Military PCS Move — Allowances, Rights & Budget Guide
A Permanent Change of Station (PCS) is the highest-volume military move type in the U.S. This guide covers what the government pays, what you pay out of pocket, and how to use the same transparent cost model for your household goods shipment.
The three ways to move your household goods
- Full (Government) move — movers handle everything; the government pays the tariff rate. You supervise, inventory, and inspect.
- PPM / DITY (Personally Procured Move) — you move yourself (rental truck or container) and claim a payment equal to 95% of what the government would have paid a mover (2026 rules vary — confirm the current percentage at move.mil).
- Partial PPM — government moves the bulk; you move part yourself and claim the difference.
Allowances to know
| Allowance | What it covers | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| TLE — Temporary Lodging Expense | Hotel + meals while waiting for housing (up to 10 days CONUS) | Daily cap set by Joint Travel Regulations; requires filing with your finance office. |
| MALT — Monetary Allowance in Lieu of Transportation | Mileage for driving a privately owned vehicle (POV) to the new station | Per-mile rate set annually by the DoD. |
| Dislocation Allowance (DLA) | Incidental costs of the move (deposits, connection fees, misc.) | Flat amount by rank/dependency status; paid once per PCS. |
| HHG shipment weight allowance | How much household goods the government will ship at its cost | Weight cap by rank (e.g., E-1 ~5,000 lb up to O-6 ~18,000 lb — confirm current tables at move.mil). |
| Miscellaneous Expense Allowance (Misc) | Deposits and fees at the new location | Paid in addition to transportation; amount varies by rank/dependency. |
Allowance figures change — always confirm current rates at the official sources: move.mil, DFAS, and the Joint Travel Regulations. Nothing here is an official rate table.
Budget your out-of-pocket, not just the allowance
Even on a full PCS, you typically pay for: items over the weight cap, vehicle shipping beyond POV mileage, pet transport, storage beyond the allowance, packing extras, and any access fees the movers charge. Run the Household Move Budget to size the move line, then the Full Relocation Budget for the whole first-year picture including destination rent and tax deltas.
Your rights on a military-sponsored move
- Full replacement protection on DoD moves (up to the shipment's declared value) — no $0.60/lb trap, but you must file a claim within time limits.
- You get a written estimate, inventory, and the chance to inspect at delivery — the same FMCSA-style protections apply on the government tariff.
- Problems? Start with the Transportation Office (TPO) at your installation, then escalate to the service's claims office. For consumer fraud by a contractor, see our complaint guide.