What Is PCS Storage? SIT, NTS, & Who Pays (2026)
Here’s the quick answer: PCS storage is government-paid storage for your household goods during a military permanent change of station (PCS) move. Storage in transit (SIT) covers 90 days between pickup and delivery, and non-temporary storage (NTS) holds things you won’t need for as long as your orders last.
This guide uses the Nov. 1, 2026, Joint Travel Regulations. For the full PCS process, start with our military moving guide.
Here’s how the four kinds of PCS storage compare:
| Storage type | When you use it | Time limit | Who pays |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storage in transit (SIT) | Between pickup & delivery | 90 days, extendable | Government, then you |
| Non-temporary storage (NTS) | Things you won’t need this tour | As long as your orders | Government, within your allowance |
| PPM storage | Storage on your own move | 90 days | You, reimbursed up to a cap |
| Private storage | After government storage ends | None | You |
Jump to the PCS storage info you need:
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What’s the difference between SIT & NTS on a PCS?
Storage in transit (SIT) and non-temporary storage (NTS) differ by purpose. SIT is short-term storage that’s part of shipping your household goods, while NTS is long-term storage for things you’re not taking to your new duty station. On a PCS, SIT lasts 90 days unless it’s extended. NTS lasts as long as the orders that authorized it. Both are paid by the government only within your authorized limits, according to the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR).
- Use SIT when: Your goods arrive before you have a place to live, such as while you wait for base housing or to close on a home.
- Use NTS when: You’re heading overseas, moving into government housing that can’t fit everything, or leaving things behind for the tour.
- Location: SIT can be at your origin, your destination, or anywhere in between. NTS is usually near where your goods are when your orders are issued.
According to a Navy household goods guide, NTS is all storage other than SIT. Book either one through the Defense Personal Property System (DPS) or your transportation office when you schedule your shipment.
Not sure what storage on top of your move will cost? Estimate your moving and storage costs.
How long does storage in transit last on a PCS?
Storage in transit lasts 90 days on a PCS, counted in total across every location where your goods are stored. The JTR says SIT can’t start before your household goods are released for shipping. The 90 days can be split among your origin, your destination, and any point in between. If your goods are still in SIT after your authorized time ends, the storage charges are your responsibility.
- Find your end date: Your SIT expiration date shows in DPS under your shipment information.
- One delivery from SIT is covered: You can request one partial withdrawal. A second is allowed only for unforeseen hardship. Any extra deliveries are at your expense.
- New orders while in SIT: If you get another PCS order while your goods are in SIT, storage continues until the new order’s effective date.
- Local moves don’t qualify: SIT isn’t authorized for a short-distance move within the same duty station, such as from base housing to an off-base rental.
Mark your SIT end date on your calendar the day your goods are picked up. If housing is likely to take longer than 90 days, start planning your next step in the first month.
Can you extend storage in transit past 90 days?
Yes. Storage in transit can be extended by up to 90 more days, for 180 days in total, when circumstances beyond your control keep you from taking your goods. You must request it in writing before your first 90 days end. The JTR lists reasons such as your own serious illness, a dependent’s serious illness or death, temporary duty after you arrive, waiting on government or privatized housing, no suitable civilian housing, and acts of God. A service official approves each request.
To request an extension, follow the steps in a Navy storage extension guide:
- Submit in DPS: Pick a listed reason and explain it.
- Send a DD Form 1857: Sign it and send it to the transportation office where your goods are stored, at origin or destination.
- Add proof: Include documents that back up your reason, such as a deployment letter from your command.
- Use a power of attorney: If someone else signs for you, attach a copy.
Don’t count on approval. The same Navy guide warns that the services are taking a harder line on extending SIT past the first 90 days. Storage past 180 days needs approval through the Secretarial Process, typically for something like a confirmed base housing date. The JTR rules out extra time if you choose to build a home while other housing is available, or if you rent a place too small for your belongings.
How does non-temporary storage work on a PCS?
Non-temporary storage (NTS) is government-paid, long-term storage that lasts as long as the orders that authorized it. It’s used most often on an overseas tour, or when you’re assigned government or privatized housing that can’t fit everything. The government pays for packing, transportation to and from the facility, and storage. Its cost is capped at your weight allowance minus the weight you ship, according to the JTR.
An E-7 with dependents has a 13,000-pound allowance. If that service member ships 9,000 pounds, the government pays to store up to 4,000 pounds. Storage for anything over that is yours to pay. See your full military weight allowance by rank.
- Government housing: If your service directs you to move into or out of assigned government or privatized housing stateside and it can’t fit everything, NTS covers the rest with no weight limit.
- Withdrawals: You can take items out of NTS for your own home at government expense. After that, they aren’t moved or stored again at government expense until your next PCS order.
- Retiring or separating: NTS lasts up to one year after retirement or 180 days after separation, per Navy guidance. See our final military move guide.
Can you get storage on a PPM move?
Yes. On a personally procured move (PPM), you can be reimbursed for up to 90 days of storage, capped at the Government Constructed Cost (GCC) for the weight you store, according to the Personal Property Activity’s PPM fact sheet and the JTR. You pay the storage company up front. If you don’t pay for storage, there’s no storage reimbursement.
- What counts: Self-storage units, commercial storage, or extra time on a rental truck, trailer, or portable container.
- What to keep: Weight tickets, your storage contract, and paid receipts.
- Get your GCC first: Ask your transportation office for the government’s constructed cost before you rent, so you know your cap.
Storage is reimbursed separately from your PPM incentive. See the full paperwork list in our guide to PPM expenses, and see our military PPM move guide for the whole process.
Weighing a PPM with storage against a government move? Compare what a self-move and storage would cost.
Who pays when PCS storage runs out?
You do. Once your authorized storage in transit or non-temporary storage time ends, the storage charges become your responsibility, according to the JTR. A Navy household goods guide says SIT converts to the member’s expense after the first 90 days when no extension is approved. Before that date, you can request an extension if you qualify, have your goods delivered, or move them into private storage you pay for.
- Stay with the storage company: The simplest option, since nothing moves. Ask for its monthly rate before your authorized time ends.
- Move to a storage unit: You pick the facility and price, but you pay to move everything twice.
- Use a moving container: A container can be stored at a facility and later delivered to your new home.
Expert tip: moveBuddha founder Ryan Carrigan points out that storage means two moves: one into storage and a whole second move out. The move out should cost less because everything is organized, but it’s still a hefty added expense. See the legitimate ways movers can increase your final cost.
That second move is easy to underestimate. Matthew, an Army veteran, had moved plenty of times with government-provided movers. In July 2026, he paid for a move himself for the first time, from a storage unit in Centerton, Arkansas, to Colonial Beach, Virginia, for a new job. Pure Relocation Services quoted him over the phone from photos and the size of his unit, and gave him prices at more than one size so he wouldn’t get sticker shock.
He needed that. His belongings measured 700 cubic feet instead of the 600 he’d been quoted, and the move required a shuttle truck. His pre-move quote was roughly $5,000, and he paid $6,400. When you get quotes, ask for prices one size up, and ask whether you’ll need a shuttle truck.
A moving container can double as private storage. PODS can keep your container at your home or a storage center:
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How do you get your things out of PCS storage?
To get your goods out of storage in transit, contact the moving company or your transportation office to schedule delivery before your SIT end date, and plan for it to take time. Military OneSource says that once your goods are in storage, it can take up to a few weeks to get them delivered. You or someone you designate must be home for delivery between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
- Stay reachable: The mover must give 24 hours’ notice before delivery. If it can’t reach you in that time, your goods may go into storage.
- Ask for everything at once: Only one partial withdrawal is covered, so plan what you need before you schedule.
- Check your inventory: Check off every item number yourself, and note damage or missing items on the delivery form before you sign.
If you’re paying to move out of private storage, get quotes based on the unit’s size, as Matthew did, and book early. Military OneSource says the last week of any month and the last week of June through the first week of July are historically the busiest times to move.
If you’re hiring movers to empty a storage unit, start with movers that have a proven track record:
Moving out of storage on your own dime? Get prices for your move out of storage.
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.
Safeway, a moveBuddha Certified mover founded by an Army veteran, handles moves across the 48 contiguous states if you’re moving off-base or out of storage.
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More about military moves
- Military moving guide: Learn how a PCS works, from orders to delivery.
- Military weight allowance by rank: Find your allowance and what counts toward it.
- PPM expenses: See which costs you can claim, including storage.
- Final military move: See what your last government-paid move and storage cover.
- PCS timeline: See every PCS task in date order, from orders to arrival.
FAQ
What is PCS storage?
PCS storage is government-paid storage for your household goods during a military move. It includes storage in transit, which lasts 90 days, and non-temporary storage, which lasts as long as your orders.
How long is storage in transit on a PCS?
Storage in transit lasts 90 days on a PCS. The time is counted in total across your origin, your destination, and any point in between.
Can you extend storage in transit past 90 days?
Yes, you can request up to 90 more days for reasons beyond your control, such as illness or waiting on base housing. Submit the request in DPS with a DD Form 1857 before your first 90 days end.
What’s the difference between SIT & NTS?
Storage in transit is short-term storage while your goods are being moved. Non-temporary storage is long-term storage for things you won’t need at your new duty station, and it lasts as long as your orders.
Who pays for military storage after 90 days?
You pay for storage after 90 days unless an extension is approved. Once your authorized time ends, the charges become your responsibility.
Does the military pay for storage on a PPM?
Yes, you can be reimbursed for up to 90 days of storage on a PPM, capped at the government’s constructed cost. Keep your storage contract and paid receipts.
Planning storage around your PCS? Compare moving and storage costs for your route before you book:
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