Do not ship WASHERS, DRYERS OR REFRIGERATORS -- These items are available in government quarters. If you need these items for your off-post home, the Furnishings Management Office will loan these to you for the duration of your tour or as long as they are needed. There is no cost for these loans. WATER BEDS -- Not authorized in on-post housing and many German homes.

SMALLER ROOMS --Some European houses and apartments have smaller rooms, hallways and staircases than what you are accustomed to stateside. Therefore, you may have trouble fitting extremely large or heavy furniture into your new home.

CLOSET SPACE -- Most German houses don't have built-in closets or cabinets. FMO will loan two wardrobes per sponsor and one for each family member for the duration of your tour here. For some people, these will not be enough. Expect that your new German residence will not have all of the storage you have in your stateside home and plan to bring or purchase shelving units and get creative.

Excess Cost: the minimum of excess cost is approx. $100.00 per hundred pounds over the maximum weight allowances.

Documentation – Keep copies of all documentation related to the shipment and or storage of HHG. Do not pack them in your shipments. It is recommended to hand-carry documentation to new destination.

Don’t forget to inform your transportation office on any changes in your orders or contact information.

Unaccompanied baggage is a government-sponsored shipment that moves by air to your new location and is part of the prescribed weight allowance of Household goods. Usually it is transported by an expedited mode to be available soon after arrival at destination for interim housekeeping pending arrival of the major porting of household goods

Keep in mind:

No furniture items are permitted in unaccompanied baggage.

The garrison’s furnishing management office and lending closets may be able to help you fill your household needs until your furniture and other personal property arrives. 

Your furniture and the remainder of the personal property you'll need during your overseas assignment will go into your personal property shipment. This shipment moves by container ship, and it will be several weeks or months until it arrives at your new assignment.

Keep in mind:

You do not want to take delivery of your personal property until you are in your new, permanent quarters.

When shipping electronic appliances consider the electric power in Europe is different than that of the U.S.

Everything that is left over will need to go into long-term storage (what the government calls non-temporary storage). This storage will be at government expense for the duration of your tour, as long as the total weight of your shipments and storage doesn't exceed your PCS weight allowance. Carefully check that items are in the right shipment before you sign the descriptive inventory form.

Short-term storage: is part of household good transportation. It should not exceed 90 days unless the member requests (in writing) an additional period, Not to exceed  90 days. Of additional storage is not authorized or approved, personnel is financially responsible for the additional storage expense. Civilians personnel are required to contact their servicing MPD order section for additional storage authorization, then provided amended orders to PPPO. 

Complete set of orders with all amendments

Registration

Shipping/storing authorization letter

Lien Holder Letter (if POV is not owned)

Personal and Emergency Contact information

Power of Attorney or Notarized Letter if owner is not turning in

Prior to turn in POV will be inspected and must meet the following requirements

Safe and operable condition

No open recalls

Fuel love must be at ¼ tank of gas or less

Breaks must be 100% operational

POV must meet USDA cleaning requirements.

No cracks or chips on window that may affect safe visual operation or result in additional damage

No leaks

Provide wheel lock key if required

Complete set of keys for all compartments in POV need to be available

Non-factory alarms are disabled.

POV must have EPA and DOT sticker affixed to OV for shipment

For POV transportation upon retirement or separation, the time limit for shipping a POV is the same as for travel and household goods transportation limits, 1 year from the date of retirement/separation with severance pay or 180 days from the date of separation.

NOTE:  Members electing to retire/separate in the overseas area are subject to the import/customs fees of the host Government.  Some fees have been known to be extremely high.  Contact your local PPSO/Personal Property Processing Office (PPPO) for additional information.

Only one POV owned or leased by you or your dependent and for your personal use may be shipped to your new duty station at government expense.

Transportation of one POV at government expense is not to exceed 20 measurement tons

Personnel is responsible for ensuring their POC does not have an unresolved “Recall Notice”.

Personnel may be eligible to store POV and should check with local transportation office