PCS Entitlements: What You're Owed

A flat-rate payment to help cover the incidental costs of a PCS move — deposits, utility hookups, cleaning costs, etc.

Rates (approximate, varies by rank and dependency status):

• E-1 to E-5 with dependents: ~$2,900-$3,400
• E-6 to E-9 with dependents: ~$3,400-$4,400
• Without dependents: roughly 60% of the with-dependents rate

DLA is paid automatically with your PCS orders, but verify it appears on your LES.

Reimbursement for temporary lodging (hotel, Airbnb) at your old and/or new duty station. You can split the days between old and new locations.

• CONUS: Up to 10 days total
• OCONUS: Up to 5 days at the old station, 10 days at the new station

TLE covers lodging and meals. You'll need receipts. File your travel voucher through DTS after your move.

If you drive your POV (privately owned vehicle) to your new duty station, you receive mileage reimbursement:

• Current rate varies (check current JTR), typically around $0.22/mile for the first vehicle
• If authorized, a second vehicle gets a slightly lower rate
• This is based on the official distance between duty stations, not your actual odometer

You receive per diem (meals and incidental expenses) for each authorized travel day. The number of travel days is based on the distance:

• 1 day for every 350 miles (approximately)
• The rate is the standard per diem for the travel route

Up to 10 days of non-chargeable permissive TDY for finding housing at your new station. (See our separate topic on this.)

You can request an advance of up to 3 months' base pay to cover PCS expenses. This is an interest-free advance that's repaid through payroll deductions over up to 12 months.

If you move yourself (Personally Procured Move, formerly DITY), the government pays you a percentage of what it would have cost them to hire a moving company. This can be profitable if you move efficiently.

• You receive an advance of 60% of the estimated cost
• After the move, you submit weight tickets and the government pays you based on actual weight moved
• Keep receipts for everything — rental trucks, packing materials, fuel

1. TLE at the old station — you can claim TLE for days between moving out of your old housing and departing 2. Second POV MALT — if you have two vehicles and both drive, you can claim mileage for both 3. Dependent travel — if your dependents travel separately, their travel may also be reimbursable 4. Storage — if there's a gap between leaving your old place and getting into your new one, temporary storage is usually covered

All these entitlements require a properly filed travel voucher through DTS (Defense Travel System). File within 5 days of completing travel. Keep all receipts. Common mistake: filing late and having claims denied.