PCS Checklist: 90 Days Out to Move-In (Free Countdown Tool)
Education only, not legal or financial advice. Not affiliated with the VA or DoD. Numbers checked against official sources on October 28, 2026. Disclosures.
A PCS checklist turns a military move into a list of dated steps: start your move in DPS and see finance as soon as you have orders, lock in pack-out dates around 60 days out, request advance pay around 30 days out if you need it, protect your do-not-pack items in the final week, and file your travel claim and any damage claim after you arrive.
The money matters as much as the boxes. For a move inside the continental U.S., TLE can cover up to 21 days of temporary lodging since November 27, 2024, capped at $290 a day. Advance pay can reach three months of basic pay. A PPM can pay up to 100% of what the government would have spent moving you. And you have 180 days after delivery to report damage.
Enter your report date in the free countdown tool below and it builds the whole checklist with real dates. Then use the rest of this guide for the money rules, the do-not-pack list and the documents binder.
Quick answer
- Day you get orders: transportation office, DPS, finance, sponsor request.
- TLE (CONUS): up to 21 days, up to 60 in approved housing-shortage areas, max $290 a day.
- Advance pay: up to 3 months of basic pay, normally repaid over 12 months (24 with hardship approval).
- PPM: incentive of 100% of the government’s constructed cost, with certified empty and full weight tickets.
- Damage: report within 180 days of delivery; file within 9 months (12 months for shipments picked up on or after May 15, 2026).
Free PCS countdown checklist (enter your report date)
Put in the report date from your orders. If you’ll sign out earlier to drive or take leave, add a departure date too. Pick how your things move, where you’re going and where you live now, and the checklist drops the steps that don’t apply. Each phase shows its due date and whether it’s on track or past due.
PCS Countdown Checklist
Enter your report date. You get a dated checklist from 90 days out to your first month at the new station, with tick boxes. Your ticks stay while this browser tab is open, and nothing is sent anywhere.
A planning aid, not official guidance. Your orders, transportation office and finance office have the final word on dates and entitlements. Last checked October 28, 2026.
Tip: Your ticks stay only while this browser tab is open. Use Print (or Save as PDF from the print window) to keep a copy on the fridge or in your binder.
PCS timeline checklist: 90 days out to move-in
Short-notice orders happen. If you’re inside 90 days already, start at the top anyway and work down. The early steps are the ones that unlock everything else.
90 days out (or the day you get orders)
- Get your orders. Keep the original with you and make several copies.
- Contact your transportation office and start your move in DPS (the Defense Personal Property System).
- Decide: government move, PPM, or both. Get counseling before you commit.
- Request a sponsor at the new duty station.
- Visit finance: ask about DLA, advance pay, TLE or TLA, and travel pay for your orders.
- Renting? Give your landlord written notice with a copy of your orders.
- Start decluttering. Your weight allowance comes from the rank on your orders.
- Request school, medical and dental records.
60 days out
- Lock in pack-out and pickup dates. Military OneSource notes the last week of any month, and the last week of June through the first week of July, are historically the hardest times to move. Mid-month can help.
- PPM: reserve the truck or trailer and read the weight ticket rules.
- Set aside pro-gear (up to 2,000 pounds of work equipment) so it’s weighed separately.
- Plan temporary lodging at both ends. Check government lodging first.
- Start your documents binder.
- Pets: vet visit, records and travel plan.
30 days out
- Request advance pay if you need it. It’s normally paid no earlier than 30 days before departure.
- Confirm pack, pickup and delivery windows.
- Schedule utilities and internet at both ends.
- Change your mailing address with the post office, banks and insurers.
- Book out-processing appointments.
- Pick a do-not-pack room and start filling it.
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14 days out
- Photograph valuables and write down serial numbers.
- Use up food. Get rid of hazardous items movers can’t take (list below).
- Back up computers and phones.
- Confirm route and hotels. Keep every lodging receipt.
- Arrange childcare or pet care for pack days.
7 days out
- Move every do-not-pack item into a locked room or your car. Put a sign on the door.
- Drain fuel from mowers and gas-powered tools. Defrost the freezer.
- Clean, or schedule cleaning, for the final inspection.
- Confirm someone will be home for pack-out: you, or a person holding your power of attorney.
- PPM: get your certified empty weight ticket.
Move week
- Be there for pack-out and pickup. Read the inventory, note existing damage, keep your copy.
- Point out high-value items so they’re listed.
- PPM: load, get the certified full weight ticket, save receipts.
- Final walk-through, keys returned, photos of the empty home.
- Clear and sign out. Orders and binder ride with you.
After you arrive
- Sign in on time. File your travel claim with receipts and settle DLA and TLE or TLA with finance.
- Schedule delivery and be at the house before the driver.
- Check items off the inventory at delivery. Write damage on the paperwork.
- PPM: submit your closeout with weight tickets and receipts.
- Enroll kids in school, update your address in DEERS through milConnect, and handle vehicle registration and licenses.
PCS money: DLA, TLE, TLA, PPM and advance pay
Most PCS money is partial reimbursement, and most of it needs receipts and a claim. Know what you’re eligible for before you spend, and talk to finance early.
| Allowance | What it is | Key rules |
|---|---|---|
| DLA (Dislocation Allowance) | Partially reimburses household moving expenses | Amount set by pay grade and dependency status (DTMO rate table). Generally one per fiscal year. |
| TLE (Temporary Lodging Expense) | Partially reimburses lodging and meals in temporary lodging, CONUS | Up to 21 days for a CONUS PCS since Nov. 27, 2024; up to 60 days in approved areas; max $290 a day; not on the same day as PCS travel per diem |
| TLA (Temporary Lodging Allowance) | Partially pays higher-than-normal temporary lodging costs OCONUS | Set by overseas rules; ask the finance office at your new station |
| PPM incentive | Payment for moving your own things | 100% of the government’s constructed cost; certified empty and full weight tickets required; advance possible |
| Advance pay | Early basic pay you repay | Up to 3 months of basic pay with commander approval; normally repaid over 12 months, 24 with hardship approval |
| MALT and per diem | Mileage and travel days for driving to the new station | Set by the Joint Travel Regulations; ask your personnel or finance office |
DLA
DLA partially reimburses the costs of moving a household. DTMO says the amount depends on your grade and dependency status on the effective date of your PCS order. Military OneSource says you’re generally eligible if you draw BAH, and that in most cases you get one DLA per fiscal year. A member moving without dependents gets the without-dependent rate unless they move into government quarters at the new station. DLA is not paid for a move from your last duty station home when you leave the service.
TLE and TLA
TLE helps with hotel and meal costs while you’re in temporary lodging during a CONUS PCS. The CONUS limit went from 14 to 21 days effective November 27, 2024, and some housing-shortage areas are approved for up to 60 days. The daily cap is $290. TLA is the overseas version: it partially pays higher-than-normal temporary lodging costs OCONUS.
Watch out: DTMO’s TLE FAQ page still describes 7 or 14 days, while the 21-day rule is in later DoD and service guidance. Ask your finance office how many TLE days your orders get before you book, and use government lodging first where it’s available.
PPM (the old DITY move)
In a PPM you move some or all of your things yourself. USTRANSCOM’s fact sheet says a member-elected PPM pays 100% of the government constructed cost (GCC), and you can request an advance based on your pre-move incentive estimate. You set it up in MilMove by choosing the PPM option when you set up shipments.
The weight tickets make or break the claim. Coast Guard guidance spells out the common rules: certified empty and full tickets from a public weigh master or government scale, with your name, dated on or after the date your orders were issued. Vehicle registration doesn’t count as an empty weight ticket. Without proper tickets, you’re paid only actual costs backed by itemized receipts.
Advance pay
Under the DoD Financial Management Regulation, advance pay for a PCS can be up to three months of basic pay, less deductions, when warranted and justified, with your commander’s approval. It’s normally paid no earlier than 30 days before departure, or within 60 days after arrival. You repay it over 12 months; with written hardship justification and commander approval, over 24.
How the repayment math works
12-month plan: each month, 1/12 of the advance comes out of your pay.
24-month plan (hardship approval): 1/24 a month. Smaller bites, but the debt lasts twice as long.
Before you sign, put that monthly amount into next year’s budget.
Tip: Military OneSource offers free financial counseling for PCS budgeting. A short call before you take advance pay can save you a year of tight paychecks.
PCS do-not-pack list
Anything you need on the road, or can’t afford to lose, stays with you. Military OneSource says to empty the medicine cabinet, keep “first day” necessities off the truck, and mark road-trip items “Do Not Pack.”
Hand-carry (ride with you)
- Orders, IDs and your documents binder
- Prescription medications for everyone, including pets
- Wallets, car keys, checks, bank and credit cards
- Phones, laptops and chargers
- Jewelry and other valuables
- The mover’s inventory and contact information
- First-day box: toilet paper, paper towels, hand soap, cleaners, a broom and mop, drinks, snacks, diapers, paper plates
- An extra bag with sheets, towels and an air mattress
- School and medical records
Movers can’t take these
The Naval Postgraduate School’s personal property office lists hazardous materials that can’t be shipped with household goods. Use them up, give them away or dispose of them properly:
- Aerosol cans with flammable, toxic or corrosive contents
- Paint, paint remover, stains, varnish, solvents, lighter fluid, matches
- Gasoline, propane and other petroleum products (propane tanks must be purged)
- Ammunition, black powder, fireworks and flares
- Bleach, ammonia, acids, car batteries with acid, weed killers and insecticides
- Fire extinguishers, scuba tanks (special conditions) and other compressed gases
Moving supplies worth having before pack-out
For a PPM or your hand-carry kit: sturdy boxes, packing tape, wide markers, color labels by room, wrap for fragile items, a lockable tote for your binder and valuables, a small tool kit, and zip bags for furniture hardware. Buy only what your move type needs. In a government move, the movers bring their own packing materials.
Important documents binder
Build it early and keep it in the car, never on the truck. This list follows Military OneSource’s PCS planning guide.
- Orders: the original plus several copies
- Military IDs, driver’s licenses, Social Security cards and passports
- Birth, marriage and naturalization certificates for each family member
- Divorce or annulment papers, custody or adoption papers, wills and active powers of attorney
- Vehicle titles or lease papers, registration, inspection and insurance
- Recent bank statements and personal checks
- Lease or mortgage paperwork for the old and new homes
- The mover’s household inventory
- School records: transcripts, report cards and any IEP
- Medical, dental and vaccination records
- Every receipt from the move (lodging, fuel, weight tickets, supplies)
Delivery day and damage claims
Military OneSource says the moving company must give 24-hour notice before delivery, will try to reach you twice at least six hours apart, and that you must be at the delivery address before the driver. Plan an extra day or two without your things, especially in summer.
If something arrives broken or never arrives, the clock starts at delivery. Log in to DPS and start a loss and damage report.
| Step | Deadline from delivery date |
|---|---|
| Give notice of loss or damage | 180 calendar days |
| File the claim with the mover (full replacement value) | 9 months; 12 months for shipments picked up on or after May 15, 2026 |
| Transfer the claim to your military claims office | 2 years |
Extra steps for OCONUS moves and families
- Overseas paperwork: passports, overseas screening and entry rules take time. Start the day you get orders.
- Vehicles: PCSmyPOV handles government-shipped cars. Check what the host country allows before you ship.
- Lodging: overseas you’ll deal with TLA, not TLE. Ask the gaining finance office how it works there.
- Leases: the Justice Department says the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act lets you end a residential lease after PCS orders with written notice and a copy of your orders. For monthly rent, the lease ends 30 days after the next rent payment is due.
- Kids: hand-carry transcripts, report cards and any IEP so registration isn’t held up.
- Spouses: request a sponsor, connect with the family center at the new installation, and look into license transfer rules early if your job needs one.
Is this your last move, out of uniform? Your resume and your VA claim deserve the same planning as your household goods.
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FAQ
Is an Army PCS checklist different from a Navy or Air Force one?
The core is the same: every branch books household goods moves through DPS or MilMove and pays travel and allowances under the Joint Travel Regulations. The differences are local: who your transportation and finance offices are, out-processing steps, and branch forms. The 60 to 90 day steps in this checklist apply to all branches.
What goes on a PCS do not pack list?
Orders, IDs, your documents binder, medications, valuables, keys, wallets, electronics and chargers, and a first-day box. Add sheets, towels and an air mattress, since you may wait a day or two for delivery. Hazardous items like propane, gasoline, paint, aerosols and ammunition can’t go on the truck at all.
What should a PCS checklist for spouses include?
Everything above, plus a few spouse-specific steps: a power of attorney if you’ll handle pack-out alone, your own job or license transfer plan, school records and IEPs for the kids, and the family center contact at the new base. Military OneSource’s free financial counseling can help with the PCS budget.
How is an OCONUS PCS checklist different?
Start earlier. Passports, overseas screening, pet entry rules and vehicle shipping all take time. Temporary lodging is covered by TLA instead of TLE. Pick “Overseas, Alaska or Hawaii” in the countdown tool above and it adds those steps and dates.
Is there a printable PCS checklist PDF?
Yes. Build your checklist in the countdown tool, press Print, and choose “Save as PDF” in the print window. It prints with your dates and any boxes you’ve already ticked. Reprint it whenever your dates change.
How much is DLA for a PCS?
It depends on your pay grade and whether you have dependents, as of the effective date of your PCS order. DTMO publishes the current rate table on travel.dod.mil. In most cases you can receive one DLA per fiscal year.
Sources (checked October 28, 2026)
- Military OneSource, Military Dislocation Allowance
- DTMO, Dislocation Allowance rates
- DTMO, Dislocation Allowance FAQs
- DTMO, Temporary Lodging Expense FAQs ($290 daily cap, JTR par. 050601)
- MARADMIN 111/25, Temporary Lodging Expense period increase (14 to 21 days, effective Nov. 27, 2024)
- JBSA, DoD authorizes additional 7 days of CONUS TLE
- DTMO, Temporary Lodging Allowance
- USTRANSCOM, PPM in MilMove fact sheet
- U.S. Coast Guard, ALCOAST 138/24, Personally Procured Moves (weight ticket rules)
- DoD FMR Vol. 7A, Ch. 32, Advance Pay (June 2022)
- Military OneSource, PCS Entitlements (weight allowance, pro-gear, MALT)
- Military OneSource, Preparing and Planning a Military PCS Move
- Military OneSource, Military PCS Move Management
- Military OneSource, Moving Claims
- Naval Postgraduate School Personal Property, Hazardous Materials Listing
- U.S. Department of Justice, Servicemembers financial and housing rights (SCRA)
