DLA Pays the Same No Matter What Your Move Costs
A 2026 dislocation allowance is a flat payment set by pay grade and dependents, not by what your PCS costs. Here is what DLA pays for and what it doesn't.
Updated June 16, 2026 TL;DR: A 2026 dislocation allowance (DLA) is a flat, one-time payment set by your pay grade and whether your authorized dependents relocate as part of the move. It is not tied to what your move actually costs. An E-5 with dependents receives $3,548.02 whether the move runs cheap or expensive. What follows is how the allowance works, not a recommendation about how to plan around it. If you’re staring at a permanent change of station (PCS) and a pile of costs you can’t pin down yet, here’s one number you can lock in today. An E-5 with a family gets $3,548.02 in dislocation allowance this year. So does an E-4. So does an E-1. The amount is identical no matter what the move actually cost you. That is the part most families miss. DLA is a fixed number, locked before you pack a single box. The bigger confusion is where it sits among the other allowances, because each one pays for something different.
| PCS allowance | What it covers | Based on what you spend? |
|---|---|---|
| Dislocation Allowance (DLA) | Out-of-pocket setup costs: deposits, utility hookups, connection fees, cleaning, small household supplies | No. Flat by grade and dependents |
| Mileage (MALT) | Driving your own vehicle to the new station | No. Per-mile rate |
| Travel per diem | Meals and incidentals on authorized travel days | No. Set by authorized travel days |
| Temporary lodging | A hotel while you are between homes | Yes. Up to a daily cap |
| Household goods shipment | Packing, shipping, and delivering your belongings | Government-arranged or reimbursed |
DLA stands apart: it is not driven by your receipts, your miles, your travel days, your lodging bill, or your shipment weight. The amount is set by your pay grade and dependent status. Source: Joint Travel Regulations, Chapter 5.
How much is dislocation allowance in 2026?
Your DLA is a flat amount fixed by two things: your pay grade and whether your authorized dependents move with you. It runs from $1,870.58 for a junior enlisted member without dependents to $6,385.58 for a senior officer with a family, after a 3.8% bump for 2026. To pull your exact figure, check the Defense Travel Management Office’s DLA rate tables, which list every grade with and without dependents. One detail they will not flag: the rate is locked by the effective date of your PCS orders, not the day you actually move. If your orders take effect in late 2025 but you drive the truck in January 2026, you are paid the 2025 rate, not the new one. An orders amendment can change the number even when your moving date does not.
What does DLA actually pay for?
DLA exists to offset the out-of-pocket costs of standing up a household. Security and utility deposits, hookup and connection fees, cleaning charges, and the small supply costs of reestablishing a home all sit in this bucket. It is separate from your mileage, your per diem, your temporary lodging, and your household goods shipment, each of which has its own rules. It is also not a substitute for a damage claim. If the movers break something, that is a separate process. The rules describe DLA as a partial offset. It is written to help with relocation costs the government does not reimburse elsewhere, and it is not built to cover every dollar of a move. Whether the flat amount lands ahead of, behind, or even with your actual costs depends entirely on your move. That comparison is yours to run.
Why is the allowance the same for an E-1 and an E-6 with a family?
Here is the part that surprises families. The with-dependents rate is identical for every grade from E-1 through E-6: $3,548.02 in 2026. Whatever your rank inside that band, the rate table pays the same for a family move. The without-dependents figure does climb with grade, from $1,870.58 at E-1 to $2,389.42 by E-4. For a junior enlisted family, dependent status moves the payment more than rank does.
When does DLA not get paid at all?
Worth knowing before you build it into the budget: DLA is not automatic. A few common situations pay nothing. A first move to your initial duty station pays nothing unless a dependent relocates with you. A PCS that does not relocate the household generally pays nothing. Separation and retirement moves usually do not pay DLA either. A member without dependents who is assigned government quarters at the new station is usually not authorized DLA. Partial DLA is narrower than families assume: for 2026 it is a flat $1,002.71, paid mainly when the government orders you to occupy or vacate government quarters for privatization, renovation, or its own convenience. It is not paid just because you choose to move locally. DLA is normally once per fiscal year, though a changed or additional move can qualify for secondary DLA under the Joint Travel Regulations (par. 050507).
Can you get DLA before you move?
Yes, though it is not guaranteed. You request it through your current finance office with a copy of your orders, usually 10 to 15 days before the move, and it needs command approval. If approved, you typically receive 80% of the estimated amount up front, with the balance after you file your travel voucher at the new station. The advance is not extra money and not a loan. It is the same allowance paid early and reconciled when your claim is processed, so if your entitlement changes or you are overpaid, finance can collect the difference later. Timing and procedure vary by installation, so confirm the details with finance.
FAQ
Is dislocation allowance taxed?
No. IRS guidance excludes DLA received for a qualifying PCS move from your income.
Do I have to file for it?
Yes. For most moves the trigger is your DD 1351-2 travel voucher at the new station, unless you requested an advance first.
Does the advance have to be paid back?
It is not a loan. It is your DLA paid early and reconciled against the entitlement. There is nothing separate to repay, though finance can recover an overpayment if your entitlement changes.
Can I receive DLA more than once a year?
Normally once per fiscal year. Secondary DLA covers additional or changed moves under specific Joint Travel Regulations conditions.
What is partial DLA?
A single flat payment of $1,002.71 for 2026, paid mainly when the government requires you to occupy or vacate government quarters. It does not vary by rank.
Does my move date or my orders date set the rate?
Neither, exactly. Your rate is set by your pay grade and dependent status on the PCS order effective date, which may not be the day your orders were issued or the day you physically move.
DLA helps with the cost of landing. Your BAH helps offset the rent that follows. See which neighborhoods near your next duty station fit your BAH on HomeScoop.
HomeScoop lays out the numbers. The gap between a flat allowance and a real move is yours to weigh.
See the Official 2026 DTMO DLA Rates.
HomeScoop is not affiliated with the Department of War, the Department of Veterans Affairs, or any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. © 2026 GrayLogic LLC.
