The travel allowances for a PCS move are confusing. In addition to your household goods, you also get a temporary lodging allowance and also allowances for the days of actual travel. There are two parts to the travel allowance: MALT and Per Diem. Both MALT and Per Diem are authorized for regular PCS moves, retirement moves, and separation moves.
Get your free PCS allowances worksheet here: Simple PCS Travel Allowances Worksheet
Monetary Allowance In Lieu of Transportation (MALT)
MALT is the allowance that pays for actually driving your cars from your old duty station to your new duty station. The allowance is based on the distance as calculated using the Defense Table of Official Distances. (For some inexplicable reason, they’ve put it behind a login. So unhelpful.) MALT is calculated using the rate of $.22 per official mile (effective 1 January 2023).
If your move includes dependents, you are eligible for MALT for two vehicles, if two vehicles are actually driven. In some cases, MALT may be authorized for additional vehicles. This is not automatic and requires justification for the need.
If the direct route between the two duty stations includes parking fees, ferry charges, road, bridge, and/or tunnel tolls, reimbursement for these costs is authorized.
Per Diem
For each authorized travel day, you will receive per diem to offset the cost of meals and lodging. For 2023, the service member receives $157 per authorized travel day. Accompanying dependents over age 12 receive 75% of full per diem. Accompanying dependents under age 12 receive 50% of full per diem. If you transport two cars on two different trips, the additional driver is reimbursed at the full rate for the trip, but if the two cars travel together, the additional driver is reimbursed at the 75% rate.
The per diem rate is broken into three parts, though they are grouped into two parts. The lodging portion is reimbursed based on actual expenses, up to $98 per night per person. The meals portion is $54 per day, and the incidentals portion is $5 per day. The meals and incidentals portion is a payment, not a reimbursement, and does not require receipts.
The number of authorized travel days is figured by dividing the official distance by 350 (the number of miles you’re expected to travel each day.) If you have any remainder, then you are authorized the extra travel day. For example, if it is 1254 miles between the two duty stations, then you will be authorized four travel days. (If the distance is less than 400 miles, you only get one day.)
The travel allowances for the drive between the old and new duty stations is typically more than enough to cover the actual expenses incurred.
Temporary Lodging Allowances
A PCS move almost always comes with temporary lodging allowances. The allowance when you’re within the Continental United States is Temporary Lodging Expense (TLE). The allowance when you’re outside the Continental United States is Temporary Lodging Allowance (TLA). Both allowances cover lodging and meals plus incidentals for a specified period of time.
Dislocation Allowance
Dislocation Allowance is a flat rate based on rank and is intended to help cover the expenses that may not be covered by other allowances, including security deposits, setting up your new household, etc. You MUST apply for DLA – it does not get paid automatically. It’s a block on the travel claim.
Make sure you understand all these reimbursements, and use them! We slept on the hard floor too many PCS moves before I learned about TLE! And I’ve heard of far too many people who never requested DLA. That’s a ton of money!
Make sure you’re prepared to write off any allowable expenses on your taxes. See What Military Moving Expenses are Tax-Deductible?
Thank you for writing the JTR in layman’s terms. My spouse and I didn’t not claim DLA on our first PCS and we are not about to let that happen again.
I’ve retired from the Air Force since February and I wanted to know if my family and I can still get the MALT payment? I’ve read that you can get up to 80% before you move
You typically have a year to file your travel claim.
For a retirement move, what entitlements are authorized? I know we will get MALT for 2x vehicles for the distance to our Home of Record. I also understand about per diem. Are we authorized TLE or DLA?
Hi Ryan, it’s actually Home of Selection for a retirement move. This can create a lot of possibilities 🙂 TLE and DLA are not authorized for the retirement move. https://www.katehorrell.com/military-retirement-move/
Good morning. I am upcoming on my PCS soon. I just want to confirm I can use my GTCC for TLA expenses of my loosing command? Also just want to make sure do anything get per diem during the time I am in a hotel for PCS purposes?
Hi Eugene – You should always double-check with your branch. They should have guidance on what they allow for GTC DLA usage. It’s constantly changing!
Thank you so much! This is my first tour in Korea and I came unaccompanied, so I left family back in TX and now I’m leave and pcsing to WA and wanted to know if I could ship one car and you gave me all the information I needed. Thanks so much.
Thanks for the info Kate,
Particulaty interested in “If you are eligible to drive multiple vehicles, but choose to drive just one, you may be reimbursed the difference to be put toward the cost of shipping your second vehicle privately.
If the direct route between the two duty stations includes parking fees, ferry charges, road, bridge, and/or tunnel tolls, reimbursement for these costs is authorized.”
Would you be able to provide a reference? Unfofrtunately PSD doesn’t move without a reference.
Much appreciated.
Yup! It is in the JTR Chapter 5, Part E, Section 052902. https://www.katehorrell.com/military-car-shipping/
I hope that helps!!!