PCS Entitlements 2026: JTR Allowances, Non-Temporary Storage

A PCS move triggers a series of financial entitlements designed to make relocation manageable. The Joint Travel Regulations (JTR) govern all of these. This guide covers every major entitlement in plain language — what it is, what it's worth, and what affects your eligibility.

PCS Entitlement Quick Summary (JTR 2026)

• HHG Shipment: Government move or PPM; weight based on grade and dependents
• PPM Incentive: 100% of Government Constructed Cost (GCC); 22% federal tax is withheld only on the taxable profit remaining after documented expenses
• Per Diem: Paid for authorized travel days; 75%/50% rates for dependents by age
• MALT: $0.235/mile for POV travel as of July 1, 2026 (up from $0.205 earlier in the year), up to two vehicles
• TLE: Up to 21 days CONUS (effective Nov 27, 2024, JTR MAP 66-24(R)); days split between old and new duty station; max $290/day
• TLA: Up to 60 days OCONUS; location-specific rate until permanent housing available
• DLA: One-time flat payment; $1,871–$6,386 based on grade and dependency status
• Pro-Gear: Up to 2,000 lbs (member) + 500 lbs (spouse) additional weight allowance
• POV Shipment: One vehicle authorized for OCONUS moves at government expense
• Storage (SIT/NTS): Temporary and non-temporary storage in specific situations

1. Household Goods (HHG) Transportation

You are entitled to ship your household goods up to your authorized weight limit. The government contracts professional movers through the Defense Personal Property Program (DP3) to pack, load, transport, and deliver your belongings. You coordinate through your installation's Transportation Management Office (TMO).

Your weight allowance depends on your pay grade and whether you have dependents. For example, an E-5 with dependents is authorized 9,000 lbs; an O-3 with dependents gets 14,500 lbs. See the weight allowances page for every grade, the pro-gear and gun-safe rules, and what going over costs.

Items damaged during a government move can be claimed through the move's Transportation Service Provider (TSP). Document everything before pack-out day — photograph valuables, note pre-existing damage, and get an inventory from the movers before signing anything.

2. Personally Procured Move (PPM)

Instead of using government movers, you can move your own household goods and receive payment based on what the government would have paid professional movers — the Government Constructed Cost (GCC). GCC is not a simple public formula; it's calculated by your Transportation Office or MilMove from the government's contracted mover rate tables, which vary by weight, route, and season.

The current incentive rate is 100% of GCC. Of that payment, your documented, substantiated moving expenses are reimbursed without withholding — only the remaining profit is taxed as supplemental wages, with 22% withheld at payment.

The GCC is based on the lesser of your actual certified weight or your full authorized weight allowance — not automatically your full allowance regardless of what you move. If you're authorized 13,000 lbs but only move 8,000 lbs, the GCC is based on the 8,000 lbs actually moved. The difference between your PPM payment and your actual costs is your profit.

The PPM incentive is taxable income. Plan accordingly. See DITY Move vs. Government Move to decide which option is better for your situation.

3. Per Diem During PCS Travel

Per diem covers lodging, meals, and incidental expenses for each authorized travel day between duty stations. The number of authorized travel days is based on official DoD mileage tables.

• Service member: Full local per diem rate
• Dependents age 12+: 75% of member rate
• Dependents under 12: 50% of member rate

Per diem is non-taxable and paid as part of your PCS travel voucher. OCONUS per diem rates are set per specific location and updated monthly by DTMO and the State Department — there's no single flat rate for an entire region like "Europe" or "Pacific," since specific cities within a region can vary by well over $100/day. Check the current rate for your specific location using DTMO's official per diem lookup tool.

4. MALT — Mileage Reimbursement

MALT (Monetary Allowance in Lieu of Transportation) reimburses you for driving a privately owned vehicle (POV) during PCS travel. The rate is $0.235 per mile as of a mid-year DoD adjustment effective July 1, 2026 (up from $0.205/mile earlier in the year), calculated using official DoD distance tables rather than your actual odometer or GPS. Up to two POVs are authorized.

MALT is non-taxable. For OCONUS moves, MALT applies to any land driving portions but not the transoceanic portion.

5. Temporary Lodging Expense (TLE) — CONUS

TLE reimburses temporary lodging costs when you need a hotel or short-term rental because permanent housing isn't available. Effective November 27, 2024, TLE is authorized for up to 21 days total for CONUS PCS moves (JTR MAP 66-24(R)), splittable between your old and new duty station. Installations designated by DoD as having a housing shortage may qualify for an extension of up to 60 days total TLE, authorized in increments.

TLE is a reimbursement — you pay and then file a claim with receipts. It's capped at a percentage of the local per diem rate; lodging above that cap comes out of pocket. TLE is non-taxable. For a detailed breakdown, see our TLE and TLA guide.

6. Temporary Lodging Allowance (TLA) — OCONUS

TLA is the overseas equivalent of TLE, with significantly more generous duration: up to 60 days at the gaining OCONUS location, with possible extensions authorized by your commanding officer. TLA rates are location-specific and can be substantial — finding permanent housing overseas takes longer, waitlists for government quarters are often months long, and temporary lodging is expensive in most overseas markets.

7. Dislocation Allowance (DLA)

DLA is a one-time, non-taxable flat payment to offset the miscellaneous out-of-pocket costs that come with moving a household. It's based on pay grade and dependency status — not receipts. The 2026 range is $1,870.58 (E-1 without dependents) to $6,385.58 (O-7 and above with dependents).

DLA is not paid for first-duty-station moves of unaccompanied members, or for separation/retirement moves. See the full 2026 DLA rates table for your specific grade and the complete rules.

8. Professional Gear (Pro-Gear)

Pro-gear is an additional weight allowance for items required for your job — not just items related to your career field, but items you need to perform your specific duties. Authorized amounts:

• Service member: Up to 2,000 lbs
• Spouse: Up to 500 lbs (for their own professional materials)

Pro-gear must be documented and declared separately from household goods — it doesn't automatically apply. See our pro-gear guide for what qualifies and how to claim it.

9. POV Shipment (Primarily OCONUS)

The government authorizes shipment of one personally owned vehicle at government expense for OCONUS moves, where driving is impossible. For CONUS moves, vehicle shipment at government expense is generally not authorized — the expectation is that you drive, receiving MALT for the mileage. See our vehicle shipping guide for OCONUS process details.

10. Storage (SIT and NTS)

Storage during a PCS is governed by JTR §0518. Two kinds exist, and they are authorized for different reasons:

• Storage in Transit (SIT): Short-term storage when the household goods have been picked up but can't be delivered yet — the gap between pack-out and delivery. JTR paragraph 0518-A authorizes 90 days on PCS orders, with no separate CONUS figure, and the days are cumulative across origin, destination and any point in between. A Service-designated official may approve up to 90 additional days for reasons beyond your control, taking you to 180 days in total.
• Non-Temporary Storage (NTS): Long-term storage for goods that are not going with you at all — items that can't be shipped to an OCONUS location, or that stay behind for the length of an unaccompanied tour. NTS can run for the duration of an assignment rather than for a delivery gap.

Personally procured NTS, and how it is reimbursed

NTS is normally arranged by the Transportation Office through a contracted provider, and you never see a bill. You may instead arrange it yourself at a commercial storage facility — this is personally procured NTS, and it is the same principle as a PPM: you organize the service, and the government reimburses you against what it would have paid to do it for you.

The reimbursement rule is the one that catches people out. You are paid your actual documented cost, not to exceed the government's constructed cost for the same service at your authorized weight. Two limits apply at once:

• The government's cost is the ceiling. If your commercial facility costs more than the contracted rate would have, the difference is yours. If it costs less, you are reimbursed the lower actual figure — you do not keep the spread the way a PPM lets you keep the difference on transportation.
• Your weight allowance is the other ceiling. Storage is reimbursed only up to the weight you are authorized to ship. Weight above your JTR Table 5-37 allowance is not stored at government expense any more than it is shipped at government expense.

The constructed cost is not a single number. It is built from per-hundredweight rates and the number of calendar months stored, and it covers packing, drayage in, handling in, the monthly storage itself, handling out, delivery and unpacking — so a short storage period and a long one are priced differently per pound, and the accessorial services are part of the entitlement rather than extras you absorb.

Two practical points before you sign anything:

• Get it approved in writing first. Arrangements reimbursed on an actual-cost basis need pre-approval from the Transportation Office. Arranging storage and presenting the invoice afterwards is how a claim gets denied for a service that would otherwise have been authorized.
• Keep the weight tickets and the itemized invoice. Reimbursement is computed against weight, and a storage invoice that does not state the weight stored cannot be matched to the constructed cost.

A member's next of kin may make the same arrangements in the event of the member's death, under the same rules.

For which storage applies to your situation and how to set it up through the Defense Personal Property Program, see our PCS storage options guide.

What PCS Does NOT Cover

• House cleaning or carpet replacement at old or new residence
• Lease break fees (SCRA may limit penalties, but the government doesn't reimburse them)
• New furniture, appliances, or household items
• Lodging beyond TLE/TLA limits
• Storage beyond authorized SIT/NTS periods
• Pet transportation costs (not reimbursable except in rare OCONUS circumstances)
• HHG weight that exceeds your authorized allowance

Common PCS Entitlement FAQs

Can I arrange my own non-temporary storage and be reimbursed?

Yes. Personally procured NTS is authorized under JTR §0518: you arrange long-term storage at a commercial facility and the government reimburses you. You are paid your actual documented cost, capped at what the government would have paid a contracted provider for the same weight — so exceeding the contracted rate costs you the difference, and coming in under it reimburses the lower actual figure rather than paying you the spread. Get written pre-approval from the Transportation Office before you arrange it.

How is personally procured NTS reimbursement calculated?

Against the government's constructed cost, not against a flat rate. That figure is built from per-hundredweight rates and the number of calendar months stored, and it includes packing, drayage in, handling in, monthly storage, handling out, delivery and unpacking. Because it is priced by weight, the storage invoice needs to state the weight stored — an invoice showing only a monthly fee cannot be matched to the entitlement.

What is the difference between SIT and NTS?

SIT is the delivery gap: goods that are going to your new home but cannot be delivered yet. JTR paragraph 0518-A authorizes 90 days on PCS orders — the same 90 whether the move is CONUS-to-CONUS or touches an OCONUS location — extendable by up to 90 more, for 180 days in total. NTS is for goods that are not coming with you at all — items that cannot go to an overseas location, or that stay behind for an unaccompanied tour — and it can run for the length of the assignment.

Do single service members get DLA?

Yes — on subsequent PCS moves. No — on their first duty station move. A single member reporting to their very first duty station does not receive DLA. All subsequent PCS moves generate DLA even for unaccompanied members.

Can I do a partial PPM?

Yes. You can move some of your belongings yourself (PPM) and have the government move the rest. Your PPM reimbursement is proportional to the weight you moved yourself relative to your total authorized weight. This is often the best of both worlds — professional handling for large/fragile items, PPM profit for the rest.

Does stored weight count against my weight allowance?

Yes. Storage is authorized only up to the weight you are entitled to ship, so shipped weight and stored weight draw on the same JTR Table 5-37 allowance. Weight above it is neither shipped nor stored at government expense.

Does per diem apply when flying?

Yes. Per diem is authorized for authorized travel days whether you drive or fly. The number of authorized travel days may differ for air travel versus POV travel — check with your TMO.

Is BAH affected during PCS?

BAH continues at your old duty station rate until you physically depart on authorized PCS travel. Your new duty station BAH rate begins on your report date. There is no rate protection when moving between installations. See our BAH guide for more detail.

Related Articles

• 2026 PCS Reimbursements: Per Diem, MALT, DLA and TLE Rates
• PCS Move Checklist: Your Timeline From Orders to Arrival
• DITY Move vs. Government Move
• PCS Storage Options: What the Government Pays For
• 2026 Weight Allowances by Rank (JTR Table 5-37)
• PCS Orders: What They Look Like and What Each Line Means