How to Ship Your Vehicle During a PCS: CONUS and OCONUS

When Vehicle Shipment Is Authorized

The government authorizes shipment of one personally owned vehicle (POV) at no cost to you when your PCS move involves a location where driving is impractical or impossible. This primarily means:</ p>

• OCONUS assignments: Any move to or from Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, Japan, Germany, Korea, or any other overseas location. You can't drive your car across the Pacific, and the government recognizes this.
• Separated family moves: In some circumstances where dependents are authorized to move separately and driving isn't feasible

For CONUS-to-CONUS moves, vehicle shipment at government expense is generally not authorized. The expectation is that you'll drive your vehicle as part of your authorized vehicle travel, for which you receive MALT at the current rate (which increased to $0.235/mile effective July 1, 2026, up from $0.205/mile earlier in the year) for up to two vehicles.

OCONUS Vehicle Shipment: How It Works

For OCONUS moves, vehicle shipment is arranged through the Vehicle Processing Center (VPC). The VPC system is managed through PCSmyPOV.com, the current DoD-designated Global POV Contractor's booking portal for scheduling overseas vehicle shipments. Your vehicle is transported by ship, and the process involves dropping it off at a designated VPC and picking it up at a VPC at your destination.

Timeline: Plan for 4–8 weeks or more depending on the destination. Your car will not be waiting for you when you step off the plane. You'll likely need to rent a vehicle or use public transportation for the first weeks at your new duty station.

Preparing Your Vehicle for Shipment

Before dropping your vehicle at the VPC, required preparation steps include:

• Fuel level must be at or below 1/4 tank — this is a strict safety requirement, not optional
• No personal items in the vehicle — the car ships empty; anything left in the vehicle is at risk and not covered by the government's liability
• You'll need your vehicle registration, insurance documents, and orders at the VPC
• The VPC will conduct a joint inspection documenting existing damage — review this carefully before signing; pre-existing damage noted on the inspection report will not be covered in a later claim

Vehicle Requirements at OCONUS Destinations

Germany: German TÜV (vehicle safety inspection) standards apply to vehicles driven on public roads. U.S.-spec vehicles can typically be registered and driven on base without TÜV, but driving off-base requires compliance with German standards. Certain modifications (aftermarket lighting, tint, exhaust) may need to be removed or modified.

Japan: Japan drives on the left. Additionally, Japan's JCI (Japan Compulsory Insurance) and shaken (vehicle inspection) requirements apply if you want to register and drive offbase. Bringing an older American vehicle with high mileage to Japan for a 3-year tour often doesn't make financial sense when you factor in maintenance and compliance costs.

South Korea: Similar considerations to Japan regarding off-base registration requirements. Many families in Korea find that buying a local-use vehicle makes more sense than shipping their American car, depending on tour length.

MALT for CONUS Vehicle Travel

For CONUS moves, instead of vehicle shipment, you receive MALT — Monetary Allowance in Lieu of Transportation — at the current MALT rate ($0.235/mile as of July 1, 2026, up from $0.205/mile earlier in the year), for up to two personally owned vehicles. If both you and your spouse drive separately (two cars), you can claim mileage for both vehicles.

MALT is based on the official driving distance between your old and new duty stations, not your actual route. Use the authorized mileage from your finance office's calculation.

What's Not Covered in Vehicle Shipment

• Motorcycles are handled under a separate process and require separate scheduling
• RVs, campers, and trailers are not authorized for government vehicle shipment
• Items inside the vehicle are not covered — ship it empty
• Pre-existing damage documented at drop-off is your responsibility, not a valid claim

Related Articles

• OCONUS PCS Move Guide — The full picture of what an overseas move involves beyond your vehicle
• PCS Move Checklist — When to schedule your vehicle shipment in the overall timeline
• 2026 PCS Reimbursements Guide — MALT and per diem for the drive portions of your move