Petty Cash

What is Petty Cash?

The Business Office may allow some approved student organizations to withdraw a small amount of cash that they can use to make approved purchases. All petty cash transactions are subject to the discretion of the Business Office. Petty cash should only be used when there are no other available purchasing options.

Who is eligible for Petty Cash?

Withdrawal of petty cash is only available for accounts that qualify. Only a few pre-approved student organizations are eligible for petty cash. Please email SABO@uga.edu to determine if your organization is approved.

Petty Cash Withdrawal

• To withdraw petty cash, bring a Petty Cash Withdrawal Form to the Business Office between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM.
• The Petty Cash Withdrawal Form must be filled out and signed by an authorized advisor/account manager within the Division of Student Affairs.
• An event flyer, email, or agenda must be provided to withdraw petty cash for event supplies or food.
• Petty cash withdrawal must not exceed $500.00. If you check out petty cash and will require more that same day, all funds that were initially checked out must be returned BEFORE additional cash will be given.
• Please be sure to check out the correct amount of funds before making any purchases, personal funds should not be used to purchases items if petty cash was checked out.
• All petty cash purchase receipts and funds must be returned within one business day of the purchase date.
• If you require the Sam’s Club membership card, it must be returned by 4:00 PM and cannot be held until the next day.

Purchases that cannot be made with Petty Cash:

• Anything that can be purchased via UGAMart, Payment Request, or Individual Reimbursement
• Gasoline
• Rentals or reservations of any kind
• Purchases considered as “Travel” e.g. Bus tickets, air fare, train fare
• Parking
• Ammunition
• Apparel e.g. T-Shirts, Polo shirts
• Awards
• Gifts cards
• Electronics
• Equipment (regardless of value)
• Insurance
• Deposits e.g. Deposits for rentals, food, etc.
• Catering services e.g. Servers or cleanup crews
• Additional information can be found here. 

Returning Petty Cash

• All petty cash purchase receipts and funds must be returned within one business day of the purchase date.
• When returning petty cash, please bring all receipts and change to the Business Office between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM.
• Bring the Petty Cash Disbursement Receipt Form and ensure that it filled out completely with the advisor’s signature. Any forms without signatures will not be accepted. Please include a brief description of your purchases in the description marked area of the disbursement form.

Receipts:

• All receipts must be taped down completely on a half or full sheet of paper.
• Receipts can be cut in half, as long as all of the information is legible.
• ALL receipts submitted for payment MUST be paid, ORIGINAL receipts. No invoices, or email confirmations will be accepted, unless the payment method or zero balance is displayed clearly. Any receipt that isn’t marked “paid” and is not an “online” transaction, may be signed by the vendor as proof of payment.
• Any receipt that does not have a company logo or any hand written receipt MUST include a business card from the vendor.

Food:

• ALL food purchases require a Food Justification Form as well as a flyer, agenda, or a listserv email with details of the event. This means ANY food that will be consumed. Food for demonstrations or experiments that will not be consumed does not need justification. Any refreshment served on a display table, at any recruitment event or meeting MUST have justification.
• If petty cash is used to tip for food service, the recipient of the tip must sign the receipt to acknowledge the tip was accepted.