PCS Guides

The DPS Move Guide Every Military Family Needs

Orders in hand and no idea where to start? This is the plain-English walkthrough of the Defense Personal Property System — now MilMove — from account setup through your final claim.

Start the GuideFree. No account required.

Day 1

Submit your move request the week orders drop

180 days

Deadline to file a loss or damage claim

May–Aug

Peak PCS season — book carriers early

Start here

What is DPS

DPS — the Defense Personal Property System — is the government's booking platform for household goods shipments during a PCS. It now lives inside MilMove at move.mil. Everything about your shipment runs through it: your orders, your carrier, your dates, and your claim.

It is a booking system, not a mover

DPS assigns your move to a contracted carrier. The carrier — not DPS — packs your home and hits your dates.

Your orders drive everything

Weight allowance, entitlements, and travel days all flow from your orders. Upload them first, exactly as issued.

Your Transportation Office is the human

When DPS blocks you, your installation's Transportation Office (TMO/PPPO) is who unblocks it. Call them early.

The Sequence

Six steps from orders
to deliivery

Run them in order. Skipping ahead is how families lose their preferred pack dates.

  1. Step 01 · As soon as orders drop

    Get your orders and gather documents

    Nothing moves in DPS without a copy of your PCS orders. Everything else is built on them.

    • Save a PDF of your orders plus any amendments — you upload them, not a photo of a screen.
    • Have your DoD ID number, gaining and losing installation, and report-no-later-than date ready.
    • Note your authorized weight allowance by rank and dependency status; overages come out of pocket.

  2. Step 02 · Day 1

    Create your MilMove (DPS) account

    DPS has moved to MilMove at move.mil. You log in with your CAC or a Login.gov account.

    • Go to move.mil and sign in with Login.gov — set up two-factor before you start, not mid-form.
    • Confirm your contact info and current address; the Transportation Office contacts you here.
    • If you had an older DPS profile, verify your name and rank carried over correctly.

  3. Step 03 · Before you submit

    Choose HHG, PPM, or a combination

    This is the single biggest decision in your move, and it is reversible only up to a point.

    • HHG (government move): a contracted carrier packs, loads, ships, and delivers. Least work, least control over dates.
    • PPM / Personally Procured Move (formerly DITY): you move yourself and are reimbursed a percentage of what the government would have paid. More work, potential profit.
    • Partial PPM: let the carrier take the heavy furniture and move the valuables and essentials yourself.
    • You can request a PPM advance to cover truck rental and fuel up front — ask your Transportation Office.

  4. Step 04 · Immediately after orders

    Submit your move request in MilMove

    Requesting early is the whole game. Summer PCS season books out fast.

    • Enter pickup and delivery addresses, preferred pack and load dates, and an estimated weight.
    • Upload orders and any dependent-travel or pet documentation.
    • Flag professional gear (PBP&E) separately — it does not count against your weight allowance.
    • Submit and wait for your Transportation Office to approve and assign a carrier.

  5. Step 05 · 2–4 weeks out

    Pre-move survey and pack-out

    The carrier surveys your home, then packs and loads on separate days.

    • Be present for the survey and point out anything oversized, fragile, or high-value.
    • Photograph every room and every serial number before pack day — this is your claims evidence.
    • Keep passports, orders, medical records, jewelry, and laptops out of the shipment entirely.
    • Review the inventory sheet before you sign it; note any pre-existing damage yourself.

  6. Step 06 · Delivery day and after

    Delivery, inspection, and claims

    You have hard deadlines for reporting loss or damage. Missing them costs you money.

    • Inspect as boxes come off the truck and note damage on the delivery paperwork on the spot.
    • Report loss or damage in DPS/MilMove within 180 days of delivery to receive full replacement value.
    • Keep every receipt from a PPM — weight tickets (empty and full) are required for reimbursement.
    • File your travel voucher promptly to be paid for per diem and mileage.

The Big Decision

HHG move or PPM?

There is no universally right answer — it depends on how much you own, how far you are going, and how much labor you can absorb.

HHG (government move)

A contracted carrier packs, loads, ships, and delivers everything.

  • + Almost no physical labor for your family
  • + Damage is covered under full replacement value
  • − You compete for pack and delivery dates in peak season
  • − Strangers pack your home on their schedule

PPM (formerly DITY)

You move yourself and are reimbursed a percentage of the government's cost.

  • + You control every date and touch every box
  • + Efficient families keep the difference as taxable income
  • − You need empty and full weight tickets or you are not paid
  • − Damage is on you, not a carrier

Estimating what either option costs? Run the numbers in the VA Loan Tools and PCS Planner before you commit.

Avoid These

Five mistakes that cost
families real money

Waiting on orders to be perfect

Submit with what you have. Amendments can be uploaded later; a lost pack date cannot be recovered.

Guessing your weight

Going over your allowance is billed to you at the government rate. Estimate honestly and purge before pack day.

Signing the inventory unread

The inventory sheet is the legal record of condition. Annotate scratches yourself before you sign.

No photo evidence

Photograph every room, every serial number, and every high-value item before the truck arrives.

Losing PPM weight tickets

No empty-and-full certified weight tickets means no PPM reimbursement. Photograph them immediately.

Missing the 180-day window

Full replacement value protection expires. Report loss or damage in MilMove as soon as you find it.

Questions

DPS questions military families actually ask

What is DPS in the military?
DPS stands for the Defense Personal Property System — the government's platform for booking and managing household goods shipments during a PCS. It has been modernized into MilMove, accessible at move.mil, where you submit orders, request a move, and file claims.
How do I log into DPS for my PCS move?
Go to move.mil and sign in with your CAC or a Login.gov account with two-factor authentication enabled. Older DPS accounts have been migrated into MilMove, so use the same name and rank on file with your Transportation Office.
How early should I schedule my PCS move in DPS?
Submit your move request the same week you receive orders. Peak PCS season runs roughly May through August, and carrier capacity at high-volume installations is booked weeks in advance. Early requests get better pack and load dates.
What is the difference between an HHG move and a PPM?
In an HHG move a government-contracted carrier packs, ships, and delivers your household goods. In a PPM (Personally Procured Move, formerly DITY) you move yourself and are reimbursed up to a percentage of what the government would have spent, which can leave money in your pocket if you move efficiently.
How long do I have to file a damage claim after delivery?
Note obvious damage on the delivery paperwork the day of delivery, and submit your loss or damage claim in DPS/MilMove within 180 days of delivery to remain eligible for full replacement value protection.
What items should I never put in the moving truck?
Keep orders, passports, birth certificates, medical and school records, medications, jewelry, laptops, and anything irreplaceable with you. Carriers also cannot transport hazardous materials such as propane, paint, ammunition, or open liquids.

Keep Going

Your next step after booking

DPS moves your belongings. These handle everything else about landing in your new community.

Base guides

Housing, schools, BAH, and neighborhoods at your gaining installation.

Open →

Verified housing

PCS-friendly homes near your next base, with military clause listings.

Open →

Verified pros

MRP-certified realtors, VA lenders, inspectors, and insurance agents.

Open →

VA loan tools

Affordability, rent vs. buy, and payment calculators built on BAH.

Open →

Don't PCS Alone

From orders to report date — we've got it covered.

Create a free account and get a personalized PCS timeline, a document vault for your orders, a move cost estimator, and an AI Battle Buddy that answers your DPS questions at 2300 hours.

Join the CommunityExplore Base Guides →

Always free for military families. Military Serving Military — before, during, and after every PCS.