Local Travel AD-616 Processing Requirements

Created: 01/16/19

This document was created to provide an understanding of FSC processing requirements for local travel on Form AD616. 

AD-616 Travel Voucher

Section A – Identification*

2. SSN – This is not a required field, but the last two digits can assist FSC is verifying the claimant.

3. Name – Full legal names should be listed on claims. If the name does not match the legal name provided to the 

Agency, the claim may be delayed until the employee is identified. If John Michael Scott submits an AD-616 as Mickey 

Scott, the document will be returned to an FSC Financial Specialist for additional research.

7. Dates of Travel Expenses – Dates should only be included for days where actual mileage is being claimed. If the 

Claimant listed the entire month (01/01/20 – 01/31/20) but only claims the 13th and 14th then we will adjust the dates to 

01/13/20 – 01/14/20. 

12. Official Duty Station – Optional but helpful to identify the Claimant.

13. Resident City and State – Optional but helpful to identify the Claimant.

*This section of the AD-616 is used to verify the correct employee is being reimbursed when claims are processed. If 

there is only a name listed, and it’s a common name, the document will be returned to an FSC Specialist for research 

delaying the reimbursement. It’s important to include middle initials on the form. 

Section E – Accounting Classification 

• The full shorthand code (SHC) must be listed 

• If the code has the incorrect FY last digit it will be modified by FSC based on the travel dates 

o There is no need to resubmit for an error in the last digit of the SHC

• FSC cannot determine which SHC to use when processing claims

• If the code is invalid the claim will be returned for correction

Section D - Claims

31. Mileage – complete

32. Parking, Tolls, etc. – complete

38. Total Claim – complete

44. Net to Traveler – complete
Section F – Certifications*

47. Claimant’s Signature**

50. Approving Official Signature**

*The approval official signature signifies that the approver has determined the mileage claimed to be valid. FSC does not 

verify mileage based on Google maps or a MapQuest of listed duty locations. Many of the claims received do not include 

the duty location, only travel dates. The recent Notice about TDY mileage claims is related only to TDY travel. The only 

requirement for local travel is the listing of daily mileage. Section G of the AD-616, an attached Excel (commonly used 

for monthly travel log) or a handwritten daily mileage list may be used. FSC does not verify plant routes or T&A billing

when processing AD-616 claims. 

** - FSC can only accept original and authorized electronic signatures; authorized electronic signatures must contain the 

Adobe watermark and/or certification information.

Examples of authorized electronic signatures are below as a reference. 

Section G – Schedule of Expenses & Amounts Claimed

Itinerary From – Should list first date traveled

To TDY Location - complete

Mileage – Total miles, can be listed one-way with the same day listed in next column for return or round-trip mileage 

can be listed in a single column for each day. 

Mileage Rate – The FSC does not know which claimants are approved high mileage drivers or who is assigned a GSA 

vehicle. The listed rate is what will be used to calculate and verify claim totals. 

Remarks – Some claimants will list their daily mileage in the remarks, this is acceptable if the explanation listed adds up 

to what is being claimed. FSC does read the Remarks for additional detail and uses it to validate the claim totals. If there 

is something listed in the Remarks that causes a question about the total claim it will be returned to a Specialist for 

research and the payment delayed. 
Additional Things to Remember: 

• Claims must be signed and dated by the Claimant and an Approver. FSC expects that the approver signature 

signifies the claim has been thoroughly reviewed by someone with knowledge of the claimant’s detail/work 

schedule and states the claim is true and appropriate per agency guidance/directives. 

• Some identifiable information is needed to validate processing of the payment to the correct employee. The 

listing of the last two of an SSN is optional but extremely helpful to verify the Claimant.

• Documents with an invalid or missing shorthand code (SHC) must be returned. FSC does not have the authority 

or detailed knowledge of assignments to determine which SHC should be billed for the claim. 

• AD-616 documents submitted to FSC are only accepted for reimbursement of local travel expenses. Forms 

should not include per diem (M&IE) or miscellaneous expenses. Items accepted for local travel include mileage, 

parking, tolls and sometimes fares. All other miscellaneous reimbursements must be submitted on an OF1164 or 

through ConcurGov for official TDY travel. 

• FSC works very hard to process each claim accurately and timely. This also includes a responsibility to ensure 

the documentation provided by the Claimant supports payment by the Agency and can hold up when audits are 

conducted. 

If you have questions, please contact the FSC Contact Center at 1-800-949-3964 (Option 4 or 5) or email 

FSCGeneral@usda.gov.

A copy of the document is saved at:

https://inside.fsis.usda.gov/fsis/emp/static/centerContent/fsisPage.jsp?keyword=Travel9970