Work away from the workplace

Work away from the workplace (Auswärtstätigkeit) applies when someone works outside their home and their first place of work for professional reasons. It is the central term in German travel expense law and the basis for travel costs, additional meal expenses, accommodation costs and incidental travel expenses.

Since the reform of travel expense law in 2014, the Auswärtstätigkeit has replaced the previously common term Dienstreise (business trip). It applies to trips in Germany and abroad.

When does work away from the workplace apply?

Whenever you work temporarily outside your first place of work, for example for customer visits, installation jobs, training courses, trade fairs or project work. Anyone who has no first place of work at all and works at constantly changing locations, for example on construction sites or in field service, also works away (changing places of work). This also applies to work on a vehicle, for example for professional drivers.

Difference to the first place of work

The distinction is decisive for tax purposes: work away from the workplace qualifies for travel expenses, while journeys to the first place of work only qualify for the distance allowance. More under first place of work. If you work regularly at the same external location for a longer period, the per diems end after three months, see three-month rule.

Travel expenses for work away from the workplace

Travel costs, accommodation costs, incidental travel expenses and additional meal expenses are reimbursable. Per diems apply for more than eight hours of absence and for days of arrival and departure and full days of a multi-day trip. You will find the rates under per diems by country and in the overview of per diems 2026.

Tax treatment

The employer can reimburse travel expenses for work away from the workplace tax-free. Whatever is not reimbursed, employees claim as income-related expenses. For the self-employed and companies, they are business expenses. Proper documentation of occasion, duration, place of work and costs is required.

Work away from the workplace in practice

Unclear places of work or missing times often lead to queries and corrections. With Spesenfuchs, you record work away from the workplace in a structured way with departure, return and destinations, the allowances are calculated automatically, and receipts are attached directly to the trip. You will find instructions in the guide Create a travel expense report.

Legal basis and sources: § 9 (4a) EStG, Tax administration NRW: travel expenses for work-related assignments (in German), LStH 2026, Annex 25 III: travel expenses of employees