PCS Checklist: Step-by-Step Plan for Your Military Move

What is a PCS move

A PCS move is a permanent change of station: the service member is reassigned to a new duty station on official orders and the household moves with them. PCS stands for permanent change of station, and the word "permanent" separates it from temporary duty, where the member travels for a shorter assignment and the family stays put.

Most of what makes a PCS move different from an ordinary move comes from the orders. The orders set a report date, they decide which offices handle your shipment and your travel, and they unlock the entitlements that cover parts of the move. Your own service and your command spell out the exact entitlements, so treat this page as a planning guide and the official offices as the final word.

The steps are the same across the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force and Coast Guard, even though each branch publishes its own checklist and uses its own forms. If you search for an Army, Navy or Air Force version, you will find the same skeleton: orders, household goods, travel, housing, check-in. Use the version from your own service as a cross-check for local forms.

Timeline

Work backward from the report date. The earlier you start, the more choices you have for pack dates, housing and school enrollment.

As soon as orders arrive

How can you prepare for a PCS move? Begin with a short list of calls and decisions, before you touch a single box.

Read the orders twice and note the report date, the destination and any special instructions.
Contact the transportation office (sometimes called the household goods office) to start the shipment and ask how to schedule a PCS move in your area.
Ask your sponsor or the new unit for a welcome packet. A sponsor is a person at the new command who helps you prepare.
Decide whether you want to ship goods, store some of them, or sell what is not worth moving.
Open a moving binder (paper or digital) for orders, receipts and inventories.
Talk to your family about the decisions that affect everyone: housing, school, work and pets.

Weeks before

Complete the pre-move survey with the transportation office and make a detailed inventory of what you own.
Photograph or film your belongings and your home before packers arrive. Include serial numbers of high-value items.
Mark anything that must not be packed, such as items you will hand-carry.
Choose a pack date. Military OneSource notes that the last week of a month and late June to early July are historically the busiest times, so a mid-month date is often easier.
Notify your landlord or housing office. Check lease terms and any military clauses.
Update your address plans: mail forwarding, banks, insurers and subscriptions.
Book your own travel and lodging along the route, and keep the receipts.

Moving week

Be at home during packing hours and review each box before it is taped.
Remove wall items, secure pets and keep the hand-carry pile in a locked room or your car.
On loading day, walk through with the driver and sign the inventory only after you have noted any disagreements.
Do a final walk-through of the empty home, including closets, attic and garage.
Complete housing out-processing, cleaning and the final inspection.

After arrival

Check in with the new command and the finance office within the time your orders allow.
Expect a delivery notice from the moving company. According to Military OneSource, the company gives 24 hours of notice and tries to reach you twice, at least six hours apart.
Check inventory numbers off yourself on delivery day and write any damage on the Notice of Loss or Damage at Delivery form.
Keep the inventory sheets until all claims are settled, and fill in the customer satisfaction survey.
Update your address, driver license, vehicle registration and voting registration as the rules of your new state require.
Find the school liaison and the family support center on the installation.

Documents to gather

A PCS move needs paper, even in the digital age. Keep originals or certified copies in a folder that travels with you, not in the moving truck. Records for school, medical and finance are the ones that cause the most trouble when they are missing.

Copies of the orders and any amendments.
Identification for every family member, including passports where relevant.
Birth certificates, marriage certificate and adoption or custody papers.
School records, immunization records and any individualized education program for each child.
Medical and dental records, prescriptions and information about any special medical needs.
Pet records: vaccination history, microchip number and any destination requirements.
Financial records: bank details, insurance policies, vehicle titles and registrations, and the lease or mortgage papers.
Power of attorney documents and wills, if you have them, stored where you can find them quickly.
Your inventory, photos and the moving company's paperwork.

Household goods and what movers will not pack

Household goods are the belongings the government moves for you within your weight allowance, and your transportation office sets the rules for your shipment. The allowance depends on rank and dependents, so ask for your own number instead of relying on a forum post.

What items will military movers not pack?

Military movers generally do not pack hazardous, perishable or very valuable items. Typical examples are propane tanks, gasoline, lighter fluid, matches, cleaning chemicals, ammunition, open food and live plants or pets. Medication, important documents, cash, jewelry and the items you need on the first day are better in your own car or your hand luggage.

Rules vary by company and destination, so confirm the list with your transportation office before pack day. If an item is on the "will not pack" list, plan how you will dispose of it, store it or carry it yourself. Keep those items in a locked room or in your vehicle until packers have left.

Do you tip movers for a military move?

Tipping is a personal choice and not part of the standard process. Many families offer water, food and a thank-you to crews working long days. If you are unsure, ask the transportation office what is customary before packing starts, and keep any bad experience documented so you can report it.

Protect what you own

Photograph and film your belongings before packers arrive.
Review every box description before it is sealed.
Note damage on delivery paperwork immediately and keep copies.
Keep your moving binder close for the full claim period.

Checklist for spouses

Spouses often carry the daily logistics of a PCS move, especially when the service member reports early or is away. A spouse-focused version of the checklist starts with continuity: work, childcare, health care and community.

Ask for a power of attorney, if you will handle the move alone, and keep copies with you.
Build a household calendar with pack dates, school dates and travel days.
Start career steps early: update the resume, research licensing rules in the new state and look for employment resources offered by the installation.
Transfer health care records and book the first appointments after arrival.
Find child care and school contacts; the PCS move with kids chapter covers records and enrollment.
Plan the first week: food, bedding, a few toys and tools in a "first day" box that you carry yourself.
Join the unit or installation family groups for local tips.
Decide where you will live before the household goods arrive; read on-base vs off-base housing for the main trade-offs.

Overseas moves add steps for screening, passports and shipping. If that is your situation, read the OCONUS PCS guide after this checklist.