Life in the military comes with some extra expenses, which is why extra allowances are provided to help military members and families handle these costs. Before you start to worry about paying your rent or mortgage, know that the military helps cover these costs, whether you live on-base or out in town.
Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) comes in a few different forms. These include regular BAH, partial BAH, BAH differential, and others. But when a service member lives between their standard assigned duty stations, it falls under non-locality BAH.
What Is Non-Locality BAH?
Housing expenses are covered when on military orders, but not all circumstances fall under regular BAH. If you’re a reservist on active duty orders for less than 30 days, your housing allowance falls under non-locality BAH.
In some cases, active duty military members also get non-locality BAH when transferring from an overseas duty station, where they receive Overseas Housing Allowance (OHA), to a duty station within the continental US that qualifies for regular BAH.
There are two main types of non-locality BAH. These include:
- Component
- Transit
The amount is the same regardless of the type of non-locality BAH, which is why the two are combined in BAH rate tables.
Non-locality BAH is also called BAH Reserve Component/Transit or BAH (RC/T). Below describes situations where non-locality BAH can be used.
BAH Type 1 vs Type 2
BAH type 1 refers to the standard BAH provided to service members. It is based on pay grade as well as your duty station zip code, so BAH can vary widely based on your station. For this reason, location is a big factor. BAH type 1 includes:
- BAH with dependents
- BAH without dependents
BAH type 2, on the other hand, is independent of location. It is provided when you are between duty stations and not getting standard BAH. BAH type 2 includes:
- BAH (RC/T)
Why Is There Non-Locality BAH?
Regular BAH covers housing expenses during a continental US duty station assignment. The amount is based on pay grade and location. An OHA serves the same purpose when stationed overseas.
If you move from one duty station to another, you’ll most likely get BAH based on one zip code and then transition to the BAH rate based on your new zip code after moving. Unless you check out from one location on one day and check into your new location the next, you’ll have some transit time.
Non-locality BAH covers the time between stations and is based on the national housing rate instead of individual locations. Non-locality BAH may be especially advantageous if:
- You’re moving from a low-cost-of-living area to a higher one
- You’re not sure how long you’ll be between duty stations
- You anticipate having a lot of moving expenses that aren’t already covered
Non-Locality BAH Rates
Unlike standard BAH or even partial BAH, non-locality BAH is not based on your specific zip code. You can find the current non-locality BAH rates here, updated every January 1.
| Pay Grade | Partial | BAH RC/T* Without Dependents | BAH RC/T* With Dependents | Differential* |
| 0-10 | $ 50.70 | $ 2,367.00 | $ 2,912.70 | $ 448.50 |
| O-9 | $ 50.70 | $ 2,367.00 | $ 2,912.70 | $ 448.50 |
| O-8 | $ 50.70 | $ 2,367.00 | $ 2,912.70 | $ 448.50 |
| 0-7 | $ 50.70 | $ 2,367.00 | $ 2,912.70 | $ 448.50 |
| O-6 | $ 39.60 | $ 2,170.50 | $ 2,621.70 | $ 381.30 |
| 0-5 | $ 33.00 | $ 2,090.10 | $ 2,527.20 | $ 368.40 |
| O-4 | $ 26.70 | $ 1,936.50 | $ 2,227.20 | $ 245.70 |
| O-3 | $ 22.20 | $ 1,553.10 | $ 1,842.90 | $ 245.40 |
| O-2 | $ 17.70 | $ 1,230.30 | $ 1,572.30 | $ 289.50 |
| 0-1 | $ 13.20 | $ 1,056.30 | $ 1,407.60 | $ 312.60 |
| 03E | $ 22.20 | $ 1,676.10 | $ 1,980.60 | $ 256.50 |
| 02E | $ 17.70 | $ 1,425.30 | $ 1,787.40 | $ 306.90 |
| 01E | $ 13.20 | $ 1,239.60 | $ 1,652.10 | $ 360.30 |
| W-5 | $ 25.20 | $ 1,968.60 | $ 2,151.00 | $ 153.30 |
| W-4 | $ 25.20 | $ 1,747.80 | $ 1,971.90 | $ 189.00 |
| W-3 | $ 20.70 | $ 1,469.40 | $ 1,807.50 | $ 284.70 |
| W-2 | $ 15.90 | $ 1,304.10 | $ 1,660.80 | $ 300.90 |
| W-1 | $ 13.80 | $ 1,093.50 | $ 1,437.60 | $ 291.60 |
| E-9 | $ 18.60 | $ 1,434.60 | $ 1,892.10 | $ 384.60 |
| E-8 | $ 15.30 | $ 1,318.80 | $ 1,745.10 | $ 360.60 |
| E-7 | $ 12.00 | $ 1,214.70 | $ 1,619.10 | $ 417.30 |
| E-6 | $ 9.90 | $ 1,122.60 | $ 1,496.40 | $ 403.80 |
| E-5 | $ 8.70 | $ 1,010.40 | $ 1,347.00 | $ 343.20 |
| E-4 | $ 8.10 | $ 878.70 | $ 1,170.30 | $ 296.70 |
| E-3 | $ 7.80 | $ 816.30 | $ 1,088.10 | $ 243.30 |
| E-2 | $ 7.20 | $ 778.80 | $ 1,037.10 | $ 325.20 |
| E-1 | $ 6.90 | $ 778.80 | $ 1,037.10 | $ 384.60 |
| *BAH RC/Transit rates are adjusted by the average change in housing costs; BAH-DIFF rates are adjusted by the amount of the basic pay raise. BAH Partial rates are constant. |
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The military adjusts the rates annually based on the national housing averages. For standard BAH, whether with or without dependents, the same reviews are done but use information from the local housing market instead, which explains why the BAH rate can vary based on being in a high or low cost-of-living area.
BAH, both standard and non-locality rates, vary based on your pay grade too. You can look up your expected amount by looking at your current pay grade, from E-1 to O-10. Unlike base pay, your years in service do not change the amount of non-locality BAH.
Service members with and without dependents have different rates. There is also a partial non-locality BAH rate and a differential amount provided to those in military housing but who pay child support. The important thing to know to receive any BAH for dependents is to have them listed in your official military service record. This includes children for whom you are financially responsible, even if they do not live with you.
Final Thoughts
When getting ready for your military PCS move, it’s best to take a close look at all types of BAH and make sure that what you receive matches what is listed on your orders. If you move from one duty station to another and are not in your permanent housing or at the end duty station, non-locality BAH might be heading your way. Discover more about PCS entitlements, allowances, and guides in AHRN’s PCS Toolkit.