Claim travel expenses under the improved MRCA
From 1 July 2026, travel expenses for eligible treatment are assessed under the MRCA. If you hold a Veteran Card – All Conditions or a Veteran Card – Specific Conditions, you may be able to claim reimbursement for transport, accommodation, and meals when you travel for treatment.
Who we may reimburse
You may be reimbursed for travel expenses if you hold a Veteran Card – All Conditions or a Veteran Card – Specific Conditions and are travelling for treatment covered by that card.
What we may reimburse
You have an entitlement to reimbursement of reasonable travel expenses to access treatment covered by your Veteran Card, including transport, accommodation, and meals.
Other travel reimbursements
You may also be reimbursed for travel expenses to attend a medical examination requested by DVA, to gather evidence for a Veterans' Review Board (VRB) hearing, or to attend a VRB hearing.
Travel is not covered for Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) hearings, for treatment outside Australia, or for regular rehabilitation program activities.
Travel to the place where appropriate treatment is available
Travel for treatment assistance is assessed based on the Place Where Appropriate Treatment is Available (PWATA). The PWATA is the location of the health provider who is closest in distance, who is recognised as an approved provider and is able to deliver the appropriate treatment.
While you can attend treatment Australia-wide with the provider of your choice, we encourage you to attend treatment with a provider in your local area where possible. We understand there may be reasons why you need to travel greater distances, such as long wait times, a clinical need for a specific provider, or limited public transport. However, if your provider is not the PWATA, your full costs may not be reimbursed.
It is important to note that if you are approved to attend treatment, this does not mean that the travel to the treatment location is also approved. Decisions on treatment approval and travel entitlement are considered separately.
If you are not sure if your provider location would be considered the PWATA, you can call us on 1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372) before you travel. We can also let you know about any additional information that may be needed to support your claim, such as a letter from your treatment provider.
Travel entitlements
You can submit a claim for reasonable cost of transport, accommodation and meals via MyService or using a paper form. We can reimburse you for travel by public transport (bus, train, ferry), air travel (which may need prior approval), taxi or rideshare. If you are travelling to your PWATA, the full fare is reimbursed.
For private vehicle travel, reimbursement is paid at 68 cents per kilometre. Parking costs and road tolls can also be reimbursed when using a private vehicle.
Accommodation and meals
You (and your travel attendant) will receive reimbursement of accommodation expenses if it was reasonable for you to stay overnight to access your treatment. This includes commercial, subsidised (such as hospital accommodation), and private accommodation (such as staying with family or friends).
Reasons for an overnight stay may include travelling a long distance to the PWATA, a need to be close for medical observation, early or late appointments, or being unable to travel due to treatment.
For commercial accommodation, receipts are required and reimbursement is paid up to the Australian Taxation Office rates as the guide amounts. If your expenses are above the guide rates, you can ask DVA to reimburse a higher amount by including the reasons for the additional cost.
The standard rates from 1 July 2026 are:
- Subsidised accommodation: $141.00 per night per person
- Private accommodation: $59.60 per night per person
- Meals (101 to 400 km round trip): $19.10 per person
- Meals (400 km or more round trip): $38.80 per person
- Meals with overnight stay: $108.50
- Higher costs can be claimed with justification and receipts
Table 1.1 – Accommodation threshold rates from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027
| Place | Accommodation |
|---|---|
| Adelaide | $158 |
| Brisbane | $188 |
| Canberra | $178 |
| Darwin | $220 |
| Hobart | $176 |
| Melbourne | $175 |
| Perth | $180 |
| Sydney | $230 |
| High-cost country centres | Refer to Table 1.2 |
| All other country centres | $141 |
Table 1.2 – High-cost country centres from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027
| Country centre | Accommodation | Country centre | Accommodation | Country centre | Accommodation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany (WA) | $193 | Esperance (WA) | $183 | Nhulunbuy (NT) | $278 |
| Albury (NSW) | $207 | Exmouth (WA) | $247 | Norfolk Island (Qld) | $256 |
| Alice Springs (NT) | $206 | Geelong (Vic) | $175 | Northam (WA) | $232 |
| Ararat (Vic) | $159 | Geraldton (WA) | $201 | Nowra (NSW) | $168 |
| Armidale (NSW) | $166 | Gladstone (Qld) | $171 | Orange (NSW) | $222 |
| Ayr (Qld) | $207 | Gold Coast (Qld) | $234 | Port Augusta (SA) | $207 |
| Bairnsdale (Vic) | $182 | Gosford (NSW) | $161 | Port Hedland (WA) | $281 |
| Ballarat (Vic) | $187 | Goulburn (NSW) | $165 | Port Lincoln (SA) | $170 |
| Bathurst (NSW) | $207 | Grafton (NSW) | $179 | Port Macquarie (NSW) | $190 |
| Bega (NSW) | $207 | Griffith (NSW) | $165 | Port Pirie (SA) | $207 |
| Benalla (Vic) | $168 | Gunnedah (NSW) | $186 | Portland (Vic) | $170 |
| Bendigo (Vic) | $177 | Halls Creek (WA) | $215 | Queanbeyan (NSW) | $207 |
| Bordertown (SA) | $165 | Hamilton (Vic) | $170 | Queenstown (Tas) | $207 |
| Bourke (NSW) | $189 | Hervey Bay (Qld) | $175 | Renmark (SA) | $207 |
| Bright (Vic) | $180 | Horn Island (Qld) | $345 | Rockhampton (Qld) | $174 |
| Broken Hill (NSW) | $168 | Horsham (Vic) | $173 | Roma (Qld) | $188 |
| Broome (WA) | $269 | Innisfail (Qld) | $207 | Sale (Vic) | $207 |
| Bunbury (WA) | $184 | Inverell (NSW) | $207 | Seymour (Vic) | $171 |
| Bundaberg (Qld) | $184 | Jabiru (NT) | $216 | Shepparton (Vic) | $172 |
| Burnie (Tas) | $181 | Kadina (SA) | $207 | Swan Hill (Vic) | $181 |
| Cairns (Qld) | $175 | Kalgoorlie (WA) | $193 | Tamworth (NSW) | $207 |
| Carnarvon (WA) | $183 | Karratha (WA) | $304 | Taree (NSW) | $207 |
| Castlemaine (Vic) | $162 | Katherine (NT) | $230 | Tennant Creek (NT) | $207 |
| Ceduna (SA) | $156 | Kingaroy (Qld) | $180 | Thursday Island (Qld) | $323 |
| Charters Towers (Qld) | $168 | Kununurra (WA) | $234 | Toowoomba (Qld) | $161 |
| Chinchilla (Qld) | $207 | Launceston (Tas) | $174 | Townsville (Qld) | $174 |
| Christmas Island (WA) | $221 | Lismore (NSW) | $190 | Tumut (NSW) | $207 |
| Cobar (NSW) | $207 | Mackay (Qld) | $166 | Wagga Wagga (NSW) | $178 |
| Cocos (Keeling) Islands (WA) | $331 | Maitland (NSW) | $187 | Wangaratta (Vic) | $186 |
| Coffs Harbour (NSW) | $207 | Maryborough (Qld) | $207 | Warrnambool (Vic) | $182 |
| Colac (Vic) | $207 | Mildura (Vic) | $177 | Weipa (Qld) | $238 |
| Cooma (NSW) | $207 | Mount Gambier (SA) | $164 | Whyalla (SA) | $170 |
| Cowra (NSW) | $207 | Mount Isa (Qld) | $188 | Wilpena-Pound (SA) | $281 |
| Dalby (Qld) | $201 | Mudgee (NSW) | $213 | Wodonga (Vic) | $207 |
| Dampier (WA) | $210 | Muswellbrook (NSW) | $166 | Wollongong (NSW) | $188 |
| Derby (WA) | $192 | Nambour (Qld) | $168 | Wonthaggi (Vic) | $188 |
| Devonport (Tas) | $170 | Naracoorte (SA) | $207 | Yulara (NT) | $570 |
| Dubbo (NSW) | $173 | Narrabri (NSW) | $207 | ||
| Echuca (Vic) | $207 | Newcastle (NSW) | $195 | ||
| Emerald (Qld) | $182 | Newman (WA) | $277 |
Pre-payment of travel expenses
Pre-payment of travel expenses is available in cases of financial hardship. After your travel, we will check what we paid you and if your travelling expenses were more than the pre-payment, we will pay you the additional amount. If your travelling expenses were less than the pre-payment, you will need to repay DVA the difference.
Travelling with an attendant
If you need assistance while travelling, you are able to travel with an attendant. An attendant is someone who is responsible, competent and able to help you with your physical, emotional or logistical needs while travelling. Your attendant can be a partner, family member, or friend and they do not need any medical qualifications. DVA may reimburse transport, accommodation, and meals for your attendant the same way we will repay your own.
Accessing transport entitlements on holiday or away from home
If you need to access treatment covered by your Veteran Card while travelling, you have an entitlement to travel assistance to attend the Place Where Appropriate Treatment is Available.
After you have accessed treatment or have discharged from hospital, we will generally provide travel assistance to return you to your temporary residence, which will be your holiday accommodation. In most cases we are unable to provide travel assistance to return you to your permanent residence.
If an attendant accompanies you to access treatment while you are on holidays, contact us to find out what travel assistance they may be entitled to receive.
Before travelling, you may wish to explore travel insurance options for yourself and other members of your travelling party.
We cannot pay costs for any of your travelling party adversely impacted by your need for treatment.
Travel for treatment if you live overseas
If you live overseas and need to travel for treatment, contact DVA to discuss your situation.
How to apply
Apply via MyService and submit your claim as soon as possible after travel. You will need to include receipts for most types of expenses, excluding private vehicle kilometres, private accommodation and meals (below the guide rate). Any receipts not provided must be retained and provided to DVA upon request if they are needed to validate your travel reimbursement.
How we reimburse you
Reimbursement is paid into the same account as your pension or payment. You will receive a letter outlining the amount reimbursed and your options for appealing if you are unhappy with the decision.
How to request a review
Appeals go through the Veterans' Review Board (VRB). You must apply within 12 months and explain why you disagree with the decision.
Contact us
Phone: 1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372)