OWCP reimburses federal employees for the cost of traveling to authorized medical care for an accepted work injury. You claim mileage on Form OWCP-957A and other travel costs — parking, tolls, transit, lodging — on Form OWCP-957B. Mileage is paid at the GSA privately-owned-vehicle rate in effect on your travel date, which is 72.5 cents per mile for calendar year 2026. File within one year of the travel date.
What is OWCP travel reimbursement?
If you have an accepted OWCP claim, the government pays you back for the round-trip travel required to get authorized medical care. This is a real benefit that a lot of injured federal workers never claim, usually because nobody told them it existed.
Travel to any of the following typically qualifies:
- Your treating physician for appointments related to the accepted condition
- Physical therapy, occupational therapy, and rehabilitation visits
- Imaging and diagnostic testing — X-ray, MRI, CT, EMG
- The pharmacy to fill prescriptions for the accepted condition
- Second-opinion and referee examinations that OWCP directs you to attend
- Specialist appointments your treating physician referred you to
Travel reimbursement is available across DOL programs — DFEC (federal employees under FECA) and DEEOIC (energy workers) both cover it.
Which form do you need: 957A or 957B?
| Form | What it claims | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| OWCP-957A | Mileage only | Round-trip miles driven in your own vehicle to an authorized appointment |
| OWCP-957B | All other travel expenses | Parking, tolls, public transit, rideshare/taxi, lodging, airfare, rental car |
Putting mileage and expenses together on a single form is one of the most common reasons a travel claim gets rejected outright. Mileage goes on the 957A. Everything else goes on the 957B. If you have both in the same month, file both forms.
The 2026 OWCP mileage rate
OWCP pays mileage at the GSA privately-owned-vehicle (POV) rate — the same rate the rest of the federal government uses for official travel. For calendar year 2026 that rate is 72.5 cents per mile, up from 70 cents in 2025. It took effect January 1, 2026 and runs through December 31, 2026.
Not the date you file. If you're claiming trips from December 2025 and January 2026 on the same form, they're reimbursed at two different rates. The rate changes every January, so check the current figure before filing for older travel.
The math is straightforward: round-trip miles × the rate for that date. A 24-mile round trip to your physical therapy appointment in 2026 reimburses at 24 × $0.725 = $17.40. Twice a week for twelve weeks, that's roughly $417 you would otherwise have absorbed yourself.
How to file Form OWCP-957A, step by step
- Enter your identifying information — your name, your OWCP case file number, and the date range the form covers. A missing case number is the fastest way to have the form returned.
- List each trip on its own line — the date, where you traveled from, where you traveled to, and the round-trip mileage. Be specific about destinations: "Dr. Smith, 5765 S Rainbow Blvd" rather than "doctor."
- Total the miles and apply the rate for the travel date. Write legibly — illegible mileage entries get kicked back.
- Sign and date the form. An unsigned form is not a valid claim and OWCP will not process it.
- Submit through ECOMP. As of March 14, 2026, you can file 957A and 957B forms electronically through the ECOMP portal, which is faster and gives you a submission record. You can still mail the form to your district office if you prefer.
Deadlines and documentation
- File within one year of the travel date. Don't sit on months of trips — file regularly, monthly or quarterly, so nothing ages out.
- Keep receipts for 957B expenses. Original receipts are required for lodging, airfare, rental car, and any single expense over $75.
- The travel has to be to authorized care for an accepted condition. Travel for a condition OWCP hasn't accepted is not reimbursable, even if the appointment was real.
- Keep your own copy of every form you submit, along with the appointment records that support it.
Why travel claims get delayed or denied
- Missing or wrong case file number — the form can't be matched to your claim.
- Unsigned form — not a valid claim, full stop.
- Mileage and expenses combined on one form instead of split across 957A and 957B.
- Illegible entries — handwritten mileage that can't be read gets returned rather than estimated.
- Missing receipts for expenses that require them.
- Travel to a provider who isn't authorized, or for a condition that hasn't been accepted yet.
- Filing more than a year after the travel date.
Why your choice of clinic affects what you get back
Two things about your treating clinic directly change your travel reimbursement picture. The first is obvious: a closer OWCP-enrolled clinic means fewer miles per visit — though it also means a smaller reimbursement, so the real win is less time in the car during a course of physical therapy that might run twice a week for months.
The second matters more. Reimbursement requires that the visit was authorized care for an accepted condition. A clinic that keeps your authorizations current and documents each visit against the accepted condition protects your travel claims as a side effect of protecting your medical claims. A clinic that doesn't leaves you filing 957As for visits OWCP may later decide weren't covered.
NuThera is OWCP-enrolled with two Las Vegas Valley locations:
- Las Vegas (Rainbow / Spring Valley): 5765 S Rainbow Blvd, Ste 111, Las Vegas, NV 89118-2537
- North Las Vegas (Aliante): 3880 W Ann Rd #130, North Las Vegas, NV 89031
Book with NuThera — an OWCP-enrolled clinic in Las Vegas and North Las Vegas — and we'll help make sure your visits are authorized and documented so your travel claims hold up. Call (725) 726-7914 or request an appointment online.
Keep exploring.
- Download OWCP-957A / 957B travel forms
The full DOL forms library with direct official links to OWCP-957A, OWCP-957B, and every other form referenced in this guide.
- OWCP Overview
How NuThera supports federal workers through the full claim lifecycle — filing, authorization, treatment, and documentation.
- How much does OWCP pay? Wage-loss rates
Travel reimbursement is separate from wage-loss compensation — here's how the 66⅔% and 75% rates work.
- OWCP claim denied? What to do next
Travel is only reimbursable for accepted conditions, so if the underlying claim is denied, start here.
- OWCP schedule awards explained
The permanent-impairment benefit — separate again from both travel and wage-loss compensation.
- OWCP clinic near you
Rainbow Blvd (Las Vegas) and Ann Rd (North Las Vegas) — addresses, hours, and directions for both OWCP-enrolled locations.
Common questions.
Does OWCP pay for travel to the doctor?
Yes. If you have an accepted OWCP claim, you can be reimbursed for round-trip travel to authorized medical care — your treating physician, physical therapy, imaging, the pharmacy, and any second-opinion exam OWCP directs you to attend. You claim it on Form OWCP-957A (mileage) or OWCP-957B (other expenses).
What is the OWCP mileage reimbursement rate for 2026?
72.5 cents per mile for calendar year 2026, up from 70 cents in 2025. OWCP pays the GSA privately-owned-vehicle rate that was in effect on the date you traveled — not the date you file — so trips from different years reimburse at different rates.
What is the difference between OWCP-957A and OWCP-957B?
OWCP-957A claims mileage only — the miles you drove in your own vehicle. OWCP-957B claims every other travel cost: parking, tolls, public transit, rideshare, lodging, airfare, and rental cars. Don't combine them on one form; that's a common reason claims are rejected. Both replaced the legacy OWCP-957 form as of February 17, 2024.
How long do I have to file an OWCP travel claim?
One year from the date of travel. Rather than saving up months of trips, file regularly — monthly or quarterly — so nothing ages past the deadline and so you're not reconstructing mileage from memory.
Can I submit OWCP-957 forms online?
Yes. As of March 14, 2026, you can submit both the OWCP-957A and OWCP-957B electronically through the ECOMP portal. Electronic filing is faster than mail and gives you a timestamped submission record. Mailing the form to your OWCP district office is still an option.
Do I need pre-approval to travel to my OWCP doctor?
Routine local travel to authorized care for an accepted condition generally doesn't require separate pre-approval — but the underlying medical care does need to be authorized, and the condition needs to be accepted. Long-distance travel, overnight lodging, and air travel are a different matter and should be coordinated with your claims examiner in advance.