PCS Move Timeline Checklist 2026: 12 Months to Arrival Day

July 6, 2026 | 14 min read | By Military Life Tools

A Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move touches nearly every part of military family life: housing, schools, medical care, vehicles, pets, banking, and the household goods shipment itself. Spreading the work across 10 to 12 months turns the move from a fire drill into a project you can manage.

This timeline breaks a typical CONUS PCS into phases, each with a short checklist of what to do, what to gather, and which forms to start. Use the PCS move checklist tool to build a custom plan based on your report date, branch, and family size.

12 months out: initial planning

The goal at 12 months is information gathering, not commitments. The more you learn about the new duty station now, the better your housing, school, and shipment decisions will be later.

• Confirm your projected assignment with your detailer or branch manager.
• Start a single shared note or spreadsheet that becomes your master PCS tracker.
• Research the new duty station: cost of living, BAH rate, school options, commute patterns.
• Talk to a sponsor at the gaining command and to peers who have moved to the same area.
• Review your current lease, housing agreement, or mortgage to identify notice and termination obligations.
• Confirm passports, visas, and shot records for family members and pets are valid for at least 6 months past your move date.

9 months out: orders received

You typically receive your PCS orders around the 6-month mark, but the assignment is usually known well before that. Use this phase to align family decisions with the assignment details.

• Receive and review your orders. Verify report date, dependents authorized to move, and any special instructions.
• Calculate your estimated BAH at the new duty station using the BAH calculator; this drives your DLA estimate and housing budget.
• Open a dedicated moving folder (physical and digital) for orders, estimates, and receipts.
• Begin a declutter pass. Items you have not used in 12 months are unlikely to survive a second move.
• If moving OCONUS, begin passport, visa, and pet import paperwork now. Processing times vary by country.
• Check your LES and your credit reports for accuracy.

6 months out: housing and schools

Six months out is when orders are usually in hand and the hard decisions start. Housing and schools drive cost, commute, and quality of life more than almost anything else in the move.

• Decide whether to live on base, off base, or in privatized housing. Each path has its own timeline and paperwork.
• Submit a housing application (military housing or privatized) as soon as your report date is firm. Waitlists vary by installation.
• If renting off base, identify two or three target neighborhoods and start monitoring listings weekly.
• If buying, get pre-approved early so you can act quickly when the right listing appears.
• Research school districts near your target neighborhoods and check boundary maps for the upcoming school year.
• Schedule school tours if possible; many districts allow out-of-area families to tour by appointment.
• Begin medical and dental hand-off planning: current providers, records requests, and referrals for ongoing care.
• Update the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) if your family status changes during the move.

3 months out: shipment and paperwork

Three months out is when you start booking the actual move. HHG scheduling, DITY vs. contracted decisions, and the bulk of paperwork all happen here.

• Schedule your Household Goods (HHG) shipment through the Defense Personal Property Program (DPS).
• Decide between a government-arranged move and a Personally Procured Move (PPM, formerly DITY). A PPM lets you keep up to 95 percent of any cost savings, but you assume the risk if costs run higher.
• Request a weight estimate so you can plan around your allowance.
• Confirm your weight allowance by rank and dependency status. Excess weight is paid at the member's expense.
• Submit your Dislocation Allowance (DLA) paperwork. DLA is typically one month of BAH without dependents, two months with dependents.
• Begin Temporary Lodging Allowance (TLA) planning. OCONUS orders usually authorize up to 60 days of TLA; CONUS orders may authorize TLA in select markets.
• Give your landlord or property manager written notice per your lease terms.
• Order medical and dental records transfers. Confirm school immunization records can be sent directly to the new district.
• Book pet travel: many airlines, hotels, and rental companies have specific policies you want to understand early.
• Begin a household inventory with photos and serial numbers; this simplifies claims if items are lost or damaged.

1 month out: final preparations

With a month to go, the move becomes real. The list gets shorter and the actions get larger.

• Confirm HHG pack-out dates. Most moves allow 1 to 2 pack days plus 1 load day; ensure someone is available or that you have power of attorney arranged.
• Confirm DLA and TLA amounts with your finance office; do not assume the pay system will catch every change.
• Update your address with USPS, banks, credit cards, insurance, the DMV, voting registration, and any subscriptions.
• Refill prescriptions to cover at least 30 days past your move date.
• Set up mail forwarding through USPS (this is free and reversible).
• Confirm child care arrangements at the new duty station: many installations have waiting lists for on-post child development centers.
• Schedule a final utility shutoff at the old residence and service start at the new residence.
• Plan your travel route: flights, lodging, pet stops, and rest days.

2 weeks out: last-minute details

The last two weeks are about closing loops, not starting new ones. If something is not on the list yet, decide whether to defer it or accept the risk.

• Confirm pack-out and load dates with the moving company or your PPM crew.
• Begin packing non-essentials: books, out-of-season clothes, decor, and hobby gear.
• Pull together an essentials box: medications, documents, chargers, change of clothes, pet supplies, snacks, water.
• Photograph valuable items for insurance and claim purposes.
• Verify all IDs, passports, and orders are in one safe place and that at least one trusted person knows where they are.
• Cancel or transfer any local memberships: gyms, country clubs, subscription boxes.
• Plan a final walkthrough of the home with the property manager or landlord to avoid surprise charges.

Move week: departure

Move week is mostly about execution. Your job is to keep the family routine as close to normal as possible while the logistics run in the background.

• Be present for the pack-out, or have a trusted representative with power of attorney.
• Do a final walkthrough of the home before the truck leaves: closets, attic, garage, outdoor storage.
• Confirm the inventory sheet matches what is actually on the truck.
• Hand over keys and confirm utility shutoff with the property manager.
• Keep the essentials box with you, not in the shipment.
• Take photos of the meter readings at the old residence for your records.
• Begin the travel day with extra time built in: moves generate delays.

Arrival: in-processing

Arrival week is paperwork-heavy. Most installations have a standard in-processing checklist; the goal is to finish it as quickly as possible so you can settle in.

• Report to your command on the date in your orders. Late reporting without authorization can have pay and career consequences.
• Complete in-processing: finance, DEERS, ID cards, TRICARE, housing office, vehicle registration, and security brief.
• Schedule HHG delivery and unpack systematically. Most installations allow 90 days for storage-in-transit (SIT) if your home is not ready.
• Update your driver license and vehicle registration within the timelines required by the new state.
• Enroll children in school as soon as possible; districts often need immunization records, proof of residency, and prior school records.
• Update your address with USPS, banks, and any other accounts that did not auto-update.
• File for any TLA you are entitled to and keep every receipt.
• Take a deep breath. The first 30 days after a PCS are the hardest; the rest is just routine.

Bottom line

The best PCS plans are simple, realistic, and started early. A clear timeline keeps the process organized so you can focus on the move without losing track of the essentials.

Frequently asked questions