The U.S. General Services Administration sets a standard CONUS per diem of $178/day for FY2026 — but then carves out roughly 298 non-standard areas (NSAs) where hotels are pricier and the allowance is higher. Understanding NSAs matters because "is this city on the list?" changes your reimbursement by hundreds of dollars a week.
What Is a Non-Standard Area?
An NSA is a county or defined locality where the GSA has determined lodging costs exceed the standard CONUS rate. Each NSA carries its own lodging cap (often monthly) and M&IE tier. Cities not on the list simply use the standard CONUS rate.
Examples of FY2026 NSAs: San Francisco ($259–$272 lodging), Washington DC ($183–$276), Las Vegas ($126–$159).
How Many NSAs and Where?
GSA designates 298 non-standard areas for FY2026 across all 48 CONUS states plus DC — roughly 300 localities historically. High-cost metros and resort destinations dominate. Browse the state index to see each state's NSA count: California leads with 20+, followed by Florida and Texas.
What Sets an NSA's Rate?
- Lodging cap — set from hotel market data, often by calendar month (see seasonal per diem cities).
- M&IE tier — one of five levels ($68, $74, $80, $86, $92) covering meals and incidentals.
- County definition — an NSA is defined by county lines; adjacent towns share the same cap (e.g., the SF NSA is San Francisco County).
Standard Rate vs NSA: The Gap
| Locality | Lodging | M&IE | Daily total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard CONUS | $110 | $68 | $178 |
| New York City | $179–$342 | $92 | up to $434 |
| Seattle | $188–$248 | $92 | up to $340 |
| Austin, TX | $173–$187 | $80 | up to $267 |
Practical Impact
- Check the list before booking. A traveler who books San Francisco but is reimbursed at the standard rate loses ~$90/night.
- NSA status does not follow city names. "Los Angeles" spans three counties under one NSA; check the county definition on the city page.
- NSAs change yearly. GSA reviews the list each fiscal year; FY2026 added no new NSAs but adjusted some caps.
Look Up Your Destination
Use the full FY2026 rate directory — every state hub lists its NSAs with monthly caps, and the trip calculator handles multi-day totals.
Source: GSA Per Diem Bulletin FTR 26-01 and GSA per diem API, retrieved 2026-08-19.