The Short Version
Stateside, you drive. The government pays MALT (Monetary Allowance in Lieu of Transportation) per authorized vehicle on official miles. Overseas, most orders ship one car. A second vehicle is storage, a sale, or your bill unless TMO writes an exception.
Drive, ship, or store
| Move | Usual authority | What you should do |
|---|---|---|
| CONUS to CONUS | Drive, paid as MALT | Use the official distance. Keep fuel and lodging receipts for the days you are authorized. |
| To or from foreign OCONUS | One POV shipped | Book the vehicle processing center early. Ask about host-nation rules before you ship a car that cannot be registered. |
| Hawaii, Alaska, or a territory | Often one shipped POV, and travel rules differ from the 48 states | Confirm with TMO. Housing pay may still be BAH even when the car is shipped. |
| Second vehicle | Usually not shipped | Store it, sell it, or pay to move it. Get the “no” in writing so you are not guessing at the pier. |
How MALT is calculated
The PCS rate in this site’s entitlement set is $0.235 per mile, effective 1 July 2026. A 1,000-official-mile leg is 1,000 × $0.235 = $235 per authorized vehicle. Your maps app’s 1,080-mile detour does not raise that payment.
Travel days: the first 400 official miles are one day. Divide the rest by 350. Per diem follows those days. Do not file the TDY mileage rate on a PCS voucher. Current rates: DTMO mileage rates.
Overseas shipment, without the myths
- One car is the normal entitlement. Two cars is a conversation you have with TMO before you buy a second set of tires.
- Host-nation safety and emissions rules can make a shipped car unusable. Ask before it leaves the pier.
- If the ship date slips, you still need a way to live. That is lodging and housing office business, not a second MALT claim. See TLE and TLA.
- Weight you use for household goods does not buy you another vehicle.
Run the move in the PCS planner with your vehicle count so the entitlement card matches CONUS driving or an OCONUS one-car shipment.
