Getting Paid to Drive: MALT and Per Diem on a PCS
When you drive your own car to a new duty station, the military pays you per mile plus a daily allowance for the trip. Here is exactly how the 2026 numbers work so you can check that finance paid you right.
The bottom line up front
- 1.MALT pays $0.235 per mile (effective 1 July 2026, up from $0.205) per authorized POV, based on the official Defense Table of Official Distances, not your odometer.
- 2.Travel days come from a formula: 1 day if 400 miles or less; over 400, divide by 350 and add a day if the remainder is 51 or more.
- 3.Per diem on a PCS drive (MALT Plus) is a flat $178 per authorized travel day for 2026 ($110 lodging + $68 M&IE), paid in full on every travel day including the first and last.
- 4.MALT and per diem are commonly miscalculated by finance, so run your own numbers and check the voucher.
When you PCS and drive your own vehicle instead of flying, the military pays you for the trip in two pieces: a mileage allowance for the driving itself, and a per diem for the days you are on the road. Together they can add up to real money on a long move, and finance does not always get the math right, so it pays to know how the numbers are built.
MALT: the mileage piece
MALT stands for Monetary Allowance in Lieu of Transportation. It is mileage reimbursement for driving your privately owned vehicle to the new duty station. The rate is $0.235 per mile effective 1 July 2026, paid per authorized POV — up from $0.205, which applied from 1 January. The rate in effect on the day your travel *begins* is the one you are paid, so a June drive settles at the old rate even if you file in August. The mileage is the official distance from the Defense Table of Official Distances, not your odometer or what a maps app shows, so the number finance uses is fixed.
Worked example
Example
One authorized POV. A second authorized POV is paid at the same per-mile rate. The same drive begun before 1 July 2026 pays $246.00 at the old $0.205 rate.
How travel days are counted
Per diem is paid by travel day, and the number of authorized travel days is set by a formula, not by how fast you actually drive. The rule:
- If the official distance is 400 miles or less, you get 1 travel day.
- If it is more than 400 miles, divide the distance by 350. That whole number is your travel days, and you add one more day if the remainder is 51 miles or more.
Worked example
Example: 1,200 miles
The formula sets the days. Driving faster does not reduce your authorized per diem; it is based on the official distance.
Per diem: the daily piece
For each authorized travel day, you get a per diem to cover lodging and meals. This is called MALT Plus, and per JTR Table 5-4 it pays the full standard CONUS per diem rate for every authorized travel day, departure and arrival days included. For 2026 that is $110 lodging plus $68 for meals and incidentals (M&IE), a flat $178 a day. There is no reduced rate on the first or last day of a PCS drive; that 75% rule belongs to Lodging Plus travel (TDY, or a PCS by plane, train, ship, or bus), not to MALT Plus.
Dependents traveling with you are paid a percentage of your rate per JTR Table 5-6: 75% for a civilian spouse or dependent age 12 or older and 50% for a dependent under 12, for each authorized travel day. The MALT and Per Diem Calculator puts the mileage, the day count, and the dependent percentages together for you.
Check this against your voucher
When your travel voucher settles, MALT plus per diem is exactly the kind of thing finance gets wrong, for example by using the wrong distance or miscounting travel days. Run your own numbers first, keep your settlement, and if it is short, go back to finance with the official distance and the day formula in hand.
The bottom line
Driving your own car to the new base pays you $0.235 a mile (per authorized POV) for the official distance, plus a flat $178 per diem ($110 lodging + $68 M&IE) for each authorized travel day, with dependents traveling with you added at 75% (age 12 and over) or 50% (under 12) of your rate. The travel days come from a formula, not your speed. Know the inputs and you can check finance's math instead of trusting it.
Run your exact trip through the MALT and Per Diem Calculator, and fit it into the whole move with the PCS timeline.
Sources
- Joint Travel Regulations (JTR): MALT and PCS per diem
- DTMO Mileage Rates: MALT $0.235/mile effective 1 July 2026 ($0.205 from 1 January 2026), and the Defense Table of Official Distances
- DTMO: 2026 standard CONUS per diem ($110 lodging, $68 M&IE)
Figures reflect 2026 rates and regulations. This guide is general information, not personalized financial or tax advice. Always verify with your finance office or a tax professional before making a decision. How we research and source: our methodology.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
- What is the 2026 MALT rate?
- MALT (Monetary Allowance in Lieu of Transportation) is $0.235 per mile effective 1 July 2026, paid per authorized privately owned vehicle. It rose mid-year from $0.205, which applied from 1 January 2026. The rate in effect on the date your PCS travel begins is the one you are paid. It is based on the official distance from the Defense Table of Official Distances, not your odometer reading or a maps app.
- How many travel days do I get on a PCS drive?
- If the official distance is 400 miles or less, you get 1 travel day. If it is more than 400 miles, divide the distance by 350; that whole number is your travel days, and you add one more day if the remainder is 51 miles or more. For example, 1,200 miles is 3 with a remainder of 150, so you get 4 days.
- How much is PCS per diem in 2026?
- On a PCS drive, per diem (MALT Plus) is a flat $178 per authorized travel day for 2026: the full standard CONUS rate of $110 lodging plus $68 for meals and incidentals (M&IE), with no first-or-last-day reduction. Dependents traveling with you add 75% of your rate if they are age 12 or older and 50% if under 12, per JTR Table 5-6.
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Run your own numbers
REF: Military Toolkit Guides, effective 2026
Official 2026 DoD, DFAS, DTMO, IRS, and VA sources. See each guide’s Sources list
Results are estimates. Always verify with your finance office.