Fiscal Matters
Petty Cash Accounts

A state agency may establish a petty cash account only in accordance with law and the rules established by the Comptroller's office.

Money may be disbursed from a petty cash account only if the disbursement would be allowable were the expenditure being made from the corresponding fund itself and not a petty cash account.

Disbursements from petty cash accounts must comply with the purchasing laws and rules of the State.

For information regarding petty cash account requirements, see Petty Cash Account.

Definitions:

Petty cash account

A set amount of money held outside the State Treasury to be used for specified purposes, including:

• Making change of currency.
• Advancing travel expense money to state officers and employees.
• Making small disbursements for which formal expenditure procedures are not cost-effective.
• Any similar purpose or combination of purposes a state agency considers prudent for conducting state business.

State agency

includes:

• A department, commission, board, office or other state governmental entity in the executive or legislative branch of state government.
• The Supreme Court, the Court of Criminal Appeals, a court of appeals, the Texas Judicial Council, the Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System, the State Bar of Texas and any other state governmental entity in the judicial branch of state government.
• A university system or an institution of higher education as defined by Texas Education Code Section 61.003.
• Any other state governmental entity that the Comptroller's office determines to be a component unit of state government for the purpose of financial reporting under Texas Government Code Section 403.013.

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