Military PCS
Military PCS Move Guide: PPM, Entitlements & Timeline
How a PCS move works: government HHG vs full or partial PPM, which portal you are sent to, weight tickets, and SIT — confirm days with your counselor.
Reviewed Sep 13, 2026 · Top Movers Hub
A permanent change of station is a paper trail first and a truck second. Start with orders, then counseling at your Transportation Management Office / Personal Property Processing Office. In 2026 both the Defense Personal Property System (DPS) and MilMove / Global Household Goods Contract paths are in use. Military OneSource’s personal-property pages route you. Follow the portal your counselor assigns. This page does not invent a second door.
This hub is research. It does not move you and it does not replace TMO counseling. A commercial estimate on 8 Top Movers matters only when you hire your own truck — PPM, partial PPM, retirement, over-allowance, or an off-program timeline.
Government HHG vs full PPM vs partial PPM
| Path | Who packs and hauls | Who pays first | Tickets / paper | Who to ask |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Government HHG | DoD-arranged carrier | The government, under your counseling | Inventory, orders, counseling docs | TMO / PPPO + the portal you were sent to |
| Full PPM (ex-DITY) | You, a rented truck, or a mover you hire | You, then you claim reimbursement | Certified tare and gross weight tickets + receipts | Counselor + finance; JTR for the current rule |
| Partial PPM | Split: contractor for the bulk, you for a slice | Both — keep the two piles separate | Tickets only on the weight you personally move | Counselor, in writing, before you split the load |
Weight tickets: tare, gross, keep the originals
A PPM reimbursement lives or dies on certified scale tickets. Weigh the empty vehicle or truck (tare) and the loaded one (gross) on a certified scale. The ticket should identify the vehicle. Keep the originals. Photograph them. Without both weights, finance cannot compute the incentive, and reconstructing tickets after the fact is hard.
This desk does not publish a government-constructed cost percentage or a made-up incentive formula. Those numbers change. Your counselor and the current Joint Travel Regulations are the source. Moving more than your authorized allowance is on you; moving less usually lowers reimbursement rather than creating a bonus you should bank on.
Storage-in-transit (SIT)
If the new home is not ready, household goods can sit in approved storage for a limited period at government expense before the clock converts to storage you pay for. The day cap is not a number this page invents. Confirm the current SIT days and conversion rules with your counselor and the JTR. Give the storage facility a delivery address as soon as you have one.
When a commercial desk even matters
A government-arranged HHG shipment does not need a consumer quote desk. You already have a contracted carrier. A commercial written estimate matters when you hire the truck yourself: a full or partial PPM, a retirement or separation move you pay for, weight above allowance you choose to move anyway, or a timeline the program will not cover.
If that is your job, compare licensed carriers on the military-moves desk at 8 Top Movers. Verify USDOT / MC on SAFER before you deposit. Do not treat this research page as a ranking.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between a PPM and a DITY move?
- They are the same path. Personally Procured Move is the current name for what used to be called Do-It-Yourself (DITY). You move the goods and claim reimbursement based on documented weight and the current rules.
- Are PPM reimbursements taxable?
- Incentive above documented moving expenses is generally treated as taxable income. Keep receipts. Read the current Joint Travel Regulations and ask a tax advisor for your year. This page does not invent a rate.
- When should I start my PCS move?
- As soon as you have orders. Peak season (late spring through summer) fills carrier capacity. Early counseling through your TMO / PPPO is how you get a pack date that is not a rumor.
- Is DPS still the only portal?
- No. In 2026 both DPS and MilMove / GHC paths exist. OneSource personal-property pages route you. Use the system your counselor assigns. Do not open a second account to “be safe.”
- What has to be on a weight ticket?
- Certified scale, tare (empty) and gross (loaded), vehicle identification, and a date. Keep originals. Tickets apply to the weight you personally moved on a PPM or partial PPM — not to the government’s HHG truck.
- What happens if I am over allowance?
- Overage is generally on you. Confirm the authorized weight with your counselor before you pack. This page does not publish pay-grade tables; those live in the current JTR / counseling documents.
- How many SIT days do I get?
- Ask your counselor. The cap and the conversion to paid storage are JTR items, not a number a research page should freeze.
8 Top Movers · the eight
Advertising disclosure
Compare the 8 top-rated long-distance movers
Top Movers Hub wrote this guide. The eight below are the paid ranking on 8topmovers.com — disclosed advertising, not a score assigned here.
- Rank 1 of 8.Global Elegance Moving and LogisticsLong-distance & cross-country movesUSDOT 4355323MC-1703504Boca Raton, FL
- Rank 2 of 8.TapMoveLicensed modern long-distance movesUSDOT 4445013MC-1750835Sacramento, CA
- Rank 3 of 8.LoadRansWest-origin long-distance movesUSDOT 3729978MC-1348724Vernon, CA
- Rank 4 of 8.Bristol Moving and StorageRegional & NJ-origin movesUSDOT 4149046MC-1592376Spotswood, NJ
- Rank 5 of 8.Hudson Van LinesMid-Atlantic origin long-haulsUSDOT 4564691MC-1814851Randolph, NJ
- Rank 6 of 8.Royal Van LinesLicensed long-distance movesUSDOT 4179767MC-1673925West Milford, NJ
- Rank 7 of 8.Pacific Moving and StorageWest Coast departuresUSDOT 3933678MC-1458755Ladera Ranch, CA
- Rank 8 of 8.Apex Van LinesPacific Northwest originsUSDOT 4479645MC-1769076Kirkland, WA
8 Top Movers is an advertising-supported comparison service. Its ranking reflects editorial judgment, not a measured rating, and featured or network partners may compensate it when you request quotes, which can influence placement. We operate both this site and that one. Carrier records and cost data published here are independent of those commercial relationships.
On the ranking desk
Each site in this network answers one job. These are the matching pages for this route — not copies of this one.
Ready to price your move?
Compare free, non-binding quotes from licensed movers — no obligation.
Sources
- Military OneSource — Moving and PCS — retrieved 2026-09-13
- Military OneSource — Military PCS moving FAQs — retrieved 2026-09-13
- Military OneSource — Personal property — retrieved 2026-09-13
- DoD Joint Travel Regulations (JTR) — retrieved 2026-09-13