When Does a Partial PPM Move Beat a Full PPM or Government Move?
Here’s the quick answer: A partial PPM move lets you move part of your household goods yourself and get paid for it while a government-arranged mover ships the rest. It beats a full PPM when you want a mover to handle the bulk of your things. It’s better than a government-arranged move if you want your essentials with you and to pocket some extra money. You’re paid 100% of the Government Constructed Cost (GCC) for the weight you move yourself, as long as both shipments together stay within your weight allowance.
A personally procured move (PPM), formerly called a DITY move, is a permanent change of station (PCS) move you handle or arrange yourself instead of using a government-arranged mover. If you’re new to PPMs, start with our military PPM move guide.
Here’s how a partial PPM, a full PPM, and a government-arranged move compare:
| Partial PPM | Full PPM | Government-arranged move | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who moves your things | You move part, a government-arranged mover ships the rest | You, or movers you hire | A government-arranged mover |
| Payment to you | 100% of the GCC for the weight you move | 100% of the GCC for all the weight you move | None |
| Weight tickets | Needed for your portion only | Needed for every vehicle and trip | Not needed |
| Timing | Your schedule for your portion, the mover’s seven-day pickup window for the rest | Your schedule | A seven-day pickup window |
| Damage claims | Your responsibility for your portion, filed through the Defense Personal Property System (DPS) for the rest | Your responsibility | Filed through DPS |
| Best for | Getting essentials and valuables there yourself while a mover handles the bulk | Smaller households or anyone who wants the biggest payment | Large households or tight timelines |
Jump to the partial PPM info you’re looking for:
What is a partial PPM move?
A partial PPM move is a PCS move split into two shipments. A government-arranged mover packs and ships most of your household goods, and you move the rest yourself and get paid for that portion. The Military OneSource PPM fact sheet confirms a PPM can cover all of your household goods or only part of them. A moving company transports the rest, as long as the total stays within your weight allowance.
For your portion, you can rent a truck, trailer, or moving container, use your own vehicle, hire a commercial mover, or ship by small-package carrier. Many service members still call this a partial DITY (“do it yourself”) move. Both names mean the same thing.
Partial PPMs are common. Military OneSource notes that most service members on a PCS within the continental U.S. combine a PPM with a government shipment. You can split your weight allowance across multiple shipments. Plan on a partial PPM only for a move within the continental U.S., though. Military OneSource doesn’t list PPMs as approved for overseas PCS moves.
You don’t have to haul your portion yourself. The government explicitly allows you to hire movers for a PPM. A commercial mover should provide the weight tickets you need to get paid, so confirm that before you book.
Want help with your portion?
Compare top-rated full-service movers, or book a labor-only crew to load your truck or container.
How does a partial PPM work?
A partial PPM works like two moves under one set of orders. You set up both shipments at counseling. The government-arranged mover handles its portion on its schedule, and you handle yours on your own.
1. Get counseling and approval for both shipments
Once you have PCS orders, contact your transportation office. Tell your counselor you want a government shipment plus a PPM. The counselor authorizes the PPM, confirms your weight allowance, sets up both shipments in the Defense Personal Property System (DPS), and estimates your PPM payment.
First-time movers, separating members, and retirees must see their transportation office before booking. Don’t rent a truck or move anything before you have orders and approval.
2. Decide what goes in each shipment
Sort your belongings into what the government-arranged mover ships and what you move yourself. Most service members keep the bulk of their furniture and boxes in the government shipment. Often, people move only the things they need right away or don’t want to hand off.
3. Get weight tickets for your portion
You need certified empty and full weight tickets from a certified public scale for every vehicle, trailer, or container you use. You’ll also need a separate set for each trip. Nobody can ride in the vehicle during a weigh-in, and if you’re towing your car behind a rental truck, unhook it first, according to the Navy’s PPM handout. If you use a container company such as PODS, the company provides the weight tickets. If you hire a commercial mover, confirm it will provide them too. The government-arranged mover weighs its own shipment, so you don’t need tickets for that part.
4. Move your portion and keep every receipt
Save receipts for fuel, tolls, truck or container rentals, hired labor, packing materials, and weight ticket fees. If you hire a mover, look it up on the FMCSA’s Protect Your Move site first. The government can’t resolve disputes with a private mover, so watch for red flags like low-ball quotes that seem too good to be true, a broker contacting you instead of the mover, and requests for a cash or electronic bank deposit as a down payment.
Here’s who does the work, and who supplies your weight tickets, for each way to move your portion:
5. Submit your PPM claim within 45 days
Submit your PPM claim within 45 days of finishing your move. You’ll need your DD Form 1351-2 (travel voucher), DD Form 2278 (move application), certified empty and full weight tickets, PCS orders, and receipts. The Personal Property Activity (PPA), which now runs Department of Defense (DoD) household goods moves, says to expect final payment within 45 days of a complete claim. The government shipment doesn’t need a claim from you, since the government pays that mover directly.
Want to hire help for your portion? Pick a mover that provides certified weight tickets, like Safeway Moving:
rating
4.9 / 5
How does a partial PPM pay?
A partial PPM pays 100% of the Government Constructed Cost (GCC) for the weight you move yourself. The GCC is what it would have cost the government to move that same weight the same distance. It’s based on the actual weight on your certified weight tickets and the distance of your move, capped at your weight allowance.
You’re paid only on the weight you actually move. In the PPA’s own example based on a 10,000-pound weight allowance, if you move 8,000 pounds, you’re paid on 8,000 pounds. On a partial PPM, that means you’re paid only on your portion, not on the weight the government ships for you.
Your profit is the payment minus your actual costs. In another PPA example, an $8,000 payment minus $5,000 in costs leaves $3,000 in profit. If your costs run higher than the GCC, you take the loss.
On a partial PPM, you’re paid only for the weight you move yourself. If your portion costs less to move than the government’s constructed cost, you keep the difference.
A few more payment rules to know:
- Advance: You can request up to 60% of your estimated GCC upfront through your transportation office. It’s deducted from your final payment.
- Taxes: PPM profit is taxable and reported on a W-2, and taxes are withheld from your payment. Keep detailed expense records to lower the taxable amount.
- No rate card: The GCC isn’t published. Your transportation office estimates your payment at counseling from your estimated weight and authorized distance.
Want the full math? See how much a PPM pays, including advances and taxes.
Not sure what your portion will cost to move? Our moving cost calculator runs on 1,000+ live price points collected every month, so you can compare real prices with your counselor’s estimate.
Should you do a partial PPM, a full PPM, or a government-arranged move?
Do a partial PPM when getting part of your move there yourself matters more than the extra money a full PPM could pay. For example, you may want to have your essentials at your new duty station before the government shipment arrives. Choose a full PPM if you have a smaller household and want the biggest payment. Choose a government-arranged move if you have a large household or a tight timeline.
Here are the pros and cons of a partial PPM compared with handing everything to a government-arranged mover:
- You’re paid for weight you’d carry anyway
- Your essentials arrive when you do
- Valuables never leave your hands
- A government-arranged mover still handles the heavy lifting
- You need weight tickets for every vehicle and trip
- Damage to your portion isn’t covered by a government claim
- Your profit is taxable
- Two shipments mean two sets of logistics
Pro tip: Even if you only plan to fill your car, ask your counselor about a partial PPM. The PPA lists your own vehicle as an approved PPM method, so with certified empty and full weight tickets, the weight you haul counts toward your payment. Our military PPM guide explains how to get them.
- GPS tracking en route
- Veteran-owned
- Dedicated move coordinator
- Flat-rate pricing
- Donates a portion of moves to charity
If you’re hiring a mover for your PPM, though, moving everything at once can get you a better deal. Asked when he’d recommend a partial PPM over a full one, Safeway Senior Certified Moving Consultant James Coleman said:
“Never, because the full move will receive a better rate and higher discount due to its higher volume compared to a partial move with lower volume.”
Ready to compare movers? Start with our picks for the best military moving companies, including two moveBuddha Certified movers:
Why moveBuddha:
- On average, moveBuddha users save more than 30% by comparing movers before booking.
- When you choose a moveBuddha Certified mover, you get up to $1,000 in added move coverage, plus dedicated support throughout your move.
- If something goes wrong, moveBuddha provides dispute mediation with Certified movers to help resolve the issue and protect your move.
What should you move yourself in a partial PPM?
Move the things you need right away and the things you’d hate to lose. Military OneSource recommends a PPM for irreplaceable valuables, like family heirlooms, photos, and important documents, and for necessities you’ll need as soon as you arrive. The items you move may include:
- First-week essentials: Bedding, clothes, kitchen basics, toiletries, and kids’ items, since the government shipment can arrive days or weeks after you do.
- Valuables and documents: Jewelry, important papers, and sentimental items.
- Electronics and work gear: Laptops, monitors, and anything you need to start work right away.
- Heavy items: If you’re renting a truck or container anyway, heavier items like tools or exercise equipment add more paid weight.
Driving your portion yourself?
Truck rentals and hired labor both count as claimable PPM expenses.
Professional books, papers, and equipment (pro gear) follow separate rules. Under the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR), pro gear isn’t counted against your weight allowance, up to 2,000 pounds. You have to declare and document it before it’s moved, or it counts toward your weight allowance like the rest of your household goods. A spouse’s pro gear, up to 500 pounds, can also be shipped if it’s approved in advance.
Moving a bigger portion yourself? A moving container lets you load on your own schedule while the company handles the driving and provides your weight tickets.
rating
4.8 / 5
Using a container or truck for your portion? See our guide to a PPM with a moving container or rental truck, including weight tickets and military discounts.
What happens if you go over your weight allowance on a partial PPM?
If you go over your weight allowance on a partial PPM, you pay the extra, because your allowance covers both shipments combined. The Coast Guard warns that “if you go over weight you will be responsible for any extra shipping and storage costs,” and your PPM payment is capped at your weight allowance.
- Estimate before you split: The PPA recommends its Weight Estimator tool, which uses average industry weights to show whether you’re over or under your weight allowance. It’s only an estimate, and you’re responsible for the actual weight. A common rule of thumb is about 1,000 pounds per room, not counting bathrooms, plus large appliances and garage or storage contents.
- Purge first: Selling or donating before the move lowers both shipments.
- Don’t count on pro gear to fix it later: The Coast Guard says you can’t claim professional gear after delivery to offset an overage.
Damage works differently for each shipment. You can’t file a government claim for items you moved yourself. For the government shipment, report loss or damage in DPS within 180 days of delivery, and file with the mover within 12 months of delivery for shipments picked up on or after May 15, 2026.
Hiring labor-only movers to load your truck or container? HireAHelper books local crews by the hour and gives you an itemized receipt for your PPM claim.
rating
4.5 / 5
More about military PPM moves
- Military PPM move guide: Learn how a PPM works, how much it pays, and how to file your claim.
- Hire movers for a PPM: Find out how to hire and vet movers for your PPM, from full-service crews to labor-only help.
- PPM with a moving container or rental truck: Compare containers and trucks for a PPM, including weight tickets, storage, and military discounts.
- How much a PPM pays: See how to calculate your PPM payment, what lowers it, and what you keep after taxes.
FAQ
What is a partial PPM move?
A partial PPM move is a military PCS move where you move part of your household goods yourself and a government-arranged mover ships the rest. You’re paid 100% of the Government Constructed Cost for the weight you move yourself.
Is a partial PPM the same as a partial DITY move?
Yes, a partial PPM is the same as a partial DITY move. PPMs were formerly called DITY (“do it yourself”) moves, and many service members still use the old name.
Can you do a partial PPM with your own car?
Yes, you can do a partial PPM with your own car. Your own vehicle is an approved PPM method, and you get paid for the weight you haul as long as you have certified empty and full weight tickets.
How much do you get paid for a partial PPM?
For a partial PPM, you get paid 100% of what it would have cost the government to move the weight you move yourself, based on your certified weight tickets and the distance of your move. Your transportation office estimates your payment at counseling.
Do you need weight tickets for a partial PPM?
Yes, you need weight tickets for a partial PPM. You need certified empty and full tickets for every vehicle, trailer, or container you use for your portion, including your own car. The government-arranged mover weighs its own shipment.
What happens if a partial PPM goes over your weight allowance?
If a partial PPM goes over your weight allowance, you pay the excess shipping and storage costs. Your weight allowance covers both shipments combined, and your PPM payment is capped at your allowance.
Is a PPM better than a government-arranged move?
A PPM is better than a government-arranged move if you want to be paid and control your own schedule. A government-arranged move is better if you have a large household or a tight timeline and don’t want to manage weight tickets and receipts.
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