Mill Valley / San Rafael / Novato, CA per-diem rate (FY2026)
The GSA federal ceiling for tax-free housing & meal stipends on a travel-nurse assignment in Mill Valley / San Rafael / Novato (Marin County).
| Lodging / night | $153–$175 |
| M&IE / full day | $92 |
| M&IE first/last day (75%) | $69 |
| Weekly tax-free ceiling | $1,869 |
| 13-week assignment ceiling | $24,297 |
Source: GSA FY2026, effective 2025-10-01.
Check your offer
Seasonal lodging rates
Lodging in Mill Valley / San Rafael / Novato changes by season. M&IE stays $92/day all year.
| Season | Lodging / night |
|---|---|
| October 1 – May 31 | $153 |
| June 1 – September 30 | $175 |
What this means for travel nurses
When you take an assignment in Mill Valley / San Rafael / Novato, your agency builds a pay package from a taxable hourly base plus tax-free stipends for housing and meals. Those stipends can only be paid tax-free up to the GSA per-diem ceiling above — roughly $1,869/week. If a recruiter quotes a housing stipend far above this, ask how the package is structured; the excess may be taxable, and an artificially low taxable base carries its own IRS risk. To keep stipends tax-free you must also maintain a legitimate tax home.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the 2026 per diem rate for Mill Valley / San Rafael / Novato, CA?
- For FY2026, the GSA per-diem rate for Mill Valley / San Rafael / Novato, CA is $153–$175 for lodging (seasonal) plus $92 for meals and incidentals (M&IE), for up to $267 per day.
- How much can my travel-nurse housing stipend be in Mill Valley / San Rafael / Novato?
- Agencies can generally pay up to the GSA ceiling tax-free: about $1,869 per week (lodging + M&IE) in Mill Valley / San Rafael / Novato. Amounts above that may be taxable. Use the calculator on this page to check a specific offer.
- What is the M&IE first and last day rate?
- On travel days you get 75% of the daily M&IE, which is $69 for Mill Valley / San Rafael / Novato.