Navy PCS Move Guide: What’s Different for Sailors (2026)
Here’s the quick answer: A Navy permanent change of station (PCS) follows the same Joint Travel Regulations as every branch. What’s different for sailors is the process, including orders you apply for through your detailer, an Application for Transfer and Advances (ATA) through your CPPA, a required government travel card, and a Navy audit of any personally procured move (PPM) claim.
This guide covers active-duty sailors. For the full PCS process, start with our military moving guide.
Here’s who handles each step of a Navy PCS:
| Step | Who handles it | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Job applications & orders | You & your detailer, in MyNavy Assignment | Apply starting 12 months before your rotation date |
| Medical screening | Your Suitability Screening Coordinator | Within three days of orders, if required |
| Overseas requirements | You & your command | Within 15 days of orders |
| Household goods shipment | Personal property office, in DPS | Three to six months before your PCS |
| Plane tickets | Navy Passenger Transportation Office (NAVPTO) | Request up to 120 days before your PCS |
| ATA & advances | Command Pay and Personnel Administrator (CPPA) | 60 days before your PCS |
| Travel claim | Your CPPA or admin office | Within five days of checking in |
| PPM claim | Navy household goods audit team | Within 45 days of finishing your move |
Jump to the Navy PCS info you need:
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How do Navy PCS orders work?
Navy PCS orders start with job applications you submit to your detailer in MyNavy Assignment (MNA). According to MyNavy HR’s detailing countdown, enlisted sailors should update their MNA resume at least 13 months before their projected rotation date (PRD). From 12 months out, you can submit up to seven applications for jobs you want, and the Navy warns that submitting fewer lowers your chances of being selected.
Sailors who haven’t applied or been selected by six months before their PRD should contact their detailer, and are otherwise assigned based on the needs of the Navy. Once you’re selected, your orders show up in the Navy Standard Integrated Personnel System (NSIPS) under your Electronic Service Record.
Read your orders in full the day you get them. The MyNavy HR PCS Guide 2026 says to check your report date, duty location, and family member entitlements, then ask your detailer to fix anything that’s wrong. Talk to your CPPA about special requests, such as circuitous travel.
Once you have orders, price any part of the move you might pay for. Estimate your moving costs by home size and distance.
How do you pay for a Navy PCS?
Sailors request PCS advances on the Application for Transfer and Advances (ATA), NPPSC 1300/1, about 60 days before the move. According to the MyNavy HR PCS Guide, your CPPA fills out blocks 37 through 40, your commanding officer or a designee signs it, and your CPPA submits it through eCRM. Use the ATA to request advance Dislocation Allowance (DLA) if you’re eligible.
The allowances themselves are the same for every branch, because they come from the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR). That includes DLA of $1,870.58 to $6,385.58 in 2026, up to 21 days of Temporary Lodging Expense (TLE) for a move within the continental U.S., and mileage of $0.235 a mile for travel starting on or after July 1, 2026. Driving also earns a flat per diem of $181 a day, the standard CONUS rate for travel on or after October 1, 2026, for each authorized travel day.
The biggest Navy-specific change is the government travel charge card (GTCC). Since October 2025, sailors must use it for PCS travel under NAVADMIN 210/25, with some exceptions:
- Who it applies to: Active duty, TAR, and SELRES sailors on Active Duty for Operational Support (ADOS) or Officer Recall orders.
- What to put on it: Hotel lodging, meals, and fuel or charging for your own vehicle.
- What not to put on it: Separation or retirement travel, DLA expenses, PPM costs, and household goods storage.
- Advances: Sailors with a GTCC can’t get travel advances, except for PPM advances and family members traveling separately.
- Card status: Ask your Agency Program Coordinator (APC) to set your card to Mission Critical status so you don’t hit your credit limit mid-move.
File your travel claim with your CPPA or admin office within five days of checking in. Include lodging receipts no matter the amount, plus receipts for any single expense over $75. Make sure each receipt shows a zero balance with itemized charges. Pay off your GTCC once your claim pays, since late fees can hurt your credit score.
If you’re paying for something the Navy won’t cover, check what your move will cost before you book.
How does Navy household goods shipping work?
Sailors book household goods shipments in the Defense Personal Property System (DPS), the same system every branch uses. The MyNavy HR PCS Guide says to start three to six months before your PCS. Navy Household Goods, part of NAVSUP, runs a customer contact center for sailors at 855-HHG-MOVE (855-444-6683), 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.
The new Personal Property Activity (PPA) handles household goods shipments and storage for all branches, and its call center is at 833-MIL-MOVE (833-645-6683). Navy Household Goods warns that you won’t be reimbursed for anything you move before your orders are issued.
- Weight: Your allowance depends on your pay grade and dependents, from 5,000 pounds to 18,000 pounds. See your military weight allowance by rank.
- Storage: Storage-in-transit holds your goods until you move in. See how PCS storage works.
- Your car: For an overseas move, you can use any Vehicle Processing Center, not just one near your duty stations. See how military car shipping works.
- Pets: Sailors traveling with pets can now fly non-U.S. carriers overseas if U.S. carriers can’t or won’t take pets.
- Damage claims: For shipments picked up on or after May 15, 2026, you have 12 months to file a claim with the mover.
Heading overseas? See passports, shipments, and screening in our guide to an overseas (OCONUS) PCS.
What does the Navy PPM audit require?
The Navy audit team reviews every sailor’s PPM claim before it pays. According to NAVSUP, the Household Goods Audit team at Fleet Logistics Center Norfolk processes PPM reimbursement packages for sailors, and its volume peaks in summer. File within 45 days of finishing your move.
The Navy’s 2026 PPM documents list requires these items:
- Forms: A signed PPM checklist, the DD Form 2278 from your counseling, a DD Form 1351-2 with blocks 1 through 8 filled out and block 20 signed, and a signed NPPSC 7000-1.
- Orders: Every set of orders and modifications. If you’re moving from your home of record or place of entry, add your enlistment contract or officer’s report.
- Weight tickets: Two certified tickets, one empty and one full, for each trip. Each must be legible and show your name and the last four digits of your SSN.
- Vehicle papers: Registration or title for any vehicle or trailer you used. If it’s in someone else’s name, add a signed note allowing you to use it.
- Receipts: Rental contracts marked paid in full, plus receipts for gas, packing materials, storage, and any moving company.
Your personal property office will tell you how to submit. Don’t email anything with personal information unless it’s sent through an encrypted service such as DoD SAFE. To check on a claim, call Navy Household Goods at 855-444-6683.
Sailors can usually request an advance of up to 60% of their PPM incentive with a rental reservation or a mover’s estimate, according to Military OneSource. First-time movers and separating sailors in a non-pay status aren’t eligible. See which PPM expenses you can claim and how to get weight tickets for a PPM.
Hiring movers for your PPM? Ask for weight tickets before pickup and an itemized receipt marked paid in full. Start with movers that have a proven track record:
How does a homeport change affect your move?
For a sailor on a ship or afloat staff, a homeport change counts as a PCS for your family’s travel and your household goods. Under the JTR, the move is based on the change’s effective date, and you must start travel within one year of it.
- Your family: Dependents are authorized travel from the old homeport to the new one.
- Household goods: You can ship to the new homeport from the old homeport, a former duty station, a previously designated place, or long-term storage. You can also put your goods into long-term storage.
- The announcement: Once a homeport change is officially announced, the Navy stops paying to move family members or household goods to the old homeport, unless they’re already in transit.
- Mission conflicts: If you can’t help move your household goods or car because of the mission, you, but not your family, can travel back to the old homeport after the change date.
Special rules apply to ships designated unusually arduous sea duty and to homeport changes tied to an overhaul, so check with your CPPA before you book anything.
Moving off base after a homeport change? Compare moving costs between your old and new homeport.
When is Navy PCS season, & how far ahead should you plan?
PCS peak season generally runs from mid-May through August for every branch, so summer moves need the most lead time. Under the MyNavy HR PCS Guide, sailors book household goods three to six months out and can submit a Passenger Reservation Request (PRR) to NAVPTO up to 120 days before the move, even before orders arrive.
NAVPTO books military Air Mobility Command (AMC) flights before commercial air, and your requested dates aren’t guaranteed. Expect your tickets one to two weeks before your PCS. If you don’t have them five days out, contact your CPPA or the MyNavy Career Center (MNCC) at 833-330-6622.
See every task in date order in our PCS timeline.
What Navy-specific steps belong on your PCS checklist?
Add these Navy-specific steps to the same PCS checklist every service member uses:
- Update MNA early: Refresh your resume and preferences at least 13 months before your PRD.
- Apply for seven jobs: Submit your applications from 12 months out.
- Verify your orders: Contact your detailer about any errors.
- Start screening right away: Medical suitability screening starts within three days of orders, and overseas requirements within 15 days.
- Submit your PRR: Send it to NAVPTO as soon as you can.
- Set up your GTCC: Ask your APC to set it to Mission Critical status.
- Submit your ATA: Get it to your CPPA about 60 days out.
- Copy your orders: Make at least three copies, or 10 if you’re going overseas.
- Check out of medical & dental: Do it before you detach.
- File your travel claim: Submit it within five days of checking in.
For every other task, use our full PCS move checklist, with a free printable PDF.
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More about military moves
- Best military moving companies: Compare top movers for a PPM or a move after service.
- Military moving guide: Learn how a PCS works, from orders to delivery.
- Military PPM move: See how a PPM works, what it pays, and how to get paid.
- Army PCS move guide: See what’s different for soldiers, from the levy briefing to travel days.
FAQ
How much leave can you take during a Navy PCS?
Unless your orders say otherwise, you can take up to 30 days of leave between duty stations. You don’t have to request it, since it’s charged automatically when your new command gains you.
How many house-hunting days do sailors get?
Sailors get five days of permissive temporary duty (PTDY) for house hunting, extendable to 10 calendar days when combined with weekends, holidays, and liberty. House hunting isn’t charged as leave.
Can sailors get a travel advance for a PCS?
Sailors with a government travel card can’t get travel advances, except for PPM advances and family members traveling separately. You can still request advance DLA on your ATA, NPPSC 1300/1.
Who audits a Navy PPM?
The Household Goods Audit team at NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center Norfolk reviews sailors’ PPM claims. File within 45 days of finishing your move, with certified empty and full weight tickets for each trip.
Does a homeport change count as a PCS?
Yes, for a sailor on a ship or afloat staff, a homeport change counts as a PCS for family travel and household goods. You must start travel within one year of the change’s effective date.
What is the per diem for a Navy PCS?
Sailors who drive get a flat $181 a day, the standard CONUS rate for travel on or after October 1, 2026, for each authorized travel day. Family members 12 and older get 75% of that, and younger children get 50%.
When is Navy PCS season?
PCS peak season generally runs from mid-May through August. Book household goods three to six months out, and submit your plane ticket request to NAVPTO up to 120 days before the move.
Ready to plan your Navy PCS? Compare moving costs for your route before you book:
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