An OCONUS PCS Move Guide: What You Need To Know

• Official PCS orders are required before scheduling household goods shipments, vehicle transport, or receiving travel-related payments.
• OCONUS moves often require additional documentation and coordination beyond a typical CONUS PCS, including host-nation and command-specific requirements.
• Overseas assignments come with unique entitlements and allowances, such as OHA, COLA, DLA, and TLA, that differ from stateside moves.

Joining the military can unlock a whole world of new experiences, and one of the most unique and rewarding might be living abroad. With orders in hand, you might also be overwhelmed by the prospect of moving overseas. However, a move outside the continental United States, also known as an OCONUS move, is a fantastic opportunity to see the world.

To help you approach this move, we’ve created a guide that walks you through everything from preparation to unpacking.

All military duty stations are categorized as CONUS or OCONUS. CONUS locations include the continental United States and are generally easier to move to. Military members and their families stationed in CONUS must follow all federal, state, and local laws.

OCONUS locations include all duty stations outside the continental United States. Many of which are in foreign countries, where military members and their families must follow local laws and regulations, as well as any additional restrictions the military puts in place.

NOTE: Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Guam are OCONUS locations, even though they are states or U.S. territories.

Like other military moves, the military pays for the cost of an OCONUS move up to certain limits.

To receive funding for your move, you need official military orders written for you, so most steps, such as scheduling the movers and shipping a vehicle, can’t happen until this paperwork is complete.

NOTE: Not all moving costs are covered. There are exceptions that you must cover out of your own pocket, such as storage beyond approved limits or a second car.

When you receive orders, you can request an advance of your dislocation allowance (DLA). This payment helps cover miscellaneous relocation expenses, such as transportation to the airport, incidental costs, and household setup. During your travel, you are also authorized to receive certain entitlements, such as a per diem to cover your meals on travel days. Service members and dependents each get per diem, but dependents may receive a lower rate.

Tip: Put meals on your government travel card to facilitate reimbursement and to preserve your cash for the hundreds of smaller expenses that always come up.

Once you arrive at an OCONUS duty station, you will receive a monthly cost-of-living allowance (COLA) based on the location to help keep general expenses, such as gas and groceries, more comparable to those in the United States. Those stationed in Hawaii and Alaska also receive this allowance.

Moving can be expensive, but fortunately, additional allowances help cover these extra costs:

• DLA (Dislocation Allowance): This DLA payment covers the cost of setting up your new home. Exact rates vary by rank & dependency status.
• TLA (Temporary Lodging Allowance): This allowance helps cover temporary lodging, such as a hotel, while seeking or waiting for permanent housing.
• Per Diem: During your move, you are authorized a certain number of travel days and reimbursed for those days’ meals and incidentals.
• MEA (Miscellaneous Expense Allowance): You encounter a lot of miscellaneous expenses when you move to a new household, from utility deposits to trash can fees. MEA helps offset some of those costs.

In general, most OCONUS locations allow you to move one POV (privately owned vehicle) per service member.

But this isn’t always the case: some destinations prohibit or heavily restrict service members’ privately owned vehicles. (e.g., Korea, some Japanese bases).

These restrictions are always determined by host-nation laws, status-of-forces agreements, and gaining commands.

Again, always check with your travel office and your gaining unit for details.

Required Vehicle Paperwork

Prepare a folder in advance with all the papers listed below. Bring it to the vehicle processing center when you ship your vehicle. Better yet, get a “FASTPASS” by sending these documents to the VPC in advance.

• Copy of orders with all amendments
• Complete set of orders with any amendments
• Pre-Shipping Instruction Form
• Shipper or Storage Acknowledgment form
• Proof of Ownership (At least one of the following):
• Current vehicle registration
• A legible copy of your vehicle title (front and back), or electronic equivalent
• Bill of sale if the vehicle was purchased within 90 days prior to shipping
• Written approval from any lenders or lienholders on the title to move the vehicle out of CONUS
• Printout of recall status

Other POV Shipment Tips

Below are a few other tips from those who’ve been through the process:

• Make sure there are no unresolved recalls on your car before shipping.
• Ship the vehicle with no more than 1/4 tank of gas.
• Know your weight limit. You may be responsible for paying for excess weight beyond your allowance.

If you’re moving with a furry friend, the military now covers some of the costs. Eligible service members may receive up to $550 for CONUS PCS pet expenses and up to $2,000 for OCONUS pet transportation, or up to $4,000 when moving pets from certain high-risk countries.

The higher reimbursement applies only when Patriot Express or commercial airline options are unavailable. Since not all OCONUS locations allow pets, confirm requirements with your transportation office well in advance.

As you gear up for an OCONUS move, you have to schedule your pack-out, obtain the required documentation for your family and pets, and settle into your new community. Many specifics depend on where you move and how much lead time you have before the big day.

Start by contacting the transportation office to determine the requirements for your destination. Some locations require extra paperwork, including country clearances for family members or pet vaccination records.

Once you have your orders and report date, start preparing right away to set a move date that works best for you.

Living Expenses

Living overseas can be expensive, so it’s important to know what extra benefits are available when making your budget:

• OHA (Overseas Housing Allowance): When you are stateside, you receive BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing). OCONUS duty stations get OHA instead. This allowance covers the majority of rent (up to a cap), utilities, and a move-in housing allowance.
• COLA (Cost of Living Allowance): This allowance offsets the higher prices of groceries, gas, and other items often associated with overseas living. Your new locality code determines the amount you receive, which is based on local cost-of-living tables, local surveys, and currency exchange rates.

Here are a few things you can do to prepare for your OCONUS move:

• Get important documents together, including passports, vehicle registration and title, SOFA certificates, DEA, immunization forms, TRICARE Overseas forms, pet microchip/vaccination documents, and school records.
• Research housing options at your new location.
• Reach out to a School Liaison Officer to learn about available school options for kids.
• Get a sponsor from your new command.
• Find out what pet restrictions or requirements apply.
• Schedule your Household Goods (HHG) shipment through the Defense Personal Property System (DPS) at Move.mil or your installation’s Personal Property Office, depending on whether your location has transitioned to the Global Household Goods Contract (GHC). Your travel office will confirm which system applies.

First up is packing day. Your moving company will call to let you know what days the packers will be at your home. The team will put everything into boxes as quickly as they can. Being organized and proactive is essential to controlling the risk of important items being mistakenly packed.

Your crates are loading on the moving truck on your scheduled moving day.

Pay close attention to the movers’ inventory documentation. If something is wrong, call your transportation office. If items are damaged or lost, file a claim through the DPS or GHC claims portal.

Once you arrive at your new overseas duty station, take some time to get acquainted with your new home and community. Take advantage of everything you can while there. Many OCONUS duty stations offer once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to see the world, experience different cultures, and travel.

• Make a list. It can be easy to get caught up in the daily grind and wish you had done more during your time overseas. Make a list of the places and sites you want to see before moving back to the U.S.
• Learn the language. Getting around becomes much easier when you have a few basic phrases under your belt. It can also go a long way toward building connections within your local community.
• Try new foods. A big part of experiencing a new culture is embracing its culinary traditions.

OCONUS household goods shipments involve longer transit times, stricter rules, and more administrative oversight than most CONUS moves. Avoiding these common mistakes can save you months of frustration and potentially thousands of dollars.

• Waiting Too Long to Schedule Your HHG Shipment: Always schedule your move date immediately after counseling. OCONUS moves have fewer carriers and longer transit windows.
• Ignoring Administrative Weight Restrictions: Some overseas locations impose reduced weight limits regardless of your rank-based allowance. Always check the official DoD weight restrictions for your destination before packing.
• Shipping Prohibited Items: Each country has rules on flammables, alcohol, firearms, plants/soil, certain electronics, cleaning chemicals, and some wooden outdoor furniture. Violations can result in customs delays, fines, or confiscation.
• Not Separating Unaccompanied Baggage (UB): Your unaccompanied baggage is meant to tide you over and keep your household functioning until your full HHG shipment arrives. So use your UB allowance for essential items.
• Failing to Photograph/Inventory Household Goods Before Pack-Out: Photos are the strongest evidence if you need to file a damage or loss claim. Upload copies to the cloud, so they’re accessible anywhere.
• Not Reviewing the Moving Crew’s Inventory Sheet: The mover’s inventory document becomes the legal record of what was packed. If the descriptions are wrong, hold the crew accountable before signing.
• Packing Items Yourself That Should Be Left to the Movers: Movers often won’t accept liability for self-packed boxes, unlabeled items, or closed plastic totes. Better to let them pack professionally so everything is covered under the shipment inventory.
• Shipping High-Value or Irreplaceable Items: Never pack items that you cannot afford to lose or replace. Carry these items with you instead of packing them.
• Not Filing Damage or Loss Claims on Time: You have 180 days after delivery to file a claim (DPS moves). Miss this deadline, and you will not be compensated for the loss.

Moving overseas can be a lot to handle, but going into it with a sense of adventure (not to mention our helpful guides) is a great way to make the most of this milestone. Know what to expect before the move, during the process, and once you arrive at your new home. Don’t forget to have fun and embrace the experience.

Want guidance throughout your entire PCS move? Make sure to download our PCS Toolkit.