Subsistence Allowances are payable to a staff member to reimburse the necessary cost incurred by him when he is directed to be on duty away from home. If an officer is required to be on duty away from home in Hong Kong continuously for 12 hours or more a day, he may be granted a Local Subsistence Allowance. If an officer is directed to perform duty outside Hong Kong, he may be granted an Overseas Subsistence Allowance which has different rates for different countries/cities.

Rules are set out in the Civil Service Regulations.