A standard PCS move runs on a 90-day framework across five phases, planning, action, finalization, execution, and settlement, with every entitlement, deadline, and legal protection tied to a specific window before your report date. Talk to MilHousing Network for help at any phase, from your first orders review through school enrollment at your new installation.
Whether you’re moving CONUS or OCONUS, shipping HHG or running a PPM, the tasks below keep every family on schedule.
Which Phase Are You In Right Now?
Jump to your current stage instead of reading the whole timeline in order.
90+ days out. You just got orders. Start with Phase 1, Planning.
60 days out. Movers, documents, financing. Go to Phase 2, Action.
30 days out. Packing, lease termination, legal protections. Go to Phase 3, Finalization.
Move week. Packers are here or almost here. Go to Phase 4, Execution.
Just arrived. Vouchers, claims, school enrollment. Go to Phase 5, Settlement.
Want the whole thing in one place? Download the free printable PCS checklist covering all five phases, sized for a standard PCS binder, no signup required.
PCS Entitlements at a Glance
Before the phase-by-phase breakdown, here’s what the government actually covers.
| Entitlement | What It Covers | 2026 Estimate |
| DLA | One-time relocation payment | $1,100 to $4,500 by pay grade |
| TLE | CONUS lodging and meals during transition | Up to $290/day, 10 days max |
| TLA | OCONUS lodging and meals during transition | Variable, up to 60 days |
| Per Diem | Daily travel reimbursement | Varies by location and family size |
| Advance Pay | Upfront cash to cover move costs | Up to 3x monthly base pay |
DLA pays automatically once your orders and family data are confirmed in the DFAS system. Advance Pay requires repayment over 12 months. Confirm current rates through the Joint Travel Regulations before submitting any claims.
What Is a PCS Move?
A Permanent Change of Station is a government-directed relocation to a new duty station, distinct from TDY, which is a short-term assignment usually under 20 weeks. PCS orders trigger a full household goods shipment, a BAH adjustment, and school enrollment at the new installation. TDY covers only daily lodging and meals.
CONUS moves stay within the continental United States. OCONUS moves go to Alaska, Hawaii, or overseas, and they require passports, Status of Forces Agreement documentation, and vehicle shipping arrangements that CONUS moves skip entirely.
| Factor | CONUS PCS | OCONUS PCS |
| HHG Shipment | Full weight allowance | Split shipment, air plus sea |
| Vehicle Transport | Driven or shipped via TMO | One POV shipped at government expense |
| Pets | Family arranges transport | Country-specific quarantine rules |
| Temporary Lodging | TLE, up to 10 days | TLA, up to 60 days |
| Passports | Not required | Required |
Phase 1, 90+ Days Out {#phase-1}
Orders just arrived, and everything from here starts with getting them right.
Review your orders the day they land. They’re the legal basis for your entire move, and errors have to be corrected through your S1 or personnel office before you schedule anything. Confirm your report date against your gaining unit’s welcome letter, check that every family member is listed correctly, verify marital status since it affects both BAH and your weight allowance, and make 10 to 15 certified copies for schools, housing, your VA lender, and TMO. If the blocks on your orders don’t make sense, our sample PCS orders guide breaks down what each one means.
Get on your TMO’s calendar early. The Transportation Management Office authorizes your household goods shipment and determines whether you qualify for a government-arranged move or a PPM. Bring your orders, current address, and a target pickup window to that first consultation. Weight allowances range from 5,000 pounds for E-1 through E-3 without dependents up to 18,000 pounds for O-6 and above, and TMO offices typically run weekday appointments through DPS that fill faster the earlier you book.
Decide between HHG and PPM. HHG means government-contracted movers handle everything, packing, shipping, delivery, and the government pays the contractor directly. PPM means you arrange the move yourself, through a rental truck or PODS, and get reimbursed up to the full government cost estimate. HHG costs you less control. PPM costs you more paperwork but can put money back in your pocket if you move efficiently.
Connect with an agent at your destination now, not later. Whether you’re buying or renting, local knowledge of BAH-based pricing and PCS timelines isn’t optional in a competitive market. MilHousing Network matches military families with vetted agents at every installation, free, with no obligation. Schedule a virtual consultation, confirm your BAH rate at the destination zip code, and ask specifically about live video tours, which cut the need for a costly house-hunting trip. Start your match here.
Run the numbers on your housing budget. Pull your BAH rate at the destination zip code, add 28% of your monthly base pay, and that total becomes your ceiling for both rent and purchase decisions. An E-6 headed to San Diego with $3,500 base pay and $2,900 BAH lands around a $3,880 monthly ceiling. That figure covers median rent at most installations, but high-cost markets like San Diego, D.C., and Honolulu often require supplemental budgeting if you’re buying.
Figure out what happens to your current home before you leave. If you own, you’re facing one decision at 90 days out, sell or hold it as a rental. Rental strength at your current location matters, since monthly rent needs to cover PITI plus a property management fee to cash flow. So does whether a qualified property manager is available locally, since self-managing from your new duty station creates real liability. Homes near high-demand installations have historically appreciated 3 to 5% annually, which makes holding financially viable over a typical 2 to 4 year cycle for some families. Our rent vs sell decision guide runs the full comparison for your specific numbers.
Phase 2, 60 Days Out {#phase-2}
This is where planning turns into scheduled action.
Book your HHG pickup through DPS. DPS is the only authorized portal for government-arranged shipments, and booking at least 60 days out matters because scheduling runs first-come, first-served during peak season. Log in with your CAC or DS Logon, enter your orders data and addresses, pick your pack and pickup windows, and choose your carrier. Families who book at 60 days get their preferred dates. Families who wait until 30 days take whatever’s left.
Build your PCS binder. Assemble it now and never pack it in the shipment. You’ll need certified orders copies, military IDs, birth certificates, marriage license if applicable, Social Security cards, passports if OCONUS, medical and dental records, school and immunization records, pet health certificates, vehicle titles and insurance, a high-value item inventory with photos, blank DD Form 1351-2 copies, and current lease or mortgage documents. Military OneSource maintains a full relocation records checklist if you want a second reference.
Get VA loan pre-approval before you tour anything remotely. Pre-approval takes three to five business days with complete paperwork and strengthens your offer position in a competitive market. You’ll need your orders, two months of LES, two years of tax returns, two months of bank statements, and your BAH confirmation at the destination zip code. Review VA loan eligibility at VA.gov before your lender calls so you know your entitlement and funding fee tier going in.
Start touring remotely. Schedule your first session within five days of pre-approval, since touring before you know your ceiling wastes your agent’s time. Insist on live FaceTime or Zoom tours over anything pre-recorded, ask your agent to walk the surrounding block and point out the gate and nearby schools, measure doorways and storage space against your furniture, and always book a second showing before making any offer. MilHousing agents at your destination surface off-market listings and new construction incentives that don’t show up on public portals.
Phase 3, 30 Days Out {#phase-3}
Five tasks close out your current residence and activate the legal protections that matter most during a PCS.
Declutter before packing starts. Weight overages get billed directly to you, not the government, so this isn’t optional if you’re anywhere near your allowance. Donate or sell what’s not worth moving, dispose of hazardous materials properly, pack a seven-day essentials kit, label priority boxes for first-day unpacking, complete your high-value item sheet, and photograph every room before movers arrive.
Handle utility disconnects at 30 days, not on moving day. Schedule disconnects for the day after handover to avoid overlap charges and keep the property secure. Contact electric and gas for a final reading, water and trash for pro-rated billing, internet and cable to return equipment on schedule, and your security provider to cancel or invoke SCRA protections if you’re still under contract.
Submit your lease termination notice. SCRA Section 305 lets you break a residential lease without penalty once you receive PCS orders to a location 35 or more miles away, regardless of how much lease term remains. Termination becomes effective 30 days after your next rent due date following notice, so a notice delivered March 10 with rent due March 15 produces an April 15 termination. The full statutory text of 50 U.S.C. § 3955 is public if you want to read it directly, and our SCRA lease break guide includes a template letter.
Invoke your SCRA interest rate cap if it applies. If your pre-service mortgage rate exceeds 6%, SCRA Section 527 caps it at 6% from your active duty orders date. Submit a written request with your orders and a notice to your servicer no later than 180 days after release from active duty. A $300,000 mortgage dropping from 7.2% to 6% saves roughly $200 a month, $2,400 a year, for as long as you’re on active duty at the new installation. The CFPB explains the process directly.
Prepare for accidental landlord status if your home didn’t sell. This happens by necessity, not plan, and it needs at minimum 30 days of lead time. Sign with a licensed property manager, switch your insurance from owner-occupied to landlord coverage, open a dedicated landlord account, and confirm your manager has the tenant lease executed before you leave. Our accidental landlord guide covers the full picture including tax implications.
Phase 4, Move Week {#phase-4}
Two priorities dominate this week, supervising the physical move and coordinating your arrival.
Stay present for the entire pack. Never leave the property while packers are working. Verify every box label matches its destination room, keep your essentials kit and high-value items with you at all times, photograph every room after packing, and walk the property with the lead mover before the truck leaves. Note pre-existing damage on the inventory sheet before you sign anything, since unsigned discrepancies are one of the most common reasons damage claims get denied later. Get the lead mover’s direct number and your DPS shipment tracking number before they pull out, and record that tracking number in your binder immediately.
Coordinate your closing and move-in timing. If you’re buying, your VA lender, agent, title company, and gaining installation housing office all need to be aligned so keys are ready before your household goods arrive. Confirm your closing date against your travel itinerary, complete your final walkthrough, verify utilities are active, and book a backup extended-stay hotel just in case. VA closings require wire confirmation from your lender before the title company releases keys, so build in a buffer.
Phase 5, Post-Move {#phase-5}
Five settlement tasks need to happen within about ten days of arrival, and one of them is worth doing first.
File DD Form 1351-2 immediately. Late filing is the single most common and most costly administrative mistake military families make after a PCS, since it delays every entitlement reimbursement tied to your move. You’ll need your orders, all lodging receipts, a travel log with dates and mileage, and your DPS shipment confirmation number. Submit through DTS or your unit finance office, and submit complete the first time, since incomplete filings reset the processing clock.
Inspect your delivery before you sign anything. Cross-reference the mover’s inventory against your own pre-move photos, photograph damaged items with a reference object for scale, and note everything on the delivery sheet before you sign. You have nine months to file a claim through DPS, and items you documented before the move settle faster and higher than items you didn’t.
Get your kids enrolled through the School Liaison Officer. The SLO is your single point of contact for K-12 enrollment, records transfer, and placement, and skipping this step can delay classroom placement by two to four weeks. They coordinate enrollment deadlines and open enrollment windows, facilitate transcript transfers under the Interstate Compact, advocate for correct grade placement, and ensure IEP or 504 plan continuity across district lines. You’ll need official records, current immunizations, and a copy of your orders at every district.
Connect with a PCS Mentor at your new installation. A Mentor is a military spouse who’s already done this exact move and knows what the installation website and every government resource leave out, what it actually feels like to live there. MilHousing Network Mentors give you a ranked shortlist of neighborhoods within BAH range, honest comparisons of on-installation versus off-installation schools, current CDC waitlist timelines, and introductions to FRG contacts before your first day of in-processing. Matches happen within 48 hours of request.
Close the loop on your rental if you kept your old home. The transition isn’t done until the lease is fully executed, the deposit is in escrow, first month’s rent is collected, and your property manager has active access. Confirm all four within 30 days of arrival, set up online portal access for statements and maintenance requests, and schedule quarterly check-ins with your manager. If you’re eyeing the capital gains exclusion under IRC § 121 down the road, active duty status suspends the standard 5-year lookback for up to 10 years under the Military Family Tax Relief Act, worth confirming with a military-experienced tax advisor before you sell.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far in advance should I start planning a PCS move? Start the day orders arrive. Ninety days is the minimum for CONUS moves, and 120 days for OCONUS given the added shipping and documentation requirements. Families who wait until 60 days out lose preferred DPS carrier slots, the widest housing inventory at their destination, and processing time on their entitlements.
What’s the actual difference between HHG and PPM? HHG is a government-arranged move where contracted movers handle everything. PPM is self-managed, where you arrange transport and get reimbursed up to the full government cost estimate. Both are authorized under the JTR and available to any active duty service member with orders.
What expenses does the military actually cover? Five categories, HHG shipment, temporary lodging through TLE or TLA, travel per diem, Dislocation Allowance, and Advance Pay up to three months of base pay. All five are confirmed through DFAS MyPay.
Can I break a lease because of PCS orders? Yes. SCRA Section 305 lets you terminate without penalty when orders relocate you 35 or more miles away, regardless of remaining lease term or state landlord-tenant law.
Which Situation Fits You?
Just got orders and don’t know where to start? Talk to MilHousing Network about your first 90 days.
Trying to decide whether to buy or rent at your next duty station? Get matched with a vetted local agent, free and no obligation.
Want the full checklist to print and keep in your binder? Download the free PCS checklist, CONUS and OCONUS versions, no signup required.
