Published October 19, 2026
How long do you have to file your PPM move claim? 45 days after the move is complete. Not 45 business days. Not 45 days from whenever the boxes get unpacked. 45 calendar days, and it is a hard cutoff. Miss it and you risk getting no reimbursement at all, plus having to return any advance you took. The move is the hard part. The paperwork is the part that pays, and it has a deadline.
What the 45 days actually covers
The clock runs from the completed move: the shipment delivered, the truck unloaded, the move done. Some transportation offices phrase the trigger as the start of the move, so confirm the exact date at your counseling session and write it down. Inside those 45 days, everything has to happen: the empty and loaded weight tickets are already in hand, the receipts are collected, the forms are filled, and the settlement packet lands at the transportation office. The office reviews the paperwork and calculates your reimbursement from what you submit. What you do not submit does not get counted.
A note on rates and figures
This site does not publish current DoD reimbursement rates, and this article quotes none. Your incentive payment is based on the Government Constructed Cost for your specific move, which comes from rate tables that change. Get your estimate from your transportation office or the official estimator, not from a blog. Any dollar figures elsewhere on this site are illustrative estimates, not authoritative rates.
What happens if you miss the deadline
2 things, both bad. First, the reimbursement can be denied outright. The 45-day window is the rule the services publish, and a late claim is a claim the office is allowed to refuse. Second, any advance you took comes back. PPM advances are commonly authorized up to 60% of the estimated incentive to cover the upfront costs, and that money is not yours until the claim settles. If no claim settles, finance collects it. There is also a quieter cost: the claim is what documents your moving expenses, and only the profit above those expenses is taxable. No claim means no documented expenses, which is the worst version of the tax math.
The paperwork that has to be ready inside 45 days
DD Form 2278, the application for the move and the counseling checklist. You filled this out before the move; it goes back in the packet now.
Certified empty and loaded weight tickets for each shipment. Empty means the vehicle with a full tank of gas and no people inside. Loaded means the same vehicle, full tank, all of your property aboard, still no people. Net weight is loaded minus empty, and that number is a large part of what you get paid on. The tickets need the weighmaster's signature, the scale name and location, the vehicle or trailer identification, the date, and a legible weight imprint. CAT scales at truck stops issue certified tickets. This is the piece people scramble for after the fact, so get both tickets during the move, not after.
DD Form 1351-2, the travel voucher. Your PPM move certification and expense sheet, with every receipt attached: truck or trailer rental, fuel, tolls, packing materials, hired labor, weight ticket fees. Your PCS orders, any advance paperwork, and rental contracts. The rule on receipts is simple and unforgiving: no receipt, no reimbursement for that expense.
The 45-day plan
Before moving day: counseling done, DD 2278 signed, PPM approved. On moving day: empty weight ticket before anything goes on the truck, loaded ticket after it is full. At delivery: unload, photograph anything damaged for the separate damage claim process, and keep every receipt in a single folder. Within 2 weeks of delivery: assemble the full packet. Then file it with time to spare. Day 44 is not a plan; it is a gamble on office hours, missing signatures, and the one receipt you cannot find.
If you took an advance, watch its settlement window separately. Some finance offices want the advance reconciled on its own timeline, so ask about both dates at counseling and track them independently.
Estimate your payout: Use the PPM move calculator to model your incentive against your actual moving costs, then file the claim inside the 45-day window.
The truck is unloaded. The clock is running. File the packet.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to file my PPM move claim?
45 days after the move is complete. It is a hard cutoff published by the services, so confirm the exact trigger date with your transportation office at counseling.
What happens if I file my PPM claim late?
The reimbursement can be denied, and any advance you received must generally be returned. Treat the deadline as absolute and file early.
What documents do I need for a PPM claim?
DD Form 2278, certified empty and loaded weight tickets for each shipment, DD Form 1351-2, your PPM move certification with all receipts, PCS orders, advance paperwork, and any rental contracts.
How do the weight tickets work for a PPM move?
Weigh the vehicle empty (full tank, no people inside) and loaded (full tank, all property aboard, no people). Net weight is loaded minus empty. Tickets must be certified with the weighmaster's signature, scale name and location, vehicle identification, and date.
Can I get an extension on the PPM filing deadline?
Do not count on one. Confirm the deadline and any local rules with your transportation office, and file with time to spare rather than testing whether an exception exists.
Prefer this by email? Get future guides in your inbox.
Disclaimer: This article is general information, not legal or financial advice. Confirm deadlines and requirements with your transportation office, as service rules change.