Chevron Relocation Package and Policy (2026)
The short answer: Chevron offers a fully managed relocation program, not a lump-sum stipend. The relocation management company (BGRS/Sirva) coordinates your move, including professional movers, home-finding, and a tax gross-up on most benefits. If you’re a renter or taking a smaller move, a moving cost calculator can help you understand the value of what you’re being offered.
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Here’s a snapshot of Chevron’s U.S. relocation program:
| Program type | Fully managed/reimbursement relocation, with benefits tiered by employee type |
|---|---|
| Administered by | BGRS/Sirva is Chevron’s relocation management partner; final benefit decisions rest with Chevron Global Relocation |
| Mover choice | Chevron assigns your mover; no reimbursement if you self-move or use a different mover |
| Tax gross-up | Yes on most benefits; surplus/severance program has no tax assistance |
| Miscellaneous Expense Allowance | Ranges from $300 (interns) to 1.5 months’ salary capped at $15,000 (experienced hires) |
| Home-sale program | Available to experienced new hires (3+ years) |
| Repayment clause | Yes; 100% if you leave within year one, 50% in year two |
| Completion deadline | Relocation must be completed within one year of your hire or transfer date |
| Sources | Chevron’s published U.S. relocation program guides & U.S. relocation program webpage |
How Chevron’s relocation works
Chevron’s relocation is a managed program, which sets it apart from the lump-sum cash packages common at many tech employers. Rather than handing you a sum of money to spend as you choose, Chevron coordinates and pays for most of your move directly through a relocation management company, with a relocation consultant assigned to guide you through the process.
According to Chevron’s published program guides, the company has partnered with BGRS (also branded as Sirva) to administer its U.S. relocation programs. After you accept your offer and your HR business partner approves your relocation, your consultant contacts you, typically within 24 hours, to begin coordinating movers, home-finding, temporary housing, and other services. Final benefit determinations rest with Chevron Global Relocation, and the program guide doesn’t constitute a contract.
Don’t contact a real estate agent, in either your current or new location, until your relocation consultant reaches you. Chevron’s guides warn that certain benefits, including home-sale benefits, may be forfeited if you engage an agent first.
The company does not allow self-moves tied to a job offer. For relocation-eligible roles, Chevron provides assistance through the appropriate program and assigns your mover. Chevron won’t reimburse costs if you use a different mover or move yourself. This is a key contrast with lump-sum employers, where you choose and book your own mover.
Planning a move to the Chevron headquarters in Houston? Explore our cost breakdowns and neighborhood guides, such as the best movers in Houston, popular moving routes to Houston, and a look at how much it costs to move to Houston.
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Benefits common to all Chevron programs
While the size of the package varies by program, Chevron offers a core set of benefits that appear across most relocations:
- Miscellaneous Expense Allowance (MEA): A one-time cash payment for incidental costs (driver’s license fees, utility connections, extra pet transport, and the like) with no receipts required. The amount scales by program, from $300 for interns up to 1.5 months’ salary (capped at $15,000) for experienced hires.
- Relocation allowance for home-finding, temporary housing, and final move travel: A flexible allowance, paid without receipts, based on your destination, departure location, and family size. Chevron’s guides base the travel portion on mileage for moves under 400 miles and on airfare for moves of 400 miles or more.
- Full-service household goods shipment: Chevron pays for packing, shipping, and unpacking through your assigned mover, with up to $120,000 of replacement-value coverage in most programs.
- Temporary housing: Typically 30 days of furnished corporate accommodations plus a $500 set-up allowance.
- Spouse/partner employment and family assistance: Most programs provide up to $2,500 toward a spouse or registered domestic partner’s job search, plus family settling-in and school-finding help through Chevron’s selected provider.
- Pet transport: Up to $350 total to transport up to two household pets (veterinary and kenneling costs excluded).
Chevron does not provide cash-equivalent payments for unused benefits. In other words, unlike a lump sum, you generally can’t pocket the difference on benefits you don’t use.
Chevron’s relocation programs by employee type
Chevron publishes separate relocation program guides for different employee situations.
| Program | Who it’s for | What stands out |
|---|---|---|
| Intern | U.S. interns | $300 MEA, mileage reimbursement, and direct-billed furnished corporate housing arranged by Chevron |
| New hire, less than 3 years’ experience | Early-career exempt new hires | Two-weeks’-salary MEA, relocation allowance, full household goods move, $2,500 spouse/family assistance, and renter benefits |
| New hire, 3+ years’ experience | Experienced exempt new hires | The most comprehensive program: MEA up to 1.5 months’ salary (max $15,000), full home-sale program, equity/bridge loans, a multi-year cost-of-living allowance (RAA), and duplicate housing assistance |
| O&M new hire | Operations and maintenance new hires | Similar core benefits to other new-hire programs, with its own MEA structure and full household goods coverage |
| Surplus employee | Employees relocating under Chevron’s severance (SESP) program | Managed move and home-sale-cost reimbursement, but no tax assistance (benefits are taxed as income) |
Worth knowing: The experienced new-hire program includes a Relocation Adjustment Allowance (RAA), a cost-of-living adjustment paid over three years (100% year one, 67% year two, 33% year three) if you’re moving to a higher-cost location. It’s calculated from third-party cost-of-living data and isn’t negotiable, but it’s a meaningful benefit many employees don’t realize they qualify for.
Home-sale and homeowner benefits
For experienced new hires and surplus employees who own their homes, Chevron’s home-sale benefits are among the most valuable parts of the package. Chevron’s home-sale program offers three sale paths:
- Buyer Value Option (BVO): Chevron purchases your home based on an offer secured by your listing agent, then sells it to that buyer.
- Guaranteed Buyout Offer (GBO): If you can’t find a buyer, Chevron may offer to buy your home based on the average of two relocation appraisals.
- Amended Value: A buyout amended to reflect a buyer’s offer received after your guaranteed offer.
When the program’s procedures are followed, qualified home-sale closing costs are excluded from your taxable income, which is a significant tax advantage. The guides also describe equity advances and a bridge loan (through Chevron Federal Credit Union) for employees who need their current home’s equity to close on a new one. Homeowners should read their specific program guide closely, since eligibility rules for which homes qualify are detailed and strict.
Tax assistance and the repayment clause
Chevron’s relocation benefits are taxable income and added to your W-2 wages. The important distinction is that, for most programs, Chevron provides tax assistance (a gross-up) on the majority of benefits, paying the associated federal and destination-state taxes on your behalf. This matters because, without a gross-up, employees can lose a substantial share of relocation benefits to federal and state taxes.
The major exception is the surplus employee (severance) program, where no tax assistance is provided. If you’re relocating under severance, plan for the full benefit amount to be taxed.
Chevron also runs a year-end tax true-up (in November) to reconcile the assistance you received against your actual liability, and provides one hour of professional tax consultation in the year following your move.
The repayment clause: Every Chevron new-hire program guide includes a two-year repayment agreement you must sign before receiving benefits. If you voluntarily leave Chevron within the first year, you repay 100% of relocation benefits; within the second year, 50%. If you receive benefits and then don’t move at all, you repay the full amount.
How to make the most of Chevron’s relocation
Because Chevron coordinates and pays for most of your move directly, there’s less to “shop around” for than with a lump sum. But a few steps help you capture the full value.
Confirm which program you’re in
Ask your recruiter or BGRS/Sirva consultant which guide applies to you, and read it in full so you know what you’re entitled to.
Wait for your consultant before contacting a realtor
This is the single most repeated warning in Chevron’s guides. Contacting a real estate agent before your consultant reaches you can forfeit home-sale benefits worth far more than any head start.
Use the MEA for what the managed move doesn’t cover
Your Miscellaneous Expense Allowance is paid without receipts and is yours to direct. Chevron’s guides list eligible uses, such as utility setup, extra pet transport, storage beyond the covered period, and the MEA can also help cover any tax-assistance shortfall at year-end.
Ask about the RAA if you’re moving somewhere pricier
If you’re an experienced hire moving to a higher-cost location, the Relocation Adjustment Allowance can add meaningful value over three years. Confirm your eligibility with your consultant.
If you’re a renter or have a light move, know your numbers
Renters and shorter moves see a smaller package, with no home-sale benefits. Knowing what a comparable move actually costs helps you gauge whether your allowance covers it. moveBuddha’s moving cost calculator can give you a quick benchmark for your route.
Plan around the one-year deadline
Chevron’s guides require you to complete your relocation within one year of your hire or transfer date, and in some cases sooner. Don’t let benefits expire.
Pros and cons of Chevron’s relocation program
- Fully managed move; Chevron coordinates and pays movers directly
- Tax gross-up on most benefits (you keep more of the value)
- Comprehensive home-sale program for experienced hires, with favorable tax treatment
- Up to $120,000 in household goods valuation coverage
- Spouse/family employment and settling-in assistance included in most programs
- Multi-year cost-of-living allowance (RAA) for qualifying experienced hires
- Two-year repayment clause (100% year one, 50% year two)
- You can’t choose your own mover, and self-moves aren’t reimbursed
- No cash-equivalent payment for unused benefits
- Benefits vary widely by program
- The severance/surplus program provides no tax assistance
- Home-sale and eligibility rules are detailed and procedure-heavy
Moving for a role that isn’t relocation-eligible, or want to benchmark your allowance? moveBuddha users save an average of 30% by comparing movers before booking. Get matched with vetted interstate movers for your specific route.
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FAQ
Does Chevron pay for relocation?
Yes. Chevron offers comprehensive U.S. relocation programs for eligible new hires, transfers, interns, and certain other employees, administered through its relocation management partner BGRS/Sirva. Rather than a lump-sum cash payment, Chevron runs a managed program that coordinates and pays for movers, home-finding, temporary housing, and other services directly, with the specific benefits depending on which program applies to you.
Does Chevron offer a lump-sum relocation package?
No. Unlike many tech employers, Chevron uses a managed relocation model rather than a lump-sum cash stipend. Chevron coordinates your move through BGRS/Sirva and pays vendors directly. You do receive some flexible, receipt-free allowances within the program, such as the Miscellaneous Expense Allowance and a relocation allowance for home-finding and travel, but the core move is managed and paid for by Chevron.
Can I choose my own mover with Chevron’s relocation?
No. Chevron assigns your mover through its relocation management company, and its program guides state that the company will not reimburse costs if you use a different mover or move yourself. Chevron also does not permit self-moves tied to a job offer. This differs from lump-sum employers, where you select and book your own trusted moving company.
Is Chevron’s relocation benefit taxable?
Yes, relocation benefits are taxable income added to your W-2 wages. However, for most Chevron programs the company provides tax assistance (a gross-up), paying the federal and destination-state taxes on the majority of your benefits on your behalf. The notable exception is the surplus employee (severance) relocation program, which provides no tax assistance.
Does Chevron have a relocation repayment clause?
Yes. Chevron’s new-hire program guides require you to sign a two-year repayment agreement before receiving benefits. If you voluntarily leave the company within your first year, you repay 100% of your relocation benefits; within your second year, you repay 50%. If you receive benefits but don’t end up moving, you must repay the full amount.
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