Subpart E: Cost principles 2024 Uniform Guidance · effective Oct 1, 2024

2 CFR 200.403: Factors affecting allowability of costs

2 CFR 200.403 sets 3 requirements for organizations that receive federal grants and cooperative agreements. Applies when you build your application and budget, and to every cost you charge after award.

Shows up in your application: BudgetBudget justificationCost sharingOther supportProject timeline

What 2 CFR 200.403 requires

1. Allowable costs

What you must do

Except where otherwise authorized by statute, every cost must: be necessary and reasonable for performance of the award and allocable to it; conform to limitations/exclusions in Subpart E and the award; be consistent with policies applied uniformly to federal and non-federal activities; receive consistent direct-vs-indirect treatment; be determined per GAAP (except as otherwise provided for states, local governments, and Indian Tribes); and be adequately documented (paras (a)-(e), (g)).

When it applies

Every cost item in the proposed budget

BudgetBudget justification
2. Cost sharing

What you must do

A cost must not be included as a cost of, or used to meet the cost sharing requirements of, any other federally-financed program in either the current or a prior period (para (f); see § 200.306(b)).

When it applies

Budget proposes cost sharing/match, or the applicant holds other concurrent federal awards

Cost sharingBudgetOther support
3. Allowable costs

What you must do

All costs (other than administrative closeout costs) must be incurred during the approved budget period; administrative closeout costs may be incurred until the final report due date, must be liquidated by that date, and charged to the final budget period unless the agency specifies otherwise; carry-forward of unobligated balances requires agency approval unless waived (para (h); see § 200.308(g)(3)).

When it applies

Budget schedules costs relative to the proposed project/budget period

BudgetProject timeline
Grantable compliance database

Ask how 2 CFR 200.403 applies to your application

Upload the funding notice and your draft budget or narrative, and ask. Grantable answers from its compliance database of federal, agency and state rules, with citations.

Sections 2 CFR 200.403 refers to

Sections that refer to 2 CFR 200.403

Regulation text of 2 CFR 200.403

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Except where otherwise authorized by statute, costs must meet the following criteria to be allowable under Federal awards:

(a) Be necessary and reasonable for the performance of the Federal award and be allocable thereto under these principles.

(b) Conform to any limitations or exclusions set forth in these principles or in the Federal award as to types or amount of cost items.

(c) Be consistent with policies and procedures that apply uniformly to both federally financed and other activities of the recipient or subrecipient.

(d) Be accorded consistent treatment. For example, a cost must not be assigned to a Federal award as a direct cost if any other cost incurred for the same purpose in like circumstances has been allocated to the Federal award as an indirect cost.

(e) Be determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), except, for State and local governments and Indian Tribes only, as otherwise provided for in this part.

(f) Not be included as a cost or used to meet cost sharing requirements of any other federally-financed program in either the current or a prior period. See § 200.306(b).

(g) Be adequately documented. See §§ 200.300 through 200.309.

(h) Administrative closeout costs may be incurred until the due date of the final report(s). If incurred, these costs must be liquidated prior to the due date of the final report(s) and charged to the final budget period of the award unless otherwise specified by the Federal agency. All other costs must be incurred during the approved budget period. At its discretion, the Federal agency is authorized to waive prior written approvals to carry forward unobligated balances to subsequent budget periods. See § 200.308(g)(3).

Source: eCFR · checked Sep 17, 2026

Questions about 2 CFR 200.403

What does 2 CFR 200.403 require?

Except where otherwise authorized by statute, every cost must: be necessary and reasonable for performance of the award and allocable to it; conform to limitations/exclusions in Subpart E and the award; be consistent with policies applied uniformly to federal and non-federal activities; receive consistent direct-vs-indirect treatment; be determined per GAAP (except as otherwise provided for states, local governments, and Indian Tribes); and be adequately documented (paras (a)-(e), (g)). A cost must not be included as a cost of, or used to meet the cost sharing requirements of, any other federally-financed program in either the current or a prior period (para (f); see § 200.306(b)). All costs (other than administrative closeout costs) must be incurred during the approved budget period; administrative closeout costs may be incurred until the final report due date, must be liquidated by that date, and charged to the final budget period unless the agency specifies otherwise; carry-forward of unobligated balances requires agency approval unless waived (para (h); see § 200.308(g)(3)).

When does 2 CFR 200.403 apply?

Every cost item in the proposed budget. Budget proposes cost sharing/match, or the applicant holds other concurrent federal awards. Budget schedules costs relative to the proposed project/budget period.

Plain-English summaries for information only, not legal advice. Always check the regulation text, your award terms and your agency’s guidance.