Army PCS Move Guide: What’s Different for Soldiers (2026)
Here’s the quick answer: An Army permanent change of station (PCS) follows the same Joint Travel Regulations as every branch. What’s different for soldiers is the paperwork, including your HRC assignment notification, a levy briefing and packet through your S1, and orders in IPPS-A.
This guide covers active-duty soldiers. For the full PCS process, start with our military moving guide.
Here’s who handles each step of an Army PCS:
| Step | Who handles it | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Assignment notification | Human Resources Command (HRC) | Starts the process |
| Levy briefing & packet | You & your S1 | Set by your post (30 days at Fort Stewart) |
| Family Member Travel Screening | Your family & military medical team | Overseas only; about 60 days |
| PCS orders | Installation reassignments office | After your packet is complete |
| Household goods & PPM counseling | Transportation office | As soon as you have orders |
| Travel voucher | DFAS (Defense Finance and Accounting Service) | After you report |
Jump to the Army PCS info you need:
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How do Army PCS orders work?
Army PCS orders start with an assignment notification from Human Resources Command (HRC). Your installation’s reassignments office then has you complete a levy briefing and packet through your S1, and your orders are published in IPPS-A, the Army’s personnel system. At Fort Stewart, for example, orders are available within five business days after the reassignments office gets your completed packet. Overseas orders can’t be produced until all overseas travel requirements are met.
According to an Army reassignment brief, the Army’s goal is to issue orders 120 days or more before your report date, but many soldiers get less notice. Check your orders the day they publish, since passports, family travel, and your household goods shipment all depend on them being right.
You may also move less often than you used to. In June 2026, the Army announced it is cutting more than 12,000 scheduled relocations in fiscal 2026 and more than 13,600 in fiscal 2027. Stabilization programs also help soldiers stay put longer. High School Stabilization, for example, lets soldiers stay at their duty station through a child’s senior year of high school.
Once you have orders, price any part of the move you might pay for. Estimate your moving costs by home size and distance.
What is an Army levy briefing?
An Army levy briefing is the required out-processing step that turns your assignment into orders. You review the briefing, complete the levy packet, and turn it in to your S1. At Fort Stewart, soldiers view an online briefing slide and submit the packet within 30 days of their official assignment notification date. The steps and deadlines vary by installation, so follow your post’s reassignments office.
- Complete your elections: Finish your member elections in IPPS-A before you submit the packet.
- Turn in your checklist: Fort Stewart requires the IMCOM Form 78 reassignment checklist for every soldier.
- Add overseas forms if needed: Soldiers going overseas also submit forms such as the family travel request and a housing request.
- Keep copies: Save a copy of everything you turn in to the S1, including your levy brief certificate.
Late packets delay orders, and orders control when you can schedule your shipment. See every task in date order in our PCS timeline.
What is Family Member Travel Screening?
Family Member Travel Screening (FMTS) is a medical, dental, and educational screening for family members on an overseas Army PCS. According to the Army, every family member who requests government-sponsored travel to an overseas or remote location, including Alaska and Hawaii, must be screened. The process usually takes about 60 days, and the screening must be completed within 12 months before your report date.
Start the day you’re notified of an overseas assignment. Screening can lead to mandatory enrollment in the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP), and your orders can’t be produced until overseas requirements are met. For passports, shipments, and your car, see our guide to an overseas (OCONUS) PCS.
If you’re heading overseas and storing what won’t fit, compare storage and moving costs for your route first.
How many travel days & how much PCS leave do soldiers get?
Soldiers driving to a new duty station get one travel day for 400 miles or less, and one day per 350 miles beyond that, under the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR). Divide the official distance by 350, and add a day if 51 or more miles remain. If you fly on government-arranged commercial air, you get one travel day. Per diem is paid only for authorized travel days.
- PCS leave: Soldiers are usually authorized at least 30 days of leave with a PCS, according to AR 600-8-10. Request it on a DA Form 31 that runs from the day you leave your unit to your report date. Leave days aren’t paid per diem.
- Early report: If your orders don’t mention early reporting, you can report up to 30 days early. If they authorize it, you can report up to 60 days early.
- House hunting: Your losing commander can grant up to 10 days of administrative absence for house hunting before you sign in at your new post, or your gaining commander can grant up to 10 days after in-processing. You qualify only if government quarters aren’t immediately available or aren’t required, and you must visit the housing services office before you rent, lease, or buy.
- Extra travel time: If delays beyond your control slow you down, you can ask your commander for additional travel days.
For example, a 1,200-mile drive works out to three days with 150 miles left over, so you’d get four travel days.
What does the Army pay on a PCS?
The Army pays the same PCS allowances as every branch, because they all come from the JTR. That includes a government-arranged household goods move up to your weight allowance, a Dislocation Allowance (DLA) of $1,870.58 to $6,385.58 in 2026, up to 21 days of Temporary Lodging Expense (TLE) for a move within the continental U.S., per diem for travel days, and mileage of $0.235 a mile for travel starting on or after July 1, 2026.
Your weight allowance depends on your pay grade and dependents, from 5,000 pounds to 18,000 pounds. See your full military weight allowance by rank.
You can also move some or all of your belongings yourself in a military PPM move, formerly called a DITY move, and keep what you don’t spend from 100% of the Government Constructed Cost. You can also hire movers for a PPM and claim the cost as an expense.
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How do you file an Army PCS travel voucher?
Soldiers file a PCS travel voucher through SmartVoucher on the DFAS website, which builds your DD Form 1351-2 and lets you attach your orders and supporting documents. DFAS says soldiers who can’t use SmartVoucher must complete the DD Form 1351-2 by hand. SmartVoucher isn’t for travel booked through the Defense Travel System (DTS).
- Attach your orders: Include your orders and every amendment.
- Add leave forms: Include your DA Form 31 so leave days are separated from travel days.
- Keep receipts: Save lodging receipts for TLE and any other expense you claim.
- File your PPM separately: A PPM has its own claim and deadline. See which PPM expenses you can claim.
Paying for anything the Army won’t reimburse? Check what your move will cost before you book.
What Army-specific steps belong on your PCS checklist?
Add these Army-specific steps to the same PCS checklist every service member uses:
- Watch IPPS-A for your assignment: Your levy deadline starts from your official notification date.
- Finish your levy packet early: Turn it in to your S1 well before any deadline.
- Start family screening right away: For an overseas move, begin Family Member Travel Screening as soon as you’re notified.
- Verify your orders: Ask reassignments for an amendment if anything is wrong.
- Request leave and house-hunting time: Submit your DA Form 31 before you clear post.
- Download My Army PCS: The Army’s official PCS app covers entitlements, move types, scheduling, and claims.
- Request clearing papers: At Fort Stewart, soldiers request them from the S1 30 days before signing out.
- File your voucher: Use SmartVoucher after you report to your new unit.
For every other task, use our full PCS move checklist, with a free printable PDF.
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More about military moves
- Best military moving companies: Compare top movers for a PPM or a move after service.
- Military moving guide: Learn how a PCS works, from orders to delivery.
- Military PPM move: See how a PPM works, what it pays, and how to get paid.
- PCS timeline: See every PCS task in date order, from orders to arrival.
FAQ
How long does an Army PCS take?
An Army PCS usually takes several months from assignment notification to reporting. The Army aims to issue orders 120 days or more before your report date, but many soldiers get less notice.
What is PCS leave in the Army?
PCS leave is ordinary leave you take between duty stations, requested on a DA Form 31. Soldiers are usually authorized at least 30 days, and it’s charged against your leave balance.
How many travel days do you get for an Army PCS?
You get one travel day for a drive of 400 miles or less, and one day per 350 miles beyond that, plus a day if 51 or more miles remain. A government-arranged commercial flight gets one travel day.
What is the Army’s PCS weight allowance?
The Army’s PCS weight allowance is the same as every branch’s, from 5,000 pounds to 18,000 pounds depending on pay grade and dependents. Pro gear of up to 2,000 pounds doesn’t count against it.
What is an Army levy briefing?
A levy briefing is the required out-processing step that turns your assignment into orders. You review the briefing and submit a levy packet to your S1, within 30 days of your assignment notification at some posts, such as Fort Stewart.
Is the Army reducing PCS moves?
Yes, in June 2026 the Army announced it is cutting more than 12,000 scheduled relocations in fiscal 2026 and more than 13,600 in fiscal 2027. Stabilization programs let more soldiers stay at their current duty station longer.
Ready to plan your Army PCS? Compare moving costs for your route before you book:
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