VetraFi Tools
Free military money tool

PCS Calculator: every dollar you're owed on your move, and when you get it

Built on the Joint Travel Regulations, Sep 2026 edition. Enter your grade, family, and duty stations to see your DLA, mileage, per diem, TLE, and PPM allowance, the cash you'll float in between, and whether doing the move yourself actually pays.

You

Entitlements are the same for every branch. Branch changes the forms and offices we point you to.
On the effective date of your orders. Sets your DLA, weight allowance, and pay advance.
Only used to size the optional basic pay advance.
Spouse and kids 12 and over. Zero is a real answer; just confirm it.
Per diem and TLE pay a different rate for them.
From basic, tech school, or commissioning. Changes DLA and where TLE counts.

The move

Old duty station (or home of record / tech school for a first move).
New duty station. Don't see yours? Pick the closest and adjust the miles below.
Pay is on the DTOD official distance, not your route.
Sets the mileage rate ($0.235/mi from Jul 1, 2026).
Mileage is paid per vehicle, up to two. Flying to Alaska or Hawaii: count the vehicles you drive to the port.

Your stuff

A PPM pays you 100% of what the Government would have spent. Profit is taxable.
Rough guess is fine. About 1,000 lb per furnished room; most people underestimate.
Only for a split move. The rest goes on the Government truck.
$
Every dollar you document lowers the taxable profit.
$
The "Government constructed cost" from your move.mil counseling. If you have it, we use it instead of our estimate.

Lodging and extras

$
Not reimbursed, but it is the biggest cash hit. Add it to see your real gap.

CONUS moves plus Alaska and Hawaii (TLA, vehicle shipment, the Alaska Highway option). Estimates use the JTR (Sep 1, 2026), 2026 DLA and mileage rates, the standard CONUS per diem rate, and DTMO locality rates for Honolulu, Anchorage, and Fairbanks. Educational estimate, not an official computation; your finance office and the JTR control.

Email me my PCS breakdown

Your numbers, the JTR cites, the forms checklist, and the money-prep steps, in one email you can forward to your spouse or sponsor.

What you actually get paid on a PCS

A CONUS PCS pays five things under the Joint Travel Regulations. A flat Dislocation Allowance (DLA) by pay grade and dependency status, once per fiscal year, payable in advance. Mileage (MALT) at $0.235 per mile per vehicle (up to two) on the official distance for travel starting on or after July 1, 2026. Per diem of $178 per authorized travel day (one day per 350 miles, one day for 400 miles or less), plus 75% for each dependent age 12 and over and 50% for each under 12 traveling with you. Temporary Lodging Expense (TLE) for up to 21 days at the old and new station combined, capped at $290 per day. And if you move your own household goods, a PPM allowance equal to 100% of the Government's constructed cost for your weight, taxable on the profit, and paid only with certified weight tickets. Pet relocation adds up to $550, and you can separately borrow up to a month of basic pay interest-free. None of it is automatic: every dollar is claimed on a DD 1351-2 after you arrive, which is why the advances matter.

2026 Dislocation Allowance (DLA) rates

Effective January 1, 2026. Flat amounts by pay grade. "With dependents" applies when a dependent relocates with you on the orders. Partial DLA (ordered to move in or out of Government quarters, not a PCS): . The last column is your household goods weight allowance, without / with dependents.

Pay gradeWithout dependentsWith dependentsHHG weight allowance (lb)

PPM vs letting the Government move you

The 130% PPM rate was a temporary fix for the 2025 contractor mess and applied only to moves that began between May 15 and September 30, 2025. Today a PPM pays 100% of what the Government would have paid a mover for your actual weight, up to your allowance. Your profit is that number minus what you really spend, minus roughly 30% withholding on the profit at settlement (it is taxable income, reconciled on your return). Three things zero it out: no certified empty and full weight tickets, weight over your allowance, and costs someone else paid. Small load and short haul, a PPM often wins. Big household and a cross-country move, the Government truck usually wins once you price your own time and risk.

Frequently asked questions

How much do you get paid for a PCS move?

Five things: DLA (a flat amount by grade, about $3,548 for an E-5 with dependents in 2026), mileage at $0.235 per mile per vehicle, per diem at $178 per travel day plus 75% or 50% per dependent by age, TLE for up to 21 days capped at $290 a day, and a PPM allowance if you move your own goods. A typical E-5 family moving 1,200 miles sees $8,000 to $16,000 depending on the PPM decision.

How many days of TLE do I get?

Up to 21 days for a move to a CONUS duty station, split however you like between the old and new station, and 7 days at CONUS locations when you are headed overseas. Capped at $290 per day. Staying with friends or family pays the meals portion only.

Do I get DLA on my first duty station?

Only if a dependent relocates with you. A single member reporting from basic training, tech school, or commissioning to a first duty station gets no DLA under JTR 050509. You still get mileage, per diem, and TLE at the home of record or tech school and at the new station.

Is a PPM (DITY) move worth it in 2026?

It pays 100% of the Government's constructed cost for your weight. Profit is taxable. Weight tickets and an approved DD 2278 are mandatory. Run your numbers above: small loads and short moves tend to come out ahead; large households moving far usually do not once you count your own time.

Can I get money before I leave?

Yes. DLA in full, TLE up to the maximum days, 60% of a PPM once the DD 2278 is approved, and separately an advance of one month's basic pay (up to three with commander approval) that you repay over 12 months interest-free. Army members with a Government Travel Charge Card are generally limited to the DLA advance and expected to use the card for the rest.

Does this work for Alaska and Hawaii?

Yes. Those are non-foreign overseas stations, so the rules change: TLE covers only the CONUS end (7 days when you're headed there, 21 days at the new CONUS station when you're leaving), and lodging at the Alaska or Hawaii end is Temporary Lodging Allowance instead, up to 60 days on arrival and 10 on departure, computed from the DTMO locality rate and claimed with Finance every 10 to 15 days. One vehicle ships at Government expense through a West Coast vehicle processing center, or for Alaska you can drive the Alaska Highway and take mileage on the whole distance. Pet reimbursement rises to $2,000, which matters for Hawaii's rabies quarantine program. Overseas COLA starts when you arrive but is pay, not a PCS entitlement. Foreign stations like Germany, Japan, and Korea are coming next.

Where do these numbers come from?

The Joint Travel Regulations, September 1, 2026 edition, Chapter 5 (paragraphs cited on every card), the DTMO 2026 DLA and mileage tables, the GSA FY2026 standard CONUS per diem rate, and DoDI 1340.18 for advance pay. The PPM constructed-cost figure is our estimate until you enter your DPS number.

This is an educational estimate, not an official computation. Your finance office computes your actual entitlements from your orders under the Joint Travel Regulations; local rules, order amendments, Government quarters availability, and the DTOD official distance all change the result. The PPM allowance shown is an estimate of the Government's constructed cost until you enter the figure from your DPS counseling. Nothing here is tax advice. VetraFi is not a bank.