PCS Car Shipping: Moving Your Vehicle on Military Orders (Stateside)

A Permanent Change of Station (PCS) comes with a long to-do list: housing, schools, household goods, report dates. Your car doesn't have to be one more stressful item. Here's how to ship a vehicle between duty stations in the continental U.S.

Note: this guide covers commercial car shipping between stateside locations. For overseas moves, or to find out what your orders authorize and what may be reimbursed, check with your installation's transportation office first.

Your vehicle and a stateside PCS

Many families drive one vehicle to the new duty station and need a way to move the second one. Others can't drive at all because of report dates, a deployment or a spouse moving on a different schedule. Door-to-door car shipping fills that gap.

When to book after you get orders

• As soon as you have your report date, request a quote
• Book 2 to 3 weeks before your preferred pickup date
• Peak PCS season (summer) is the busiest time, so book even earlier then

If your dates change, and with military moves they often do, let us know as early as possible.

Pickup and delivery near bases

Carriers usually can't drive onto installations. Plan to:

• Hand off the car at your off-base home or a nearby accessible location
• Receive it at your new off-base address or an agreed meeting point
• Designate a trusted adult to handle pickup or delivery if you're unavailable

What to have ready

• Vehicle year, make, model and VIN
• Pickup and delivery addresses
• A contact for each end (spouse, friend or yourself)
• Your flexible date range
• Running condition (inoperable vehicles can still ship)

Shipping a second vehicle

The most common military request we get is "one car is driving, the other needs to ship." Tell us both families' schedules and we'll time the delivery to your arrival.

How it works

1. Get a free quote.
2. We assign an FMCSA-verified carrier and verify their insurance.
3. Inspect your car with the driver and sign the Bill of Lading (BOL).
4. Track your car on the way.
5. Inspect it again at delivery.

See the full process. Most PCS moves use open auto transport.