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.
Questions people ask
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.
Sources
- Military OneSource — Moving and PCS (opens in a new tab), retrieved 2026-09-13
- Military OneSource — Military PCS moving FAQs (opens in a new tab), retrieved 2026-09-13
- Military OneSource — Personal property (opens in a new tab), retrieved 2026-09-13
- DoD Joint Travel Regulations (JTR) (opens in a new tab), retrieved 2026-09-13