PCS weight limits are one of the military’s most frustrating games. The rules seem clear. Each rank gets a set weight allowance, go over and you pay. Simple, right?
Wrong.
Because every seasoned spouse knows the numbers never add up. One move, your household goods weigh 10,000 pounds. Next move? Same furniture, same appliances, same kids, somehow you’re at 12,500.
So what’s the real trick? How do seasoned spouses “lose” thousands of pounds without downsizing a thing? It’s not magic. It’s strategy, loopholes, and playing the system better than it plays you.
The lie we all tell ourselves
Every PCS starts the same way. You swear this time will be different. This time, you’re going to declutter. You’ll be ruthless with the junk drawer. You’ll finally toss that box labeled “Random Cords and ???” that you’ve been moving since Okinawa.
Except you don’t.
Because the reality of pre-move purging is that it takes time and energy you do not have. You are already drowning in out-processing paperwork, school transfers, and figuring out which base housing horror stories are true.
So instead of spending hours deciding which set of sheets sparks joy, you start looking for ways to cut weight without actually getting rid of anything.
Loopholes that work in your favor
The military exempts professional books, papers, and equipment (aka pro-gear) from your total weight. And guess what? Spouses get 500 pounds of their own.
So in addition to your spouse’s official gear, if you work from home, teach, or own any books even remotely tied to a profession, they count. A stack of cookbooks? Culinary reference materials. That expensive Cricut machine? Tools of the trade.
Separate out everything ahead of your move and tell them it’s pro-gear. Be prepared to explain what that means and maybe, if you’re feeling a little feisty, have the regulation on hand. Active duty service members are entitled to a whopping 2,000 pounds of pro-gear. (The specifics can be found in the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR) Chapter 5, paragraph 054309, and the Defense Transportation Regulation (DTR) Part IV, Appendix K1, pages 9–10. You know, just in case you were wondering.)
Storage vs. shipment
Not everything you own has to go on the truck. If you’re moving OCONUS or to a duty station where your housing situation is drastically different, you may be eligible for non-temporary storage (NTS). This is a military-provided storage option for items you won’t need at your new location. The best part is it doesn’t count toward your PCS weight allowance.
Think of it as a strategic dump zone. If you’re moving somewhere without space for that sectional sofa or your massive, stateside-only washer and dryer, don’t drag them across the world. Let them sit in storage until your next move. The military covers the cost, and your weight total drops.
HHG vs. UAB
If you’re moving OCONUS, you’re entitled to two separate shipments: household goods (HHG) and unaccompanied baggage (UAB). HHG is the big shipment that takes months to arrive, but UAB ships separately and gets to you much faster and doesn’t count toward your total PCS weight.
Most people treat UAB like an afterthought, only stuffing it with a few clothes and a coffee maker. That’s a mistake.
UAB has a set weight limit (usually between 500-1,500 pounds, depending on rank and family size), but that’s still up to 1,500 pounds you can move without it touching your HHG total. If you’re smart about it, you can shift your heaviest essentials into UAB, freeing up space in your main shipment.
Load UAB with high-density items like cast iron pans, power tools, and anything small but heavy. Are you taking small kitchen gadgets like air fryers and stand mixers? They should go UAB.
What to do if you still go over
You did everything right. You played the system, packed smart, used every loophole available and somehow, your HHG shipment still came in over your weight allowance. Now what?
First, do not assume the number is accurate. Movers more often than not round up. Before you panic, ask to see the weight tickets. You have the right to review them, and if anything looks off, request a reweigh. This must be done before your shipment is delivered, so act fast.
If the reweigh doesn’t go in your favor, your next move is to check for exceptions. Some duty stations have increased weight allowances due to location-specific challenges. Large families sometimes qualify for a higher cap. Your local transportation office can confirm if any of these apply to you, and if they do, that extra weight could mean the difference between staying under or paying a hefty fine.
If no exceptions apply, it’s time to get strategic. If you’re only slightly over, it may be cheaper to mail a few boxes separately than to pay an overage fee.
But if you’re way over the limit and have no choice but to cut weight, be smart about what you offload. Check local Buy Nothing groups or PCS sales pages to see if someone else could use the items you don’t need to bring.
At the end of the day, PCS weight limits are a game and now you know how to play it. The system isn’t set up in your favor, but that doesn’t mean you have to lose.