# Joint Travel Regulations (JTR): How to Find Your PCS Rules

> The Joint Travel Regulations decide what every PCS pays. This guide covers who publishes the JTR, who it applies to and how it is organized. It shows how to read a citation like par. 051502, what the JTR leaves to other regulations (BAH, OHA, COLA and TLA among them), and how to tell which edition you are reading.

- Canonical URL: https://www.pcscalculator.net/blog/joint-travel-regulations-jtr-explained
- Published: 2026-11-05
- Updated: 2026-11-05
- Topics: jtr, allowances, pcs-planning
- Publisher: PCS Calculator
- Note: Figures come from published DoD Joint Travel Regulations (JTR) rate tables and are estimates. Confirm final entitlements with your installation's Transportation or Finance Office. PCS Calculator is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by the Department of Defense.

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Almost every PCS allowance traces back to one document: the Joint Travel Regulations, or JTR.
The rules for your mileage, per diem, travel days, dislocation allowance, temporary lodging and
household goods weight are all there. So are the limits on what a move you do yourself can pay. The
[PCS move cost calculator](https://www.pcscalculator.net/) on this site works out those allowances from the JTR's
rules. This guide is about the regulation itself: who writes it, who it covers, how it is organized,
how to read a citation, and what it leaves to other regulations. Use it to check a number yourself or
to find the paragraph a finance office is pointing to.

## The Short Answer

- What it is:
  the regulation that sets travel and transportation allowances for Uniformed Service members, their dependents, and Department of War civilian employees. That includes every PCS allowance.
- Who publishes it:
  the Per Diem, Travel, and Transportation Allowance Committee (PDTATAC). The JTR's cover gives its website as travel.dod.mil.
- Who it covers:
  all eight Uniformed Services (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, Coast Guard, NOAA Corps and Public Health Service), active and reserve.
- Where PCS lives:
  Chapter 5, "Permanent Duty Travel." Part A covers the standard allowances, Part C household goods, and Part E POV shipment and storage.
- What is not in it:
  BAH, OHA, CONUS COLA, overseas COLA and TLA. The JTR says these allowances moved to the DoD Financial Management Regulation, Volume 7A.
- How to tell the edition:
  each page carries its change date in the lower left corner, and the cover letter lists what that change revised.

## What Is the JTR, and Who Publishes It?

JTR stands for Joint Travel Regulations. It is a joint regulation: one document covers every
Uniformed Service. The Introduction to the JTR states its purpose in one sentence:

> The JTR implements policy and laws establishing travel and transportation allowances of Uniformed Service members and Department of War (DoW) civilian travelers.

The committee that writes it is named in the same Introduction: "The Per Diem, Travel, and
Transportation Allowance Committee (PDTATAC) updates and publishes the JTR." PDTATAC "is composed of
a Chair and a member representing the Departments of the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, Homeland
Security, Health and Human Services, and Commerce." Those last three are the departments that run the
Coast Guard, the Public Health Service and the NOAA Corps. Each Uniformed Service also has a
representative on the Military Advisory Panel (MAP) and the Civilian Advisory Panel (CAP). Changes are
written as numbered MAP and CAP items, and the cover letter lists them by number, such as
"MAP 03-26(R)."

You will see "Department of War" and "DoW" in recent editions. The August 1, 2026 cover letter
lists an item that "updates the JTR language from 'Department of Defense,' 'DoD,' 'Secretary of
Defense' to 'Department of War,' 'DoW,' 'Secretary of War.'" The item cites Executive Order 14347 as
the reason. Older documents, forms, many websites and some JTR passages still say DoD. Both names
refer to the same department.

## Who Does the JTR Apply To?

The Introduction lists who is covered. For a PCS, the first line is the one that matters:

> Uniformed Service Active and Reserve Component members and their dependents.

It names the Services: the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, Coast Guard, the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS). It
also covers DoW civilian employees and their dependents, some other travelers paid from DoW funds, and
DoW personal services contract employees. Among those it does not cover: "Contractor employees under
a DoW contract for anything other than personal services."

So a Coast Guard member, a Space Force Guardian and a soldier on a PCS all read the same
regulation. Some paragraphs give different rules to members and civilians, and Chapter 5 separates
them. Parts A through E are for Service members, and Parts F through H are for civilian
employees.

## Is the JTR Law?

For travelers, effectively yes. The Introduction says: "The JTR has the force and effect of law for
travelers." It also puts the cost of mistakes on you: "The traveler could be personally financially
responsible for any expense accrued by not complying with the JTR."

The JTR limits itself as well. "Nothing in the JTR authorizes expenditures for purposes not
provided for in Congressional appropriations or in law." It also rules out borrowing from the civilian
rules: when the General Services Administration's Federal Travel Regulation authorizes a discretionary
allowance that the JTR does not address, "the allowance is not authorized or implemented within the
DoW."

Your orders rank below the JTR, too. Par. 010206 says: "If there is any conflict between a travel
order and the JTR, the JTR prevails." It also says that "A travel order may only contain authority
for travel and transportation allowances provided within the JTR." An order cannot grant an allowance
the regulation does not provide, and where the two conflict, the regulation controls. Our guide to
[reading PCS orders](https://www.pcscalculator.net/blog/how-to-read-pcs-orders) covers what the order itself
contains.

## Four Chapter 1 Rules to Know Before You Move

Chapter 1, General Policy, sets ground rules for every kind of travel the JTR covers. Four of
them are worth knowing before any PCS.

**If the JTR does not say it, it is not paid.** Par. 010103-B is direct about this:

> The philosophy of "It doesn't say I can't; therefore, I can" does not apply to the JTR. Instead, if the JTR does not say something can be reimbursed, then it cannot be reimbursed as a travel claim.

Before you plan around an expense, look for the paragraph that pays it. If you cannot find one,
budget as though you will pay it yourself.

**"Authorized" means before, and "approved" means after.** Par. 010201-B defines the
authorizing or approving official (AO), the person who signs off on your travel. It then explains two
words the JTR uses constantly. If the JTR says something "must or may be authorized," it "means the AO
must give permission before the action takes place." If it says "may or must be approved," then "the
AO may or must give the traveler permission after the action takes place." So when a paragraph says
an expense may be *authorized*, ask before you spend the money.

**A tight budget does not cut your allowance.** Par. 010104-B states: "Unless stated
otherwise in the JTR, the Service or Agency cannot reduce allowances or deny reimbursements because of
limited DoW travel funds." The same paragraph says a Service cannot direct a traveler "to travel at
personal expense or at reimbursement rates or amounts inconsistent with the JTR."

**Expenses before your order are generally not paid.** Par. 010206 says "Travel or expenses
incurred before a travel authorization or order is issued are not reimbursable, unless otherwise stated
in the JTR." In an urgent case a verbal authorization can come first, but it "must be followed up in
writing (called a 'confirmatory order') before allowances are paid."

## How Is the JTR Organized?

The regulation has an Introduction, six chapters and two appendices:

| Part | Title | What it means for a PCS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Introduction | Authority, responsibility, effective dates, interpretation | Who writes the rules and how disputes are decided |
| Chapter 1 | General Policy | Traveler responsibilities, the AO, orders |
| Chapter 2 | Standard Travel and Transportation Allowances | Base rules other chapters refer back to, such as how official distance is determined |
| Chapter 3 | TDY Travel | Temporary duty, not a PCS |
| Chapter 4 | Government-Funded Leave | Emergency leave, R&R and similar travel |
| Chapter 5 | Permanent Duty Travel | Every PCS allowance |
| Chapter 6 | Evacuation Travel | Evacuations |
| Appendix A | Definitions and Acronyms | What the JTR's terms mean |
| Appendix B | DoD Travel Allowance Guidance | A summary, which the JTR says is not authoritative |

Chapter 5 is divided into eight parts:

- Part A, Standard PCS Allowances (Service Members):
  sections 0501 to 0506. Transportation, PCS per diem, dependent travel, DLA and TLE.
- Part B, Categories of PDT (Service Members):
  sections 0507 to 0512. Accession and training travel, OCONUS moves, ships and sea duty, retirement and separation, moves tied to medical events or death, and other situations.
- Part C, Household Goods (HHG) Transportation (Service Members):
  sections 0513 to 0521. Weight, transportation methods (including moving your own goods), storage and local moves.
- Part D, Mobile Home Transportation (Service Members):
  sections 0522 to 0528.
- Part E, POV Transportation and Storage (Service Members):
  sections 0529 to 0534.
- Parts F, G and H:
  civilian employee PCS allowances, service agreements and renewal agreement travel, sections 0535 to 0550.

Appendix A is easy to skip and worth checking. When an allowance turns on the meaning of a term,
such as "acquired dependent" or "accompanied baggage," the JTR's definition is there. Appendix B
describes itself as "intended to be a summary of travel allowances," and it warns that it "is not the
authoritative source for travel allowances." Cite the chapter paragraph, not the summary.

## How Do You Read a JTR Citation Like par. 051502?

JTR numbers follow a pattern. Once you see it, a six-digit number tells you where to look:

- Chapter:
  the first two digits.
  05
  is Chapter 5.
- Section:
  the first four digits.
  0515
  is "Transportation Methods." The JTR calls these sections, as in "section 0518" for HHG storage.
- Paragraph:
  all six digits.
  051502
  is "Personally Procured HHG Transportation," the paragraph behind a PPM move. The JTR writes it as "par. 051502."
- Subparagraphs:
  capital letters (A, B, C), then numbers (1, 2), then lowercase letters (a, b). Par. 050203, for example, has a subparagraph A, "Transoceanic Travel," with a numbered 1 and a lettered a beneath it. Cross-references add the letter with a hyphen, such as "par. 020207-D." This site follows the same pattern for deeper levels, as in par. 051502-C-2.
- Tables:
  numbered by chapter, such as Table 5-37, "PCS and NTS Weight Allowances (Pounds)."

When a finance office, a counselor or a website cites a JTR number, you can check it. Open the
current edition, search the PDF for the six digits, and read the paragraph and its subparagraphs.
Section and paragraph headings are in the table of contents, so a number that does not appear there
is a sign the citation is out of date or wrong.

## Where the PCS Rules Live: A Quick Map

These are the places to start reading for the questions members ask most. The headings are the
JTR's own, from the 08/01/2026 edition.

| Your question | Where to look | On this site |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Does my order authorize this expense? | par. 010206, Travel Authorizations and Orders | [Reading PCS orders](https://www.pcscalculator.net/blog/how-to-read-pcs-orders) |
| What does driving pay per mile? | par. 050203, Privately Owned Vehicle (POV) | [PCS per diem calculator](https://www.pcscalculator.net/calculators/per-diem) |
| How many travel days do I get? | par. 050205, Authorized Travel Time | [PCS travel days](https://www.pcscalculator.net/blog/pcs-travel-days-authorized-travel-time) |
| What per diem do I get while driving? | par. 050301 and Table 5-4 | [PCS per diem calculator](https://www.pcscalculator.net/calculators/per-diem) |
| How much DLA will I get? | Section 0505, Dislocation Allowance (DLA) | [DLA calculator](https://www.pcscalculator.net/calculators/dla) |
| Will TLE pay for my hotel? | Section 0506, Temporary Lodging Expense (TLE) | [TLE calculator](https://www.pcscalculator.net/calculators/tle) |
| Does the military pay to move my pet? | par. 050107, Pet Expenses Due to a PCS | [Moving with pets](https://www.pcscalculator.net/blog/pcs-moving-with-pets) |
| What are the rules for an overseas move? | Section 0508, Moves Outside of the Continental United States (OCONUS) | [OCONUS PCS guide](https://www.pcscalculator.net/blog/oconus-pcs-move-guide) |
| What does my final move pay when I retire or separate? | Section 0510, Retirement and Separation | [Separation and retirement moves](https://www.pcscalculator.net/blog/pcs-separation-retirement-move) |
| What is my household goods weight allowance? | par. 051401 and Table 5-37 | [Weight allowances by grade](https://www.pcscalculator.net/weight-allowances) |
| What does a PPM pay? | par. 051502, Personally Procured HHG Transportation | [Filing a PPM claim](https://www.pcscalculator.net/blog/how-to-file-ppm-dity-reimbursement) |
| Can I move part of my goods myself? | par. 051503, Split Shipments | [Partial PPM](https://www.pcscalculator.net/blog/partial-ppm-split-shipment-jtr) |
| Will the government store my goods? | Section 0518, HHG Storage | [PCS storage options](https://www.pcscalculator.net/blog/pcs-storage-options-what-government-pays) |
| Does a move on or off base in the same area count? | Section 0519, Local Moves | [Local moves and partial DLA](https://www.pcscalculator.net/blog/local-move-on-off-base-partial-dla) |
| Will the government ship or store my car? | Sections 0529, 0530 and 0532 | [Shipping a car on a PCS](https://www.pcscalculator.net/blog/how-to-ship-car-pcs-move) |

Start with the paragraph, then read every subparagraph under it. Exceptions and limits usually sit
a level or two down, and a summary that quotes only the first sentence often misses them.

## What Is Not in the JTR?

Many people assume every military allowance is in the JTR. Several of the largest ones are not.
They used to sit in JTR Chapters 8 through 10, and the JTR still carries a disclaimer for those
chapters. It says the allowances "have been moved to" Volume 7A of the DoD Financial Management
Regulation and names the new chapters: "Chapter 26 – Housing Allowances (BAH and OHA), Chapter 67 –
CONUS COLA and Chapter 68 – Overseas COLA and TLA." It also says that "Future changes or questions on
allowances policy and rates should be referred to the Directorate of Military Compensation Policy." If
you are searching the JTR for the rules behind your [BAH](https://www.pcscalculator.net/calculators/bah),
[OHA](https://www.pcscalculator.net/calculators/oha) or [TLA](https://www.pcscalculator.net/calculators/tla), look in Volume 7A of the
Financial Management Regulation instead. TLE is still in the JTR, in section 0506.

Three other things sit outside the regulation:

- The rate tables.
  The JTR sets the rules for per diem and DLA, but it sends you elsewhere for the dollar amounts. Par. 050104 says "See the DTMO website for current DLA rates," and par. 050508 says "See the DTMO DLA webpage for the current partial DLA rate." Our
  PCS reimbursements guide
  gathers the current figures.
- The moving process.
  The JTR says what a move pays, not how to book one. Scheduling, counseling and PPM paperwork go through your transportation office and your Service's procedures. For some household goods details the JTR points to another regulation: par. 051301-A says DTR 4500.9-R, Part IV, Chapter 403 "contains details on 'Best Value' costs," the cost that caps what the government pays to move your goods.
- Common nicknames.
  The JTR does not use "DITY" or "partial PPM." It calls a move you arrange yourself a "personally procured move (PPM)" (par. 051502), and it covers moving part of your goods yourself under "Split Shipments" (par. 051503). Search the PDF for the JTR's terms, not the nickname.

## How Often Does the JTR Change, and Which Edition Applies?

The JTR is updated through dated revisions, each called a change. The Introduction explains how to
date what you are reading:

> A change to the JTR is effective, unless otherwise noted, on its first publication date. This date appears in the lower left corner of each page.

Three habits keep you from relying on an outdated version:

- Check the date on the page.
  A PDF saved to your computer months ago, or a page printed in a binder, carries the date of the edition it came from.
- Read the cover letter.
  The 08/01/2026 edition opens with a cover letter that lists each MAP and CAP item in the change, with a short description and the paragraphs it affects. For example, it lists MAP 03-26(R), "Lodging for the Last Day of Travel to the New Permanent Duty Station (PDS)," which affects Table 5-5. That table covers per diem when you travel by plane, train, ship or bus.
- Look for yellow highlighting.
  The cover letter says that "Material new to this change is indicated by yellow highlighting."

Some paragraphs say which date's rule applies. Par. 050203 says that "The MALT rate in effect on
the date PCS travel begins applies even if the rate changes while en route." If a change was
published during your move and the paragraph does not say, ask your finance office which edition
governs your claim.

## Can a Service Add Its Own Rules?

Only within limits. The Introduction says Services and Agencies "may issue related administrative
procedures provided they do not conflict with or unnecessarily duplicate JTR provisions." PDTATAC
staff review all DoW written material that implements the JTR "to ensure that per diem, travel, and
transportation allowances, relocation allowances, and certain other allowances are uniformly
applied."

So your Service's guidance can tell you how to apply for an allowance, which office handles it and
which forms to use. It cannot change how much the JTR pays. When a Service handout and the JTR
disagree on an amount, the JTR is the authority.

## What If Finance Reads the JTR Differently Than You Do?

The Introduction lays out the path. A traveler "who disagrees with a decision by a certifying
officer may submit an appeal or reclaim in accordance with DoD Financial Management Regulation, Vol.
9." For a Service member, the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA) is among the bodies that
"determine how the JTR, the Federal Travel Regulation (for civilian employees), and departmental
instructions should be interpreted."

Before you reach that point, three steps help:

1. Ask for the citation.
  Ask which paragraph the decision rests on, then read it and its subparagraphs in the current edition.
2. Bring the paragraph you are relying on.
  Quote it with its number and the edition date. A disagreement over a specific sentence is easier to settle than a general one.
3. Check Appendix A.
  Some disagreements turn on what a word means, and the JTR defines its terms there.

Questions about the regulation itself, or suggestions to change it, go a different way: "through
Command channels to the respective Service or Agency PDTATAC representative."

## The JTR at a Glance

| Question | Answer | Source in the JTR |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full name | Joint Travel Regulations | Title page |
| Publisher | Per Diem, Travel, and Transportation Allowance Committee (PDTATAC) | Introduction |
| Issued under | DoDI 5154.31, Vol. 5 | Introduction |
| Covers | All eight Uniformed Services, active and reserve, and their dependents; DoW civilians | Introduction |
| PCS chapter | Chapter 5, Permanent Duty Travel | Table of contents |
| Order vs JTR | The JTR prevails | par. 010206 |
| Not mentioned | Not reimbursable | par. 010103-B |
| BAH, OHA, COLA, TLA | DoD Financial Management Regulation, Vol. 7A | Disclaimer for Chapters 8-10 |
| Edition date | Lower left corner of each page | Introduction |

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What does JTR stand for?

JTR stands for Joint Travel Regulations. It is the regulation that sets travel and transportation
allowances, including every PCS allowance, for members of all eight Uniformed Services and their
dependents, and for Department of War civilian employees.

### Who publishes the Joint Travel Regulations?

The Per Diem, Travel, and Transportation Allowance Committee (PDTATAC) updates and publishes the
JTR. It is made up of a Chair and members representing the Departments of the Army, the Navy, the Air
Force, Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, and Commerce. The JTR's cover gives its website
as travel.dod.mil.

### Is there a separate JTR for the Army, Navy, Air Force or Marine Corps?

No. One JTR applies to every Uniformed Service, and its Introduction lists all eight by name. Services may
issue their own administrative procedures, but those may not conflict with or unnecessarily duplicate
the JTR, so they can tell you how to claim an allowance but not change how much it pays.

### Which chapter of the JTR covers PCS moves?

Chapter 5, "Permanent Duty Travel." Part A covers the standard allowances (transportation, per
diem, DLA and TLE). Part B covers categories of moves such as OCONUS, retirement and separation. Part
C covers household goods, Part D mobile homes, and Part E POV shipment and storage. Parts F through H
apply to civilian employees.

### Is BAH in the Joint Travel Regulations?

No. The JTR states that the allowances it used to carry moved to the DoD Financial Management
Regulation, Volume 7A: Chapter 26 for housing allowances (BAH and OHA), Chapter 67 for CONUS COLA,
and Chapter 68 for overseas COLA and TLA. TLE is still in the JTR, in section 0506.

### What happens if my PCS orders conflict with the JTR?

The JTR wins. Par. 010206 says that if there is any conflict between a travel order and the JTR,
the JTR prevails, and that an order may only contain authority for allowances the JTR provides.

### How do I know if I have the current JTR?

Each page shows its change date in the lower left corner, and a change is effective on that date
unless it says otherwise. Compare that date with the edition on the official site, and read the cover
letter to see what changed. New material is highlighted in yellow.

## Related Articles

- PCS Entitlements 2026: JTR Allowances, Non-Temporary Storage
- PCS Orders: What They Look Like and What Each Line Means
- PCS Travel Days 2026: How Many You Get and What They Pay
- Partial PPM: How a Split Shipment Is Paid Under the JTR
- 2026 PCS Reimbursements: Per Diem, MALT, DLA and TLE Rates

*Sources: Joint Travel Regulations, 08/01/2026 edition (Per Diem, Travel, and Transportation
Allowance Committee): title page; cover letter of August 1, 2026; Introduction; pars. 010103,
010104, 010201, 010206, 050104, 050203, 050205, 050508, 051301 and 051502; the table of contents and
the section and paragraph headings of Chapter 5; Appendix A; Appendix B; and the Disclaimer for
Chapters 8-10. Checked November 5, 2026. Later changes may have been published since that edition.
Confirm any paragraph against the current edition on travel.dod.mil before relying on it for a
claim.*