Service members, civilian employees, and dependents receive per diem for authorized travel days during a PCS.  A Service member, civilian employee, or dependent traveling by POV receives a monetary allowance in lieu of transportation as well as the standard CONUS per diem rate.  A Service member, civilian employee, or dependent traveling by commercial transportation receives the per diem rate at the new PDS.  A Service member or civilian employee’s spouse or dependent receives a percentage of the per diem rate at the new PDS.  See the JTR, Section 0503 for more detailed information on PCS travel per diem for Service members and dependents, and Section 0539 for more detailed information on PCS travel per diem for civilian employees and dependents.

Service members, civilian employees, and dependents must use the mode of transportation most advantageous to the Government.  Within the CONUS, a POV is usually the most advantageous for PCS transportation.  An authorizing official may direct a Service member, civilian employee, or dependent to use Government transportation.  A Service member, civilian employee, or dependent who uses a transportation mode other than the directed mode for personal reasons will not be reimbursed for transportation costs.  See the JTR, par. 050101 and Section 0502 for more detailed information on Service member PCS transportation, and the JTR, Section 0538 for more detailed information on civilian employee PCS transportation.

a.  Civilian employees are authorized to ship up to 18,000 pounds.  Administrative weight limitations may apply if assigned to a location OCONUS.  Unaccompanied baggage; professional books, papers, and equipment; and medical equipment may be shipped in addition to the weight limitation.  See the JTR, par. 054304 for more detailed information on HHG weight allowances for civilian employees.

b.  A Service member’s grade and number of dependents determines the HHG weight allowance.  Weight allowances range from 5,000 pounds for an E-1 to 18,000 pounds for an O-6 or above.  Administrative weight limitations may apply if assigned to a location OCONUS.  Unaccompanied baggage; professional books, papers, and equipment; and medical equipment may be shipped in addition to the weight limitation.  See the JTR, Section 0514 for more detailed information on HHG weight allowances for Service members.

a.  For a civilian employee in the CONUS, transportation of a POV may be authorized or approved when the transportation is advantageous and cost effective to the Government.  The employee may ship up to two POVs if the relocation order lists two licensed drivers.  The PCS must be within the CONUS and the distance must be at least 600 miles.  See the JTR par. 054701 for more detailed information on POV transportation in the CONUS.

b.  For a civilian employee OCONUS, POV transportation may be authorized for one POV to or from an OCONUS PDS.  Shipment of an emergency replacement POV may be authorized if the employee’s current POV is stolen, destroyed, or has deteriorated due to severe climate conditions.  Shipment of a non-emergency replacement POV due to age and normal deterioration may be authorized once during a continuous four-year period of service.  In both cases, the employee must show that an adequate replacement vehicle cannot be obtained in the OCONUS location.  See the JTR, par. 054704 for more detailed information on POV transportation OCONUS.

c.  For a Service member in the CONUS, transportation of one POV at Government expense, may be authorized or approved when the Service member is unable to drive due to a medical condition or a time limitation.    A Service member with dependents who are relocating due to PCS orders may ship one POV. See the JTR, Section 0529 for more detailed information on POV transportation in the CONUS.

d.  For a Service member OCONUS, transportation of one POV may be authorized during a PCS OCONUS.  Shipment of a replacement POV may also be authorized once during any four-year period.  See the JTR, Section 0530 for more detailed information on POV transportation OCONUS. 

Temporary lodging expense may be authorized to partially reimburse a Service member for lodging and meal costs incurred in the CONUS during a PCS.  See the temporary lodging expense FAQ page for more information. 

Civilian Employees may receive temporary quarters subsistence expense, a temporary quarters subsistence allowance, or a foreign transfer allowance.

a.  Temporary quarters subsistence expense may be authorized to partially reimburse a civilian employee for temporary subsistence expenses incurred during a PCS.  The civilian employee’s new PDS must be in the CONUS or non-foreign OCONUS, and at least 50 miles away from the old PDS.  Temporary quarters subsistence expense includes two different types, temporary quarters subsistence expense as an actual expense reimbursement, and temporary quarters subsistence expense as a lump sum payment.  See the JTR, Section 0542 for more information on temporary quarters subsistence expense eligibility and payment.

b.  Temporary quarters subsistence allowance reimburses a civilian employee for temporary subsistence expenses incurred after arrival in a foreign PDS OCONUS, or during preparation to depart from a foreign PDS OCONUS.  The Department of State Standardized Regulations governs the temporary quarters subsistence allowance.  See the DSSR 124 for more detailed information on temporary quarters subsistence allowance eligibility.

c.  The foreign transfer allowance defrays a civilian employee's excess costs for up to 10 days prior to departure to a foreign PDS from a CONUS PDS or non-foreign PDS OCONUS.  The Department of State Standardized Regulations governs the foreign transfer allowance.  See the DSSR 240 for more detailed information on foreign transfer allowance eligibility.

a.  For civilian employees, a house hunting trip is a discretionary allowance that may be authorized to seek a permanent residence at the new PDS.  The civilian employee and civilian employee’s spouse may receive transportation and per diem for up to 10 days.  See JTR, par. 054005 for more information on using the lodging plus or lump sum reimbursement methods.

b.  Service Members are not authorized travel and transportation allowances for a house hunting trip.

The dislocation allowance partially reimburses a Service member for miscellaneous PCS relocation expenses.  See the dislocation allowance FAQ page for more information. 

The miscellaneous expense allowance partially reimburses a civilian employee for the miscellaneous PCS relocation expenses that are not reimbursed by other PCS allowances.  The miscellaneous expense allowance is paid either as a lump sum or as an actual expense reimbursement.  Civilian employees may never receive an advance of miscellaneous expense allowance funds.  To receive miscellaneous expense allowance reimbursement, a civilian employee must submit a travel claim and certify that the employee has terminated the residence at the old PDS and established a residence at the new PDS.  See the JTR Section 0541 and the FTR §302-16 for more detailed information on miscellaneous expense allowance eligibility.

a.  For civilian employees, the withholding and relocation income tax allowances are payments to reimburse tax liability incurred as a result of relocation benefits.  See the FTR §302-17 and the JTR, par. 053611 for more detailed information on the withholding and relocation income tax allowances.

b.  The withholding and relocation income tax allowances are not authorized for Service members.  Services members rarely incur additional taxes for PCS allowances.  See Tax Information for Members of the U.S. Armed Forces on the Internal Revenue Service website.

a.  A temporary change of station provides relocation allowances instead of per diem for an extended TDY of 6 to 30 months.  When a temporary change of station is authorized, the civilian employee receives travel and transportation allowances, dependent travel and transportation, HHG transportation, shipment of a POV, relocation income tax allowance, and miscellaneous expense allowance to the duty location.  The civilian employee may be authorized a house hunting trip, temporary quarters subsistence expense, property management services and non-temporary storage for HHG.  See the JTR, par. 053714 for more detailed information on a temporary change of station.

b.  A temporary change of station is not authorized for Service members.  A Service member only travels on TDY or PCS orders.  See the JTR, par. 010206, and Section 0312.

a.  A civilian employee must complete all aspects of relocation within 1 year of the effective date of transfer or appointment.  The time limit may be extended for an additional year if the delay was beyond the employee’s control and is acceptable to the Agency.  See the JTR, par. 053712 and FTR §302-11.21-23 for more detailed information on PCS time limits.

b.  A Service member’s PCS order typically remains in effect until receipt of a new PCS order.  Separated and retired Service members’ PCS allowances are limited to 6 months or 1 year, respectively, from the official Service release date, unless the Service extends the benefits before the expiration period.  The Service member is financially responsible for charges for non-temporary storage or storage in transit of HHG beyond the time limit.  See the JTR, Table 1-6 and Section 0510 for more detailed information on PCS time limits.

a.  A civilian employee may be authorized non-temporary storage when assigned to an isolated PDS in the CONUS, a PDS that limits HHG transportation, a temporary change of station, or a PDS OCONUS when in the Government’s best interest.  See the JTR, par. 054306 for more detailed information on non-temporary storage for civilian employees.

b.  A Service member may be authorized non-temporary storage when in the Government’s best interest.  Each Service may specify circumstances when non-temporary storage is authorized as an alternative to HHG transportation.  See the JTR, Section 0518-B for more detailed information on non-temporary storage for Service members.

a.  A civilian employee or dependent is authorized storage of one POV at Government expense if the civilian employee completes a temporary change of station in support of a contingency operation, including humanitarian operations, peacekeeping operations, and similar operations.  See the JTR, par. 032905 for more detailed information on POV storage.

b.  A Service member may be authorized storage of a POV when ordered to a PDS OCONUS where a POV may not be transported, or when TDY on a contingency operation for more than 30 days.  See the JTR, Section 0532 for more detailed information on POV storage.