:in pays the actual costsIf the accommodation costs exceed the hotel flat rate in Germany, the company can reimburse the actual costs. This makes it possible to declare the expenses as business expenses in the tax return.
3. Employees pay for the overnight stay themselvesIn this case, employees can claim the accommodation costs as a flat-rate income-related expense in their personal tax return.

From a tax perspective, the overnight accommodation allowance is generally tax-free for employees. This means that the lump sum paid is not included in taxable income. However, the lump sum can become tax-relevant if certain maximum amounts are exceeded.

Accommodation flat rates for the self-employed and entrepreneurs

Self-employed persons and entrepreneurs must note that since 2008 they have no longer been allowed to pay themselves the flat-rate accommodation allowance. They can only claim the actual costs as business expenses for tax purposes.

Documentation requirements and evidence:

The correct settlement of the flat-rate accommodation allowance often requires certain evidence and documentation. In this section, we explain which receipts are required to claim the lump sum and how they should be kept.

Lump sum accommodation costs

The flat-rate accommodation allowance is a simplified way of settling accommodation costs. It requires fewer detailed receipts, as the lump sum is paid regardless of the actual costs. Nevertheless, the employer must be able to prove the trip as such.

Documentation obligations

The documentation requirements for the overnight accommodation allowance are strict. The receipts must be kept for at least 10 years and it must be clear that the overnight stay was business-related. The receipts should include the name of the employee, the date of the overnight stay, the location of the overnight stay and the amount.

Tax aspects

The overnight accommodation allowance is tax-free as long as it remains within the specified limits. Correct documentation and storage of receipts are crucial in order to benefit from these tax advantages.

Conclusion

The flat-rate accommodation allowance offers a simplified way of claiming accommodation costs. However, the correct documentation and storage of receipts are crucial in order to claim the lump sum and take advantage of tax benefits. Settling overnight expenses on a flat-rate basis can simplify the process, but still requires careful documentation.

Comparison with previous years

In this section, we compare the flat-rate accommodation allowances from 2023 with the regulations from previous years. The amount of the flat-rate accommodation allowance in Germany is unchanged compared to previous years.
Flat-rate amounts apply for accommodation costs on work-related trips abroad, which are adjusted to the cost of living in the respective country or metropolis. The flat rate for overnight stays was not revised in 2022 due to the pandemic. However, new amounts apply for 2023.

Here are the 2023 accommodation rates (in euros) for the most common destinations abroad:

Country	Lump sum in €
Netherlands	122
Austria	108
Great Britain (London)	163
France (Paris)	159
France (rest of the country)	105
Italy (Milan)	158
Italy (rest of the country)	135
Spain (Barcelona & Madrid)	118
Spain (rest of the country)	115
Switzerland (Geneva)	186
Switzerland (rest of the country)	180
USA (New York City)	308
Japan (Tokyo)	233
Canada (Toronto)	161

The complete overview of all countries can be found here.

Reducing bureaucracy with a flat-rate accommodation allowance and software

A comparison of the 2023 flat-rate accommodation allowance with previous years shows a stable trend in Germany and an adjustment of the flat-rate amounts abroad to the respective cost of living.

The flat-rate accommodation allowance or hotel allowance offers advantages for both employers and employees by reimbursing accommodation costs on a flat-rate and tax-free basis.

Are you looking for a solution that simplifies the expense report process even further? Teamhero HR management software can do just that. Teamhero not only supports expense reporting, but also offers comprehensive HR management features that will save your company a huge amount of time. Click here to access the free demo version.