PCS Move
TLA Calculator — OCONUS
FY2026Temporary Lodging Allowance for service members arriving at or departing from an overseas duty station.
Estimated TLA
$0.00
OCONUS arrival · 10 days
Max days
60
FMR Ch 68 par. 5.1
Daily cap
No $290 cap
OCONUS localities drive the ceiling
Tax treatment
Non-taxable
Authority
DoD FMR 7A Ch 68
TLA type
Arrival TLA covers temporary lodging on arrival at the OCONUS PDS. Departure TLA covers the final days before leaving the OCONUS PDS.
Family & stay
TLA scales with family size (JTR Table 5-17).
+35% each
+25% each
OCONUS arrival TLA: up to 60 days per FMR Ch 68 par. 5.1.
Include taxes. TLA reimburses actual lodging up to the ceiling.
OCONUS locality rates
Look up your OCONUS locality at the DTMO Per Diem Rate Lookup (covers OCONUS lodging + M&IE). Rates vary sharply — Tokyo is not Guam is not Ramstein.
Pick arrival or departure, fill in the locality rates from DTMO, then calculate.
About TLA
What is TLA?
TLA is the OCONUS analogue of TLE. It offsets temporary lodging while you wait for permanent quarters after arrival at an OCONUS PDS, or during your final days OCONUS before departing. Authority: DoD FMR Vol 7A Chapter 68.
Duration
Arrival TLA: up to 60 days (FMR Ch 68 par. 5.1), with commander extensions possible in 15-day increments. Departure TLA: up to 10 days (par. 5.4).
Family percentage
Same ladder as TLE: member alone 65%, member + 1 dep 100%, each additional 12+ +35%, each additional under 12 +25%. The percentage applies to the locality lodging ceiling AND the locality M&IE.
Key rules
TLA is actual cost lodging up to the ceiling — keep receipts. No $290/day cap (unlike CONUS TLE). Can't claim TLA on days you're claiming MALT or per diem for travel. Gov quarters available: TLA lodging not payable.
Locality rates
OCONUS TLA rates differ from GSA Standard CONUS and vary widely. Look up the exact rate at the DTMO Per Diem Rate Lookup.
Tax treatment
TLA is tax-exempt. Not subject to federal, state, or FICA withholding.
About this entitlement
What you need to know — straight from the regulation
What TLA covers
Temporary Lodging Allowance (TLA) partially reimburses authorized lodging and meal expenses at an OCONUS permanent duty station while a service member and authorized dependents occupy temporary lodging. TLA applies both on arrival (pending assignment of permanent quarters) and on departure (prior to leaving the OCONUS PDS).
TLA is administered under DoD Financial Management Regulation Vol. 7A Chapter 68, with companion guidance in JTR Chapter 5.
DoD FMR Vol 7A Ch 68 · JTR par. 0509
Duration and ceiling
Arrival TLA is authorized for up to 60 days per FMR Ch 68 par. 5.1, with commander-approved extensions possible in 15-day increments when housing is unavailable. Departure TLA is capped at 10 days per par. 5.4 and Table 68-10.
Daily reimbursement equals actual lodging cost up to (locality lodging × family-size percentage), plus (locality M&IE × family-size percentage). TLA is not subject to the $290/day combined cap that constrains CONUS TLE.
DoD FMR Vol 7A Ch 68 par. 5.1, par. 5.4, Table 68-10
Tax treatment
TLA is a non-taxable travel allowance and is not reported as wages on the W-2. No federal, FICA, or state income tax is withheld from TLA payments.
DoD FMR Vol 7A Ch 68 · IRS Publication 3 (Armed Forces' Tax Guide)
Source & references
- Primary source
- DoD FMR Vol 7A Chapter 68 (Temporary Lodging Allowance) — view official publication
- Regulatory reference
- DoD FMR Vol 7A Ch 68 · JTR Ch 5 par. 0509 · 37 U.S.C. § 405
- Effective date
- FY2026 (Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026)
- DTMO Per Diem Rate Lookup (OCONUS)
- https://www.travel.dod.mil/Travel-Transportation-Rates/Per-Diem/Per-Diem-Rate-Lookup/
Military Toolkit is not affiliated with the Department of Defense, DFAS, DTMO, the Department of Veterans Affairs, or any government agency. Rates and rules on this page are pulled directly from the publications cited above. Always verify with your finance office, TMO, or the official rate page before making financial or planning decisions.
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Other PCS entitlements
REF: JTR Ch 5 par. 0509 · FMR Ch 68 par. 5.1 (arrival) · par. 5.4 (departure), effective FY2026
DoD FMR Vol 7A Ch 68 · 37 U.S.C. § 405
Results are estimates. Always verify with your finance office.