PCS Move
Weight Allowance Guide
JTR 5-37HHG weight limits, pro-gear, and excess cost rules — JTR Table 5-37.
Total weight allowance
11,500 lbs
E-5 · with deps
HHG allowance
9,000 lbs
Member pro-gear
2,000 lbs
Spouse pro-gear
500 lbs
Rule of thumb
~1,000–1,500 lbs per room
Pick your situation
Weight allowances by rank (both dep statuses)
Source: JTR Table 5-37. Pro-gear is separate and in addition to these amounts.
Member pro-gear: 2,000 lbs
Professional books, papers, and equipment needed for official duties.
Spouse pro-gear: 500 lbs
Professional items the spouse needs for their employment.
Does NOT qualify:
What happens if you go over?
Government-arranged (HHG): Government initially pays the full shipment. After weigh-in, your TO notifies you of excess and cost. You can request a reweigh if inaccurate.
Cost: You're liable for excess weight at typically $3–$8 per pound depending on distance. 500 lbs over on a cross-country move can cost $2,000–$4,000.
PPM/DITY: Reimbursed only up to your allowance. Over-weight isn't paid — you simply get less reimbursement. No debt.
Avoiding excess: Get a pre-move weight estimate from TMO. Purge before you move — donate, sell, dispose of unused items. Pro-gear is weighed and labeled separately.
Weight allowances are set by the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR), Table 5-37. They are the same across all branches. Contact your local TMO or PPSO for specific questions about your move.
About this entitlement
What you need to know — straight from the regulation
What HHG weight allowance is
The Household Goods (HHG) weight allowance is the maximum pounds of household goods the government will move (or reimburse the member to move via PPM) at no cost during an authorized PCS. Weight allowances are set by pay grade and dependency status in JTR Table 5-37.
Pro-gear (Professional Books, Papers & Equipment — PBP&E) weight authorized under JTR par. 051304 is separate from and in addition to the base HHG allowance. Excess-weight charges for government-procured moves are set in JTR par. 051306 and Table 5-36 — any weight above the authorized allowance is billed to the member at the commercial rate.
JTR Chapter 5, Table 5-37 · par. 051304 (PBP&E) · par. 051306, Table 5-36 (excess weight)
Dual-military and dependency rules
Per JTR par. 051402-F and Table 5-38, dual-military couples residing jointly share a single administrative weight allowance based on the higher-ranking member's grade; if they reside separately at different duty stations, each member is authorized an individual allowance. Each member is always individually authorized PBP&E up to 2,000 lbs, unaccompanied baggage, required medical equipment, and gun safes.
Dependency status (with or without dependents in DEERS) determines which column of Table 5-37 applies. Dependency changes must be recorded in DEERS before the allowance reflects the change.
JTR par. 051402-F, Table 5-37, Table 5-38
Source & references
- Primary source
- Joint Travel Regulations (JTR), Chapter 5, Table 5-37 — view official publication
- Regulatory reference
- JTR Table 5-37 · par. 051304, 051306, 051402-F · Tables 5-36, 5-38
- Effective date
- Current JTR as of APR 2026
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.
Keep going
Now calculate
REF: JTR Table 5-37, Maximum HHG Weight Allowances, effective Current as of APR 2026
Joint Travel Regulations (JTR), Chapter 5
Results are estimates. Always verify with your finance office.