“What Is an OCONUS Move? Your Overseas PCS Guide (2026)”
Here’s the quick answer: An OCONUS move is a permanent change of station (PCS) to or from a duty station outside the continental U.S. The government ships your household goods, a smaller unaccompanied baggage shipment, and usually one car. It can store the rest of your things stateside.
This guide covers both moving overseas and coming back to the U.S. For the full PCS process, start with our military moving guide, or use our overseas PCS checklist to track each task.
Here’s how your belongings are split on a PCS that’s outside the contiguous United States (OCONUS):
| Shipment | What goes in it | Weight rule |
|---|---|---|
| Household goods | Furniture, boxes, & most belongings | Counts toward your allowance |
| Unaccompanied baggage | Essentials that arrive faster | Counts toward your allowance |
| Non-temporary storage | Items you leave stateside | Counts toward your allowance |
| Your car | One vehicle through PCSmyPOV | Separate from your allowance |
| Pro gear | Work books, papers, & equipment | Up to 2,000 pounds extra |
Jump to the OCONUS move info you need:
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What should you do first on an OCONUS move?
Start with passports, family travel screening, and your orders. An Army reassignment brief says no-fee passports can take four to six weeks, so apply as soon as you’re told to.
- Check your orders: Make sure every family member is listed and every name is spelled correctly.
- Complete family travel screening: Family members traveling with you usually need medical and educational screening before family travel is approved. The Army calls this Family Member Travel Screening.
- Attend your briefings: Army soldiers attend a mandatory overseas levy briefing after receiving assignment instructions, according to an Army article on OCONUS moves.
- Request records early: Military OneSource says copies of medical, dental, and school records can take up to six weeks.
- Book your shipments: Schedule household goods and unaccompanied baggage in the Defense Personal Property System (DPS), and your car through PCSmyPOV.
Paying for anything the military won’t cover? Estimate your moving costs before you commit.
How do shipments & weight limits work on an OCONUS move?
On an OCONUS move, your household goods, unaccompanied baggage, and anything in storage all come out of one weight allowance. The Joint Travel Regulations (JTR) set that allowance by pay grade and dependency status, and the location’s own limits also apply.
- Household goods: Your main shipment, which can take weeks to arrive overseas.
- Unaccompanied baggage: A smaller, faster shipment of essentials like kitchen basics and clothes. At locations with an administrative weight limit, the JTR allows up to 2,000 pounds for a member with command-sponsored family, or the location’s limit if it’s lower. That limit covers the whole family.
- Non-temporary storage: Belongings you don’t take overseas can be stored stateside during your tour, within your weight allowance.
- Pro gear: Up to 2,000 pounds of professional books, papers, and equipment, plus 500 pounds for a spouse with approval, doesn’t count against your allowance if you declare it.
Some overseas locations set an administrative weight limit below your full allowance, usually because housing is furnished or small. The JTR says the rest of your allowance can go to storage or a designated place instead. Ask your transportation office about your new duty station before you plan your shipments. See your full military weight allowance by rank.
Pro tip: Sort your things into three piles before the pre-move survey: what flies with you, what goes in unaccompanied baggage, and what goes in household goods or storage. Packers box almost anything left out, so keep the piles clearly marked.
Too much to take overseas? Compare storage and moving costs for what stays behind.
Can you ship your car on an OCONUS move?
Yes. The JTR authorizes shipping one car at government expense on a PCS to or from an overseas duty station, unless your orders or your branch restrict it. You book the shipment through PCSmyPOV and drop the car off at a vehicle processing center.
- Storage if your car can’t go: If your new country doesn’t allow the car or would require extensive modifications, the government may store one car while you’re overseas.
- Prep the car: It must be clean, with a quarter tank of fuel or less, and carry only items for operating it or keeping passengers safe.
- Financed or leased cars: You’ll need a letter from the lender or leasing company authorizing export.
- Late arrival: For cars shipped on or after Oct. 1, 2024, a rental while you wait is the shipping contractor’s responsibility, per the JTR.
A second car isn’t covered, so you’d pay to ship it yourself. Our guide to car shipping for military moves covers your options, costs, documents, and private shippers.
Shipping an extra car to the port? Check car shipping costs for your route.
How do pets move on an OCONUS PCS?
The military doesn’t move pets for you, but it reimburses up to $2,000 for one cat or dog on an OCONUS PCS, according to the JTR. That covers costs like mandatory microchipping, quarantine fees, boarding, entry testing, and pet shipping.
- Book your pet on the Patriot Express if you can: For flights across an ocean, the JTR says your pet must travel on government or government-procured transportation, like the Patriot Express, when space is available. If you ship your pet commercially when a government flight was available, its transportation costs aren’t reimbursed. If you pick a pricier flight just because your pet is with you, you pay the difference.
- Book early: Pet space is limited, so reserve it as soon as you have orders.
- Follow entry rules: Many countries require microchips, vaccines, health certificates, and quarantine. If your pet is denied entry, the JTR says you could lose the reimbursement.
- Keep every receipt: Include pet costs in your PCS travel claim.
For more on the trip itself, see our guide to moving with pets.
What lodging & travel pay do you get on an OCONUS move?
You get Temporary Lodging Expense (TLE) on the stateside side of the move and Temporary Lodging Allowance (TLA) overseas. JTR Table 5-13 authorizes seven days of TLE when you’re moving from a stateside duty station to an overseas one, and 21 days when you’re reporting to a duty station in the continental U.S.
- TLE: Helps cover lodging and meals in temporary housing in the continental U.S. during a PCS.
- TLA: Pays part of your lodging costs while you’re overseas, according to Military OneSource.
- Dislocation Allowance (DLA): Helps with moving costs and runs from $1,870.58 to $6,385.58 in 2026, depending on pay grade and dependents.
- Per diem: A daily allowance for meals and incidentals on your authorized travel days.
Most allowances reimburse you after you’ve paid, so budget for deposits, hotels, and meals up front. Allowance rates reset each January, so confirm current figures with your finance office.
Plan the costs that come out of your pocket first. Estimate your out-of-pocket moving costs.
Storing goods stateside or moving again after your tour? Start with movers that have a proven track record:
Can you store your belongings stateside during an overseas tour?
Yes. Belongings you don’t ship overseas can go into non-temporary storage at government expense, as long as the total of what you ship and store stays within your weight allowance. It’s common for furniture that won’t fit overseas housing, or items you won’t need for a few years.
If you’d rather keep some things where you can reach them, such as where you plan to settle, you’ll pay for that storage yourself.
Expert tip: moveBuddha founder Ryan Carrigan recommends getting storage quoted before you book, even if you don’t expect to need it, because unexpected storage can be very costly. See the legitimate ways movers can increase your final cost.
A moving container can double as private storage. PODS can keep your container at your home or a storage center:
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What changes when you move back to the U.S. from OCONUS?
Moving back works much like moving out, but you also clear U.S. customs and restart your stateside move. Military OneSource recommends contacting your Relocation Assistance Program as soon as you know you’re returning, and scheduling your shipments in DPS.
- Your car: You can ship one car back at government expense through PCSmyPOV.
- Pets: The same $2,000 limit and government-flight rule apply. Check U.S. federal and state entry rules for vaccines and paperwork.
- Firearms: List firearms on your customs forms and get an ATF Form 6, Military OneSource says. Keep proof of ownership with you.
- Restricted items: Review U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s prohibited and restricted items list before you pack.
- Lodging: TLA covers part of your lodging before you leave, and TLE covers up to 21 days once you’re reporting stateside.
- Storage: Schedule delivery from non-temporary storage to your new duty station.
Your government move ends at your new duty station. If you later choose to move off base or into a home you buy, that local move is usually yours to pay for.
Retiring after an overseas tour? See what your last government-paid move covers in our guide to the final military move.
Why moveBuddha:
- On average, moveBuddha users save more than 30% by comparing movers before booking.
- When you choose a moveBuddha Certified mover, you get up to $1,000 in added move coverage, plus dedicated support throughout your move.
- If something goes wrong, moveBuddha provides dispute mediation with Certified movers to help resolve the issue and protect your move.
In you’re moving off base after you’re back stateside, Safeway handles moves across the 48 contiguous states. It’s a moveBuddha Certified mover that was founded by an Army veteran.
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More about military moves
- Military moving guide: Learn how a PCS works, from orders to delivery.
- PCS move checklist: Get every task grouped by category, with a free printable PDF.
- PCS timeline: See every PCS task in date order, from orders to arrival.
- Military weight allowance by rank: Find your allowance and what counts toward it.
- Car shipping for military moves: See what the government covers and how to ship a car yourself.
- Best military moving companies: Compare top movers for a PPM or a move after service.
FAQ
What is an OCONUS move?
An OCONUS move is a permanent change of station to or from a duty station outside the continental U.S., such as Germany, Japan, Korea, Alaska, or Hawaii. It adds passports, family travel screening, and separate shipments to a regular PCS.
How much weight can you ship on an OCONUS PCS?
You can ship up to your full weight allowance, which is set by pay grade and dependents. Some overseas locations set a lower administrative limit, and the rest of your allowance can go to storage.
How much unaccompanied baggage can you ship overseas?
At locations with an administrative weight limit, the JTR allows up to 2,000 pounds of unaccompanied baggage for a member with command-sponsored family, or the location’s limit if it’s lower. It covers the whole family and counts toward your weight allowance.
Does the military ship your car overseas?
Yes, the military ships one car at government expense on a PCS to or from an overseas duty station. If your new country doesn’t allow it, the government may store the car instead.
Does the military pay to move pets overseas?
The military reimburses up to $2,000 for one cat or dog on an OCONUS PCS. You must use government transportation for transoceanic travel if it’s available.
How long does TLE last on an OCONUS move?
TLE lasts up to seven days when you’re leaving a stateside duty station for an overseas one. When you return and report to a duty station in the continental U.S., you get up to 21 days.
Can you store household goods during an overseas tour?
Yes, you can store household goods in non-temporary storage at government expense during an overseas tour. Everything you ship and store must stay within your weight allowance.
Ready to plan your OCONUS move? Compare storage, moving, and car shipping costs for your route before you book:
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