PPM Calculator: How Much You'll Really Make on a DITY Move

What a PPM (DITY) move actually is

A Personally Procured Move — the official name for what most people still call a DITY — means you arrange your own move instead of letting the government hire a contractor. You handle the truck, the boxes, and the driving (or you pay a container service to do part of it), and the government reimburses you for what it would have spent to move you. Come in under that amount and the difference is yours. For the full step-by-step — eligibility, paperwork, and pack-out — our complete DITY move guide walks through the whole process. This page stays locked on one thing: the money.

How PPM reimbursement works: 100% of GCC

The government pays you based on the Government Constructed Cost, or GCC — what it would have paid a contracted mover to haul your household goods, at your authorized weight, over your distance. For 2026, a member-elected PPM pays 100% of that GCC. Move for less than the GCC and you pocket the gap. Spend more and you eat the difference.

You may have heard about a 130% rate. That was real, but temporary. Between May 15 and September 30, 2025, the DoD bumped reimbursement to 130% of GCC to offset contractor problems during the Global Household Goods Contract rollout. However, that authority expired on September 30, 2025. Moves starting after that date are back to the standard 100%. The rules that govern all of it live in the Joint Travel Regulations, published by the DTMO.

Your weight allowance drives the whole number

Here's the lever most families underestimate: weight. Your GCC is calculated on the lesser of what you actually move or your authorized allowance. As a result, your rank and dependent status set the ceiling on what you can be paid.

Pay grade	With dependents	Without dependents
E-1 to E-3	8,000 lbs	5,000 lbs
E-4	8,000 lbs	7,000 lbs
E-5	9,000 lbs	7,000 lbs
E-6	11,000 lbs	8,000 lbs
E-7	13,000 lbs	11,000 lbs
E-8	14,000 lbs	12,000 lbs
E-9	15,000 lbs	13,000 lbs
O-1 / W-1	12,000 lbs	10,000 lbs
O-2 / W-2	13,500 lbs	12,500 lbs
O-3 / W-3	14,500 lbs	13,000 lbs
O-4 / W-4	17,000 lbs	14,000 lbs
O-5 / W-5	17,500 lbs	16,000 lbs
O-6 to O-10	18,000 lbs	18,000 lbs

Weight allowances from JTR Table 5-37, verified July 2026. Confirm your exact allowance with your transportation office before you schedule.

Pro-gear (PBP&E) sits outside these numbers — 2,000 pounds for the member and 500 pounds for an employed spouse — as long as it's declared and weighed separately. Go over your allowance, though, and the government stops paying at the cap. Every pound above it is on you. Therefore the game is simple: move as much of your allowance as you legitimately can, as cheaply as you can. Run your rank and estimated weight through the PPM calculator on this page to see how the allowance changes your ceiling.

The honest part: only your TMO can give you the exact number

This is where we'll be straight with you in a way most calculators aren't. Nobody outside the government can hand you an exact GCC. The rates that build it come from the Defense Transportation System and the Global Household Goods Contract — carrier pricing that isn't published anywhere the public can see. So every "PPM profit" figure online, including the estimate on this page, is a planning approximation, not a settlement calculation.

Your official number comes from your transportation office through MilMove counseling — and for a member-elected PPM, that pre-approval is required before you move. You can pull a pre-move incentive estimate in MilMove and talk it through with your TO. Use the calculator here to plan, budget, and decide whether a PPM is worth it. Then let your TO confirm the real figure. That workflow is the one that keeps you from banking on a number that turns out to be off — and being upfront about it is exactly why 127,000+ military families across 115+ installations trust our tools.

Getting paid: the three things that trip families up

Reimbursement isn't automatic. Miss one of these and you leave money on the table.

Certified weight tickets (empty and full)

No tickets, no payment. You need certified weight tickets — one empty before loading, one full after — from a certified scale. Most truck stops with a CAT scale will do it for about $15. Skip them and the government falls back to a constructive-weight method that usually pays less. Keep the originals.

You can get up to 60% upfront

You don't have to float the entire move on a credit card. Through your transportation office, you can request an Advance Operating Allowance of up to 60% of your estimated incentive before you move — cash toward the truck, fuel, and supplies. The balance arrives after you file your weight tickets and receipts. Just hit your settlement deadline, or the advance can be recouped straight from your pay.

Mileage uses DTOD, not your odometer

If you drive, your mileage is paid at the 2026 MALT rate of $0.205 per mile for up to two authorized vehicles. Notably, it's calculated on the official Defense Table of Official Distances (DTOD), not the miles on your dash — so the scenic route doesn't pay more. For how MALT stacks with per diem on your travel days, our PCS mileage reimbursement guide breaks it down.

Your PPM profit is taxable: plan for the 22% bite

Here's the one that ambushes first-timers at tax season. Your PPM profit is taxable income. Specifically, DFAS treats the settlement as supplemental wages and withholds a flat 22% for federal tax at payout — no Social Security or Medicare.

The taxable amount is your profit: the GCC payment minus your documented, allowable expenses. Truck rental, fuel and tolls for the rental, packing materials, hired labor, weighing fees — keep every receipt, because any expense you can't document gets taxed as profit. At filing, you reconcile the real numbers, often on Form 3903, per IRS guidance for the Armed Forces. In plain terms: a $6,000 GCC payment is not $6,000 in your pocket. Budget for the withholding, keep clean records, and your net stays realistic.

The mistakes that cost families the most money

• Blowing past your weight allowance. Over the cap, you pay the overage, and it isn't cheap. Purge before pack-out.
• Skipping certified weight tickets. No empty-and-full tickets, no full payment. This is the number one way families lose money.
• Forgetting the profit is taxable. Plan for the 22% withholding so tax season isn't a gut punch.
• Using your odometer instead of DTOD. Mileage pays on official distances — never budget off your dashboard.
• Leaving the expense column blank. Undocumented expenses get taxed as profit. Receipts are money.

Also remember your PPM incentive isn't your only PCS money. DLA, per diem, MALT, and TLE stack on top of it — our PCS entitlements calculator covers those, and together they paint the full picture.

Once you've run your PPM estimate, the next move is a plan for everything else: housing, neighborhoods, schools, and timeline at your next base. Start your free PCS Plan and you'll be paired with a military-connected Ambassador who has done this move themselves. And if buying is on the table at your next duty station, some families roll PPM profit straight into closing costs or a down payment — your free VA Home Loan Snapshot shows what your BAH covers.

PPM Calculator FAQ

How much can you make on a DITY (PPM) move?

It varies with your weight allowance, your distance, and how cheaply you move. Many families net a few thousand dollars on a mid-size move, and larger or longer moves can pay more. Because the exact GCC comes from your transportation office, treat any online figure — including ours — as a planning estimate and confirm it with your TO.

How is PPM reimbursement calculated?

The government pays 100% of the Government Constructed Cost (GCC), which is what it would have paid a contractor to move your authorized weight over your distance. You keep the difference between the GCC and what you actually spend. The temporary 130% rate from summer 2025 expired on September 30, 2025.

Is PPM (DITY) money taxable?

Yes. Your profit is taxable income, and DFAS withholds a flat 22% for federal tax at payout. The taxable amount is the GCC payment minus your documented allowable expenses, so keeping receipts directly lowers your tax.

Do I need weight tickets for a PPM move?

Yes. Certified empty and full weight tickets are required to get paid. Without them, the government uses a constructive-weight method that usually pays less. A CAT scale at most truck stops runs about $15.

Can I get money before the move?

Yes. You can request an Advance Operating Allowance of up to 60% of your estimated incentive through your transportation office. File your final paperwork on time so the advance isn't recouped from your pay.

What weight am I allowed to move?

Your allowance is set by rank and dependent status under JTR Table 5-37 — for example, an E-5 is authorized 7,000 pounds without dependents and 9,000 with. Pro-gear is separate and doesn't count against it. Confirm your exact number with your transportation office.

Key Takeaways

• You keep what you don't spend. A PPM pays 100% of the GCC; move for less and the difference is yours.
• Weight is the biggest lever. Your JTR allowance sets the ceiling, so move as much of it as you legitimately can, as cheaply as you can.
• Only your TMO has the exact number. Every online figure is a planning tool; MilMove counseling produces your official GCC.
• Protect your payment. Certified weight tickets, DTOD mileage, and documented receipts decide whether you keep your profit or lose it.
• Plan for taxes. Budget for the 22% withholding and your net stays honest.

Run the PPM calculator on this page to size up your move, then start your free PCS Plan to line up everything else.