The travel voucher is Optional Form 1012 (OF 1012), the form published by the General Services Administration (GSA) on which a traveler claims payment or reimbursement for allowable travel and/or relocation expenses. The front records the traveler, the travel authorization, any advance and the transportation used, and carries the signatures of the traveler, the approving official and the certifying official. The back is the Schedule of Expenses and Amounts Claimed. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the original form and its agency page are at gsa.gov.
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What is OF 1012?
Optional Form 1012, Travel Voucher, is the form a traveler uses to claim payment or reimbursement of allowable travel and/or relocation expenses, and on which approving, certifying and finance officials record their review and the amount to be paid.
The Privacy Act statement printed on the back gives the form's purpose: to determine payment or reimbursement to eligible individuals for allowable travel and/or relocation expenses incurred under an administrative authorization, and to record the cost of those reimbursements to the Government.
The front has 18 numbered items:
- Items 1 to 7: department or establishment, type of travel (Temporary Duty, Permanent or Change of Station), voucher and schedule numbers, the traveler's details, the period of travel and the travel authorization number(s) and date(s).
- Items 8 to 11: travel advance, cash payment receipt, check number and who paid.
- Item 12: Government transportation requests and tickets purchased with cash.
- Item 13: the traveler's certification and the amount claimed.
- Items 14 to 18: approving official, last preceding voucher, certifying official, and finance office entries.
The back is the Schedule of Expenses and Amounts Claimed, a dated table of meals, lodging, mileage, miscellaneous and other expenses in columns (a) to (n), with its own instructions to the traveler. If more space is needed, the form says to continue on another Optional Form 1012 BACK, leaving the front blank.
Who needs to file OF 1012?
Travelers who incurred allowable travel and/or relocation expenses under an administrative authorization, and who want to be paid or reimbursed for them, complete Optional Form 1012. The type of travel is chosen in item 2: temporary duty, permanent, or change of station.
Other people complete their own blocks on the same form:
- The approving official signs item 14. If long distance telephone calls are included, that official must have been authorized in writing by the head of the department or agency to certify them as necessary in the interest of the Government.
- The certifying official signs item 16.
- The finance office completes item 17, which is marked for finance office use only.
If you claim per diem for members of your immediate family, column (c) of the expense schedule asks for their names, ages and relationship to the employee, and the marital status of children, unless that information is already on the travel authorization.
Your Social Security number in item 5b is mandatory on vouchers claiming reimbursement that is, or may be, taxable income. In all other cases the form says disclosure is voluntary.
When to file OF 1012
Complete the voucher for the travel covered by a travel authorization: item 6 holds the period of travel and item 7 the authorization number(s) and date(s). No due date is printed on the form, so check your agency's travel rules for any time limit.
Several vouchers can be paid under one authorization. Item 15 asks for the number, disbursing office symbol and month and year of the last preceding voucher paid under the same travel authorization. Each voucher covers the period in its own item 6.
When one sheet is not enough, continue the expense schedule on another Optional Form 1012 BACK and leave the front blank. The form was last revised 10/2016.
Documents you need
- Passenger coupon for each ticket listed in item 12 that was purchased with cash; the form says to list tickets by number and attach the coupon, and to show a cash claim on the reverse side.
- Additional Optional Form 1012 BACK sheets, only if the expense schedule needs more space; the form says to continue on another BACK and leave the front blank.
How to fill out OF 1012
Enter department and type of travel
In item 1, enter the department or establishment and the bureau, division or office. In item 2, mark Temporary Duty, Permanent or Change of Station.
Enter voucher and schedule numbers
Complete item 3, the voucher number, and item 4, the schedule number.
Complete the traveler details
In item 5, enter your name (last, first, middle initial), Social Security number, mailing address with ZIP code, office telephone number, present duty station and residence (city and state).
Enter period of travel and authorization
In item 6, enter the FROM and TO dates of the travel. In item 7, enter the travel authorization number(s) and date(s).
Account for any travel advance
In item 8, complete the lines that apply: a. Outstanding, b. Amount to be applied, c. Amount due Government and d. Balance outstanding.
Record payment details if they apply
Items 9 to 11 cover the cash payment receipt (date received, amount received, payee's signature), the check number and who paid. Complete only the entries that apply to your claim.
List transportation in item 12
Initial the assignment statement. For Government transportation requests, or tickets bought with cash, list each ticket by number with the carrier, mode and class of service, date and points of travel, and attach the passenger coupon.
Fill in the expense schedule
On the back, enter the date, time and a description for each entry in columns (a) to (c). Then complete the meal, lodging, mileage, miscellaneous and other columns that apply, following the instructions printed on the form.
Show family members and totals
If you claim per diem for immediate family, list their names, ages, relationship and the marital status of children in column (c), unless the travel authorization shows them. Total the columns and carry the sum of (l), (m) and (n) to item 13.
Sign the certification in item 13
Enter the date and the amount claimed, and sign as the traveler. By signing you certify the voucher is true and correct and that payment or credit has not been received.
Leave official blocks to the officials
Items 14 to 16 are signed by the approving and certifying officials, and item 17 and the accounting classification in item 18 are for the finance office.
Review and download the PDF
Check names, dates, authorization number and column totals, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and pass it to your approving official as described under How to submit.
How to submit OF 1012
Optional Form 1012 prints no mailing address, portal or submission deadline. It moves through signatures: the traveler signs item 13, the approving official signs item 14, the certifying official signs item 16, and the finance office completes item 17.
- To your approving official: give the signed voucher, with any passenger coupons for tickets listed in item 12, to the approving official or office your agency designates.
- Through your agency's finance office: the finance office computes the amount, records any differences and the net to the traveler, as its block on the form shows.
- Questions about the form: the GSA page for Optional Form 1012 is https://www.gsa.gov/reference/forms/travel-voucher.
Ask your agency's travel office which channel it uses, since the form does not name one. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows your agency's channels.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Signing the item 13 certification when payment or credit for the claimed expenses has already been received; the traveler certifies it has not.
- Falsifying an item in the expense account. The form warns that this forfeits the claim (28 U.S.C. 2514) and may result in a fine or imprisonment.
- Leaving the Social Security number blank in item 5b on a voucher claiming reimbursement that is, or may be, taxable income; disclosure is mandatory then.
- Claiming per diem for immediate family members without showing their names, ages, relationship and the marital status of children in column (c), when the travel authorization does not show them.
- Entering meal amounts without tax and tips; columns (d) through (g) call for the amount incurred for each meal including tax and tips, plus the daily total.
- Entering a per diem in column (m) above the maximum rate; for actual expense travel, enter the lesser of column (j) or the maximum rate.
- Not carrying the total of columns (l), (m) and (n) to item 13 on the front of the form.
- Including long distance telephone calls for an approving official who was not authorized in writing by the agency head to certify them.
Frequently asked questions
What is a travel voucher (Optional Form 1012)?
A travel voucher is Optional Form 1012, the form on which a traveler claims payment or reimbursement of allowable travel and/or relocation expenses. The front holds the traveler's certification and the official approvals; the back is the expense schedule.
Do I have to give my Social Security number on the travel voucher?
Yes, when the voucher claims reimbursement that is, or may be, taxable income; disclosure is mandatory then. In all other cases the form says disclosure of your SSN is voluntary. Failing to provide other information needed to support the claim may delay or lose reimbursement.
Can I fill out Optional Form 1012 online?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not submit the voucher to GSA or your agency; you hand it in through your agency's own channels.
What do I attach to a travel voucher?
Attach the passenger coupon for each ticket you list in item 12 that was purchased with cash, and show a cash claim on the reverse side. If the expense schedule needs more room, add another Optional Form 1012 BACK and leave its front blank.
Who signs Optional Form 1012?
The traveler signs item 13, the approving official signs item 14 and the certifying official signs item 16. The finance office completes item 17. An approving official who certifies long distance calls must be authorized in writing by the agency head.
What happens if I falsify an expense on a travel voucher?
The form states that falsifying an item in an expense account forfeits the claim (28 U.S.C. 2514) and may result in a fine or imprisonment (18 U.S.C. 287; 18 U.S.C. 1001). Certify only amounts you actually incurred.
Who sets the per diem rates I enter in column (m)?
GSA's Travel Voucher page says rates for Alaska, Hawaii and U.S. territories and possessions are set by the Department of Defense, and rates for foreign countries by the Department of State. Enter the per diem limited to the maximum rate.
Which location does my per diem reimbursement depend on?
GSA's page says reimbursement is based on the location of the work activities, not the accommodations. If lodging is not available at the work activity, the agency may authorize the rate where lodging is obtained.
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