A PCS move has a constraint most civilian relocations do not: the date is set by someone else, and it can change. Planning a vehicle shipment around a report date that may move twice before you leave is the actual problem, and it is more about flexibility than about trucks.
The other thing worth saying plainly: this is a commercial shipment you arrange and pay for. It is separate from anything moved through the Defense Personal Property Program, and it is not a substitute for a POV shipment arranged through the government. What it is good for is the second vehicle, a vehicle going somewhere your orders do not cover, or a move you would rather control yourself.
Booking around orders that can move
The scheduling approach matters more than anything else here:
- Book on your best current date and tell us it may move. A shipment flagged as PCS at booking is treated as movable from the start.
- Give a three-day pickup window rather than a single date. It widens the pool of carriers and absorbs a slipped date without a rebooking.
- Aim to arrive two or three days before your report date, not the same morning.
- Tell us as early as you can when a date changes. Before dispatch it is straightforward; after a carrier is assigned it means a rebooking.
- Expedited service exists for when orders move the wrong way and the date becomes immovable.
- Summer is peak PCS season, roughly May through August, and capacity on base-adjacent lanes tightens accordingly. Book earlier in those months.
Delivery to or near a base
Base access is the detail that surprises people most often:
- A commercial carrier without base credentials cannot drive onto an installation. This is normal and not a carrier failing.
- Delivery is arranged just outside the gate or at a nearby commercial lot, agreed with you in advance.
- If you are living on base, plan for how you will get to the meeting point.
- Where you are deploying rather than relocating, name a receiving contact with power to inspect and sign the Bill of Lading on your behalf.
- Overseas assignments: we move vehicles to and from a port within the lower 48. The ocean leg is a separate arrangement, and we will be clear about where our part ends.
Paperwork and practicalities
Straightforward, but worth having ready:
- Proof of ownership or a lien holder's authorization if the vehicle is financed.
- Your name and your receiving contact's name on the order, with phone numbers that will be answered.
- Current registration and insurance, which stay your responsibility throughout.
- A copy of your orders is not something we require, but it helps us understand the timing constraints if you want to share the dates.
- Ask about a military rate when you request the quote. We would rather you ask than assume.
Preparing the vehicle
The usual preparation, plus two things specific to a PCS:
- Wash it and photograph every panel, dated, before pickup. You may not be the person receiving it.
- Leave about a quarter tank of fuel and remove toll transponders and base decals you do not want travelling.
- Clear personal items beyond the roughly 100 lb trunk allowance, which is not covered by cargo insurance.
- Brief your receiving contact on the delivery inspection. A signed clean Bill of Lading is very hard to reopen, and they are signing on your behalf.
- Keep one set of keys with the vehicle and one with you. Do not send both.
Questions about military PCS car shipping
Is this the same as a government POV shipment?
No. This is a commercial shipment you arrange and pay for directly, separate from anything moved through the Defense Personal Property Program. It is most useful for a second vehicle, a vehicle going somewhere your orders do not cover, or a move you would rather control yourself.
What happens if my report date changes?
Tell us as soon as you know. Before a carrier is dispatched, changing the date is straightforward. After dispatch it means a rebooking, which is why we ask you to flag a PCS move at booking and to give a pickup window rather than a single day.
Can the truck deliver on base?
Almost never. A commercial carrier without base credentials cannot come through the gate. Delivery is arranged just outside or at a nearby commercial lot, agreed with you in advance, so plan how you will get there.
Do you offer a military rate?
Ask when you request the quote. We would rather you ask directly than assume one way or the other, and we will tell you plainly what is available on your lane.
Related services
Where we ship
This service runs on every lane we cover. These are the states and routes people ask about most:
Before you book
What documents do you need to ship a car?
For a domestic move from a home address, you usually need no title or registration paperwork at all, just the keys and someone to hand over the car.
How long does car shipping take?
Pickup usually happens within a window of a few days of your first available date, often sooner on busy lanes.
Ready when you are
Send the route and we will price it properly.
A written quote, a vetted carrier and confirmed insurance. Nothing is charged until a driver is booked.