Washington mileage guide covering private-employer discretionary policies, minimum wage protections, and official state travel rates.
Washington leaves mileage reimbursement to the employer's policy, with one firm limit: unreimbursed vehicle costs cannot pull pay below the state minimum wage, $17.13 an hour in 2026, $17.73 from January 1, 2027. State employees are paid under SAAM Chapter 10, which follows the federal rate: 72.5 cents per mile for January through June 2026 and 76 cents per mile from July 1.
Washington state mileage reimbursement searches split between two very different legal frameworks:
| Sector | Reimbursement Status | Applicable Law / Regulation | 2026 Rate Standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private Employers (General) | Discretionary / Policy-based | Washington L&I Administrative Policy ES.A.1 | Employer-defined rate; the federal benchmark is 72.5 cents per mile Jan-Jun, 76 cents per mile from Jul 1 |
| Private Employers (Low-Wage Workers) | Mandatory if the wage floor is breached | Washington Minimum Wage Act (RCW 49.46.020) | Enough to keep effective pay at or above the state or local minimum wage |
| Washington State Employees | Mandatory for official travel | Washington OFM SAAM Chapter 10 (Travel) | 76 cents per mile from July 1, 2026 (72.5 cents per mile for January through June) |
Washington state mileage reimbursement rules for private sector vs state government workers.
Washington has no broad indemnification statute of the California kind, but the Minimum Wage Act prohibits the kickback that unreimbursed job costs create: required expenses cannot leave a worker with less than the minimum wage for the hours worked.
Example: 30 required business miles in an eight-hour shift are $22.80 out of pocket when those miles are valued at the federal rate for the second half of 2026. A worker paid $17.50 an hour is left with $14.65 an hour for that shift, below the 2026 Washington minimum of $17.13. Under RCW 49.46.020 the employer has to make up the difference.
Local minimum wages are higher in some Washington cities, and the same arithmetic applies against the higher figure.
Official Washington L&I policy on employee per diem and mileage expense rules.
The privately owned vehicle rate SAAM Chapter 10 pays: 76 cents per mile as of July 1, 2026, sourced to the federal rate.
Washington's minimum wage, including the 2026 figure and the 2027 announcement, plus the local rates that run higher.
Statutory protections against wage-reducing required job expenditures.
Generally, no. Washington state law does not mandate mileage reimbursement for private employers, provided unreimbursed driving costs do not reduce the worker's net hourly earnings below the Washington state or local municipal minimum wage.
Under the Washington Office of Financial Management SAAM Chapter 10, the privately owned vehicle rate for state employees follows the federal figure: 72.5 cents per mile for January through June 2026 and 76 cents per mile from July 1.
Not as a general rule — L&I treats it as discretionary. The exception is the minimum wage floor: required vehicle costs that leave a worker below $17.13 an hour in 2026, $17.73 from January 1, 2027 have to be made up.
For state workers, tolls are reimbursable as separate incidental expenses. For private employers, company travel policies should explicitly reimburse necessary bridge and highway tolls upon receipt submission.
Calculate estimated reimbursement, review official rate tables, or download log templates.