| Personal Property OUTBOUND |
Brochures:
"It's Your Move" will help you understand your entitlements and responsibilities concerning shipment and storage of household goods, unaccompanied baggage, boats and firearms. It also has an excellent explanation of how to file a claim for any loss or damage.
"Know Before You Go" contains everything U.S. residents should know before they go abroad.
"Shipping Your POV" and "Storing Your POV" explain your entitlements to ship or store your Privately Owed Vehicle if you receive overseas orders.
"Moving Your Mobile Home" will help you understand your entitlement and responsibilities in the movement of your mobile home. Your transportation office will make all arrangements to schedule the movement, if you desire. History has shown that moving your mobile home will most likely result in excess transportation costs, which you are responsible for paying.
"Don't Move Gypsy Moth" explains regulations requiring residents of the Northeast US area to inspect their outdoor goods for Gypsy Moth prior to loading and shipping. Failure to inspect household articles for gypsy moth life stages prior to movement from a regulated area is a violation of USDA quarantine regulations and may result in significant civil penalties. Inspecting your personal property for gypsy moths goes beyond being a good neighbor: it is required by law.
TOP OF PAGE
Publications
"Joint Federal Travel Regulations" is the authoritative source for regulations pertaining to per diem, travel and transportation allowances, relocation allowances, and certain other allowances. Volume 1 applies to Uniformed Service members (including both regular and reserve components) while Volume 2 applies to civilian members.
Joint Federal Travel Regulations (VOL 1 - Military Members)
Joint Travel Regulations (DoD Civilians)
Retirement Move
Please see the list of approving offices for retirement extensions
Weight Allowance
Your weight allowance is established under provisions of the Joint Federal Travel Regulations and is the maximum weight you can move at government expense. This allowance includes the weight of household goods you ship, place in storage or send as unaccompanied baggage and goods you already have in storage. Your allowance is based on two factors; your pay grade and whether you have dependents.
You - not your DMO or the carrier - are responsible for staying within your weight allowance. If the weight of items packed, shipped or stored exceeds your weight allowance, you must pay all charges connected with the excess weight. For this reason, estimating the weight of your household goods is very important. Estimates should start early, even before you visit your transportation office to set up the move. The counselor at your transportation office will need an estimated weight for each shipment you intend to make.
An easy and fairly dependable method for making this estimate is to figure 1,000 pounds per fully furnished room (not including storage rooms or bathrooms) or 500 pounds per partially furnished room. Then add the estimated weight of large appliances and items in the garage, storage rooms, basement, etc. The weight of professional books, papers and equipment doesn't count against your weight allowance. The link below will take you to a more accurate weight estimator, but remember, it is only an estimate. Weight estimates are planning tools only and are not official. You can not use estimates weight to refute excess weight charges.
Weight Estimator
To avoid excess weight charges, stay within your authorized weight allowance by disposing of unnecessary possessions. When you receive a notification for exceeding your weight allowance, check it carefully. Often you may not have received credit for professional books, papers and equipment or some other entitlement. If you have any question concerning your excess weight, contact your local DMO. You are entitled to have your shipment reweighed prior to delivery at destination. A request for a reweigh can be made through the DMO either at origin or at destination PRIOR TO DELIVERY.
PCS weight allowances do not apply when:
1) Vacating Government or Government-controlled quarters upon separation and retirement when ordered to vacate by competent authority and movement is to a local residence pending election of home of record/selection
2) Moving to occupy Government or Government-controlled quarters
3) Vacating local economy quarters in compliance with orders
TOP OF PAGE
Unauthorized Items List
Packing and Pick-Up Dates
The size of your household goods shipment determines how much time is needed for packing and pick-up. The following rule of thumb will give you an idea how much time should be allotted for packing your household:
Weight Estimate Packing Pick-Up
Less than 4,500 lbs. 1 Day Same Day
5,000 lbs. to 9,000 lbs. 2 Days 1 Day
10,000 lbs. to 14,500 lbs. 3 Days 1 Day
More than 14,500 lbs. 4 Days 1 Day
Carriers generally will not pack or pick up on holidays or weekends. During the peak moving season from June through August, available dates fill quickly, so contact your DMO early if you are planning to move during these months. Your preferred packing and pick-up dates should not be any sooner than 10 calendar days from the date you submit your paperwork.
Required Delivery Date
The distance and weight of your shipment determines how many days the carrier is allowed to get your household goods to the destination. Your shipment could arrive at an earlier date, but this is entirely up to the carrier. Your shipment's Required Delivery Date will be recorded in your Bill of Lading (block 8). The required delivery date will not necessarily be the delivery date at your residence, but is the carrier's deadline to get the shipment to the destination agent. Delivery to your residence will need to be coordinated with your Transportation Service Provider (TPS) or destination transportation office.
If you know your estimated weight and mileage, visit our transit time guide to determine the approximate number of days for your household goods to arrive at their destination: Transit Times. If your carrier does not arrive by the required delivery date, you may be entitled to compensation by filing an inconvenience claim with the Carrier.
Be sure to make contact with your TSP or the DMO that services your destination and provide them with an enroute point of contact (cell phone number, e-mail address, or relative) so that they can keep you advised of your shipment.
TOP OF PAGE
Temporary Storage
Members are authorized Storage in Transit for up to 90 days in conjunction with a PCS move. The Transportation Office may approve additional periods of storage in 90 day increments, but these requests must be submitted in writing:
- Intervening TDY or long-term training assignment
- Nonavailability of suitable housing
- Completion of residence under construction
- Serious employee illness
- Dependent
- illness or death
- Other circumstances beyond the member's control
If a mIf a member allows the Storage in Transit time to expire, storage charges and liability for loss and damage become the member's responsibility. The member pays for storage services directly to the storage company, however, the member is still entitled to a delivery and unpacking at government expense.
Members ordered on a PCS with TDY are entitled to have their property placed into non-temporary storage at origin for the period of the TDY. The property stored at Government expense under this provision may not exceed the member's PCS weight allowance. If the member does not use non-temporary storage at origin and elects to ship to destination, any storage utilized is chargeable to their entitlement of 90 Days.
Certain circumstances may warrant an extension of this temporary storage entitlement. You must apply for an extension by completing a DD Form 1857 if you need to keep your personal property in temporary storage beyond 90 days.
TOP OF PAGE
Excess Costs
You can unknowingly incur excess costs at your expense in shipping your household goods. The following list describes things you can do to avoid excess personal costs associated with your move:
- Extra services - Avoid requesting specific routing, special loading, or any other service that is not routinely provided.
- Excess Weight - Members should be aware that the total combined weight of all shipments, including goods in storage, must not exceed your authorized weight as defined in the Joint Federal Travel Regulation.
- Extra shipments - Multiple household goods shipments from the same point of origin to the same destination, may result be in excess cost.
- Excess distance - Your orders determine authorized point of origin and destination. Deviation may incur excess cost. ( For example auth point Oceanside, CA to Dallas, TX and you elect shipment from Oceanside, CA to Miami, FL You will incur excess cost.)
- Unauthorized items - Avoid shipping unauthorized articles. If unauthorized articles are discovered in shipments after pickup, the member will incur additional cost to stop shipment to unload and remove the items.
- Avoid attempt charges - Members or their designated representatives are required to be available between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. at the scheduled pickup or delivery address on the date the packers and movers are scheduled to arrive. If you or your designated agent are not available during pickup or delivery or of your residence is dirty, you will be charged an attempt fee which may exceed $200.00.
- Special Items and Situations - If movers determine pests are present at the pickup address and depart without a pickup, the members will be charged for an attempted pickup and once cleaned the move will be rescheduled which could take up to 2 weeks.
For OCONUS moves, boats that don't fit in a standard overseas container must be shipped One Time Only (OTO) rate. Almost all boats and/or boats with trailers won't fit in a standard overseas container, therefore must be shipped under an OTO boat rate, which would mean excess cost to the member. Any boat over 14' or with a trailer for CONUS moves will also mean excess cost to the member.
TOP OF PAGE
Designating an Agent
If you cannot be available for the pickup or delivery of your property, you can designate an agent to act on your behalf, you should always list your spouse as your agent in case you are called away during the move. Your agent can be your spouse, family member (over 18), a friend, co-worker, etc. If you have an emergency on the pickup day, you can designate an agent by leaving written authorization, naming the agent. The agent gives this authorization to the carrier. You may designate agents by using a Power of Attorney or Informal Letter of Authority signed by you. If you leave your residence and leave the movers alone, they will stop working and possibly leave and you will be charged waiting time.
Insurance
Full Replacement Value (FRV) Protection is an important benefit for the Military Service Members, Department of Defense Civilian Employees and DoD Families. Personal property shipments are eligible for FRV protection. FRV protection is available at no additional cost to DoD members. If your personal property becomes lost, damaged or destroyed while in the care of the Transportation Service Provider (TSP), the member can recover the greater of $5,000 per shipment or $4.00 times the weight of the shipment (in pounds) up to a maximum of $50,000 as compensation for loss. FRV applies to all government shipments moved after 2007.
TOP OF PAGE
Important Documents
There are three critical documents you must be sure to get copies of before the carrier departs and should hand carry with you to your destination
- Household Goods Descriptive Inventory
- Government Bill of Lading
- You are entitled to a LEGIBLE COPY of each of these documents from the movers.
Household Goods Descriptive Inventory: This is your official record of what is being shipped. Make sure all items are listed. The form is completed by the movers in coordination with you or your agent. It should accurately describe the items you are shipping and the condition of each. If an item is not listed on the inventory it may be difficult to claim due to no proof tendered (given) to movers.
If movers observe damage to your goods prior to pickup, they will note this on the line by the item on the inventory. If you disagree with these exceptions noted at the time of pick-up, you must circle the inventory number you disagree with. Then enter the inventory number in "Remarks/Exceptions" section of the inventory with the phrase, "I protest exceptions taken by the driver at time of pick-up." Your signature on the inventory is your concurrence with the count and condition of each item listed. Check carefully before you sign.
DD Form 619: This form is used for CONUS household goods shipments only. It lists the following:
- The number of cartons used to pack your shipment. (The number column should be completed before you sign.)
- The weight of professional items
- Additional services performed
- Appliances at origin
- Bill Of Lading: This document shows you the following critical information:
- Bill of Lading number (B/L NO.) used to track the shipment
- Required delivery date (RDD)
- Destination
- Whom to contact upon your arrival at destination
TOP OF PAGE
Professional Books, Papers, and Equipment
When completing your application to move (DD 1299), you must provide an estimated weight of your professional books, papers and equipment (PBP&E) on your application for shipment or storage. This constitutes an official declaration of intent to ship PBP&E. Movers should annotate weight of PBP&E on DD 619 that you or your releasing agent will review and sign. You must also separate your PBP&E from the rest of your property so they may be packed, marked and weighed separately. When properly listed on the inventory, they are not counted as part of your weight allowance. Before signing the inventory prepared by the movers, be sure these items are listed as "PBP&E" and not as "books" or "miscellaneous." The proper designation of these items and the exclusion of the weight is very important. Professional books, papers, and equipment do not include office, household or shop fixtures, furniture (such as bookcases, desks and file cabinets) or sports equipment.
When required to perform official duties, the following items are considered professional books, papers and equipment:
- Reference books, papers, and material;
- Instruments, tools and equipment needed by technicians, mechanics and other professionals;
- Specialized clothing such as diving suits, flying suits, band uniforms and other apparel not considered to be normal or usual uniforms or clothing; BASIC ISSUE UNIFORMS CANNOT BE DECLARED
- Communications equipment used in connection with the Military Affiliated Radio System; and
- Individually owned or specially issued field clothing or equipment, official awards and other memorabilia given to a member by a uniformed service, professional society or organization, or a U.S. or foreign government.
JOINT FEDERAL TRAVEL REGULATIONS (JFTR) PARAGRAPH 2.1.4 (U5310-C) professional books, papers and equipment (PBP&E) provides special weight allowance for a spouse to ship up to 500 pounds of PBP&E when moving on a permanent change of station (PSC) orders. (Must be approved prior to the move by Secretarial Process).
*JFTR REVISIONS U5310-C, these changes are scheduled to appear in JFTR change 327, and JTR change 581, dated 1 March 2014.
1. A member is authorized PBP&E (See APP A definition) transportation IAW the Service procedure, when the member certifies the PBP&E as necessary for official duty at the next PDS (including HOR or HOS upon leaving the Service) and the Service agrees. PBP&E weight may not exceed 2,000 lbs. net weight. This limitation is not subject to waiver and is effective1 May 2014.
Note: A member may exceed the 2,000 lbs. net weight limit when returning from OCONUS or executing a Consecutive Overseas Tour (COT) if orders OCONUS were issued prior to 1 May 2014. HHG with PBP&E in excess of 2,000 lbs. must have been originally shipped at GOV’T expense to the OCONUS location. The obligation to return HHG with PBP&E is limited to the amount of HHG with PBP&E the GOV’T initially authorized to be shipped OCONUS. The member may ship the same amount of PBP&E as originally shipped OCONUS, even though the amount exceeds 2,000 lbs. Once the member’s HHG have been returned to CONUS, there is no authorization or waiver authority to exceed the 2,000 lb. limit on a subsequent order.
TOP OF PAGE
Defense Personal Property System (DPS)
Defense Personal Property System (DPS) is an online program that eligible service members and their families and DOD members on Official orders can use to arrange routine basic moves from their current duty station to a new duty station or homeport or HOR/PEAD and HOS. You can access the program 24-hours a day, seven days a week from home, work, or aboard ship... anywhere you have internet access. Access DPS HERE. Defense Personal Property System Instructions
Personnel MUST print a copy of the DD1299 and DD1797, sign it and fax it to the designated number with orders, moving from MCAS Cherry Point with cover sheet stating DPS shipment. Fax numbers are (252)466-2329
Click here for a list of Authorized and Non-Authorized Household Goods.