FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
If you don’t find the answer to your question below, here are two great resources to use. Everything should be able to be found in the Joint Travel Regulations, it’s just a matter of finding the right section and making sense of the language. If you can’t find your answer here, it’s a always a good idea to ask your finance or travel management office. If you still can’t find an answer, send me an email at jake@ditymovecalculator.net and I’ll see if I can help!
– JTR (Joint Travel Regulation) – The official source for all military travel regulations.
– Defense Travel Site PCS FAQ
What is a DITY move?
A DITY (Do IT Yourself) move, now called a Personally Procured Move (PPM), is a type of PCS move in which you are reimbursed for moving part (partial DITY) or all (full DITY) of your own stuff, whether you’re using your own vehicle, a rental truck/vehicle, or borrowing someone else’s vehicle.
Will this calculator work for any PCS move?
This calculator only works for CONUS-CONUS PCS moves (Alaska included). If you are driving to your new base but the government is moving all of your stuff for you, the HHG Weight box, Reimbursement for Movement of HHG box, and some of the expenses boxes will not be applicable. But, you will still receive DLA and Per Diem and can use this calculator to find what you will get. This calculator is not meant for those who are traveling by commercial means (i.e. flying).
What allowances will I receive if I do a DITY move?
Most members will receive MALT (Monetary Allowance in Lieu of Transportation), Per Diem, and DLA (Dislocation Allowance). You will also be compensated for moving your own household goods, paid by the pound. Please see the explanations under each allowance in the “Allowances” section of the calculator for more information.
Does this calculator estimate reimbursement for moving household goods?
Yes. Enter your estimated weight (in pounds) of household goods that you will be moving in the HHG Weight box and see a rough estimate of the compensation you will receive in Reimbursement for Movement of HHG box. See the Calculating DITY Move Weight Rates blog post for information on how weight rates are calculated.
How accurate is this calculator?
The DLA, Per Diem, and MALT allowances are accurate down to the penny and are always kept up to date. The HHG Reimbursement estimate is a rough estimate and should only be taken as so.
Is it worth doing a DITY move?
In addition to the potential expenses listed in the expenses section, remember to account for your time spent organizing everything, properly packing everything, and moving all the boxes and furniture into the truck. If you still think the potential profit from a full DITY is worth it, then go for it! If not, you can always do a partial DITY and get reimbursed for just the stuff you move in your own car.
Will I get reimbursed for…
- Staying at hotels?
- Yes, per diem should cover hotel expenses; and you get to keep it even if you don’t actually stay at hotels.
- Just driving even if I don’t move any of my own stuff?
- Yes, you will still most likely get DLA, per diem, and MALT even if the government moves your stuff and you just drive to your new duty station.
- A moving truck?
- A rental car is considered a POV so you will get MALT to partially cover it but you will not get directly reimbursed for it.
- Moving a trailer?
- Yes, if the trailer “single axle, no more than 12 feet long or 8 feet wide, with side rails or body less than 28 inches high and ramp or gate less than 4 feet high unless detachable. For civilian employees, vehicles other than a POV must be of reasonable size and fit into a moving van. ”
- HHG that is over my weight allowance?
- Pro-gear? (Professional books, papers and equipment and required medical equipment)
- Yes, up to 2,000 lbs in general. Pro-gear is not counted against your regular weight allowance. Pro-gear must be declared at the origin of shipment and must be documented.
- An RV or mobile home?
- Generally no. In certain situations you can elect to receive reimbursement for moving a mobile home instead of HHG. See Chapter 5 Part D in the JTR for more info.
- A boat and trailer?
- Towing another vehicle?
- Possible, if you have dependents. See Chapter 5 Part E in the JTR for more info.
- Towing a motorcycle?
- Yes, a motorcycle is considered HHG.
- Meals along the way?
- Yes, per diem is meant to cover meals and hotels and is set at a flat rate.
When and where should I get the weight tickets?
For the Air Force, it should not matter when you get the weight tickets, so long as you get one for each empty vehicle and one for each fully loaded vehicle. You can get the empty one before packing the car or after unloading it, it is up to you which one you prefer. For other branches, there may be different requirements for how many weight tickets you need and when you need to submit them, so please check with your travel office. You can get the weight tickets at any certified vehicle weight scale. The most common are probably the CAT scales, which are located all over the U.S. To locate certified scales and to find more information on weight tickets, check out the weight tickets and weigh stations post.
I’m hiring a moving company to move my stuff, do I still need weight tickets?
First off, ask the moving company if they will be weighing your HHG. They may, and they may also provide you weight tickets at the end of the move. If not, they may go by cubic feet instead of weight. If this is the case, the government MAY use a constructed weight of 7 lbs per cubic foot to estimate the weight of HHG moved. You should always find out how weight estimation will work with a moving company before hiring them, and then check with your travel office to make sure you will get reimbursed for the HHG the company you hired is moving.
Can I get an advance of funds for a DITY/PPM?
The JTR states in paragraph 051307 that an amount of 60% of the PPM monetary allowance for HHG reimbursement is allowed when the service member moves his or herself. Since the rate for HHG reimbursement is always changing, you will need to talk to your travel office to find out exactly how much you can get.
