Vehicle expenses are one of the largest single expenses categories your family should consider when preparing for — and budgeting for — your PCS to Germany. I’ll explain what they are and how to prepare. https://blog.ahrn.com/budgeting-for-your-pcs-to-germany-your-vehicle Be sure to bring the appropriate car seat/booster seat (if your child/children weigh(s) more than 48 lbs.) Budget for those repairs now, before you PCS, and it’ll save your family money down the line. Overall, it cost us about $1500 to prepare and ship our 2 cats. Cash is King! Pricing to ship a sedan or regular SUV to Germany ranges from $781 to $1,000. Pricing will depend on the year/make/model of your car, the departure shipping port, and whether you need us to pick up your car or if you want to drop it off at the shipping port. NEED HOUSING with over 50,000 listings you're sure to find the perfect home for you and your family. Once we arrived on island, we went ahead and bought 2 older cars from the lemon lot on base. b. Attach the provided temporary tags to your vehicle.. When you ship a car as part of a PCS or OCONUS move, you need to make sure you follow regulations to the letter. Dogs - can be hard to find a place off … You can purchase transformers to convert the electricity, but it is not a perfect system and daily use will often ruin your appliances. © 2021 JumpCrew, LLC. Does anyone know if there is a limit on how old your car can be to ship it to Germany? PCS to Germany: You arrived! You can find Melissa on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Bloglovin’, LinkedIn, and Google+. Germans are some of the kindest people I’ve ever met. Have your service member look up the practice tests on JKO/AKO. All your paperwork must be completed correctly in order to fly. That means all the shops are closed, as well as most restaurants. The only items they’ll ship inside the vehicle are those items that are directly useful in the case of an emergency (spare tire, tire iron, first aid kit, etc.). Getting those official order in hand always seems to take forever and then there is a flood of emotions, questions, and concerns about the upcoming PCS overseas. If you are bringing a new car/vehicle into Germany you'll probably to pay the 19% German VAT within days of buying the car. Bring shipping documents, orders, stateside registration or vehicle title, your ID card and USAREUR license, proof of car insurance and $35 (credit card, check and money order accepted) to Vehicle Registration. If you forget it, you could incur unnecessary PCS expenses. Finally, each vehicle you own in Germany has to be registered there. It is truly an amazing adventure, so get out of your comfort zone and enjoy your time abroad! xwiredawgx. There are horror stories of people buying a lemon (a car that doesn’t work well after purchase) and with the mandatory base housing rule, we may only need one car anyway. Be sure to study the signs, “right of way,” and speed limits. Take a look through our LIFE page to learn more about living in Germany and visit the following websites to get a little insight into your new home. Relevance. Just something to prepare yourself for and think about. Clean restrooms = euro, yep, that’s right, you have to pay to use the restroom. A Service member’s PCS order typically remains in effect until receipt of a new PCS order. Shipping car during PCS to Germany? Festivals still take place and tourist attractions are open, but if you need to go shopping or buy groceries, you’ll have to visit the base commissary and PX. Does anyone know if there is a limit on how old your car can be to ship it to Germany? Exchange New Car Sales. Answer Save. Before the flight, you need to make sure all vaccinations are up to date and you must have a 10-day health certificate with the USDA stamp (easy to get at a military vet). Reply. The roads and parking spots are narrow in Europe, the parking garages have low overheads and you won’t see larger vehicles, which puts more attention on that fact that you are an American. The MWR Bid Lot is a great opportunity to bid on hoopties that have been donated to the MWR Auto Skills Center. Make sure you carry your title or other proof of ownership paperwork in your PCS binder. The military will only pay for one vehicle. I purchased a ton of Sterilite containers (size of a shoe box) and sorted everything from my craft supplies to our tools, art supplies, and junk drawers. I was so excited, but I had a son who was 18 months old, a dog, and a cat. It’s also best to leave over-sized furniture because Europeans live small and those items may not fit (12-person dining table, canopy king size bed frame, etc). There are a few circumstances where this can’t be avoided like a … So many military families have furry members of the family. See the JTR, par. Restrictions will also be lifted for entry from South Korea, China and Japan if this can be agreed on a reciprocal basis. Medical/Dental – Tip: Get Medication refills too so not to run out during a PCS move. We are right there with you. At least a couple weeks before the “pack out” date, I start to organize all of my items together. Tires: Tires must have a minimum of one millimeter (1 mm) depth over the entire tread and are required to be the sizes recommended by the manufacturer and Hoopties are usually high-mileage, German-specification vehicles that get cycled and recycled through the overseas military community. Sometimes that is just the name of the game, but as a military families we all work really hard to make smart financial decisions, like saving money on base.There are some great ways you can prepare to avoid costly financial pitfalls of a PCS as well. But there are some regulations that you need to know about. It’s a game of Tetris with your personal belongings. It has blossomed into a “one-stop shop” for all the information you are craving. xwiredawgx. All rights reserved. We will calculate your BAH, match your Housing Profile with available listings and connect you to all relevant Moving Tools & Resources! Travel has not been banned, but an appeal issued to refrain from non-essential trips. BONUS tip: if you end up getting off post housing, you’ll get a stipend to buy items. We answer all your questions about PCSing to Germany with a car in our guide! Want to tag on an extra night to catch up with old friends en route? Restrictions will also be lifted for entry from South Korea, China and Japan if this can be agreed on a reciprocal basis. Reply. Facebook is so much more than connecting with friends. That’s the bulk of what you need to know to prepare for your move to Germany. We work with the best car rental companies in Germany, bringing you discount car rental rates and a wide variety of car rental classes including economy, compact, midsize, full-size, convertible, van, luxury, full size and SUV rentals. Don’t be us. Sunday is a day of rest and Germans take this very seriously. I was able to find photos of what the housing looked like, connect with other moving families, find out where the best pet-friendly hotels were, and read questions from other families arriving. Make sure you always have euro on hand and that you keep enough to pay for almost anything. Owning a vehicle in Germany is a big responsibility and an even bigger convenience! I don't know about Germany but I recently had a friend PCS back to the States from Okinawa, Japan (our DHs are in the Marines). A basic parking card costs a dollar or two, and a nice plastic card costs around €5. Your spouse will be required to attend a Levy brief. Also, children must be over 12 years old to ride in the front seat. Use this time to purge, have a garage sale and decide what you want to bring. 050205-B) Note: The rates and costs in this example may not be current and are for illustrative purposes only. Favorite Answer. However, many Americans will actually ship two vehicles during their PCS to Germany. Depending upon the car, it may or may not be worth it. You’ll still need your stateside license to be valid, but European road signs, speed limits, and the driving etiquette are different. Once you get settled in your German duty station, having transportation is a big perk for soldiers and for spouses. by Susan Melnyk. Body damage: If your car has severe body damage it will not be allowed on the road. It’s wise to budget for any small repair work on your vehicle before leaving the U.S.A., since repair work on U.S.-specification vehicles overseas is more expensive than the same work done stateside. If they cannot give you housing within the 60-day window, then you will be given OHA (overseas housing allowance) and can look off post. Even if your travel office refuses to book you on a Lufthansa flight, it would be worth flying separately or asking a family member to help. Moving overseas can be stressful, but knowing what to expect – especially where expenses are concerned— can help you manage your family’s budget. Why You Should Say Yes To A PCS To Germany – Soldier’s Wife, Crazy Life. Generally, US military members will have their first POV shipped to Germany by the military. The questions circled day and night. We have one cat and one dog. Certain breeds of dogs are not allowed entry into Germany. If you want to ship a second, it's on your dime. So, you’ve got your orders, the movers are scheduled and you’re starting to get excited (or jittery) about your PCS. Frequently Asked Questions > Temporary Lodging Allowance (TLA) Temporary Lodging Allowance (TLA) Frequently Asked Questions Updated: 12 MAY 2020. This allows you to insert a new SIM card once you reach Germany. With more than 30,000 vehicles inspected each year, our goal is to ensure POVs are maintained and operated in accordance with USAREUR Reg 190-1.You may be asked to replace, repair, or clean an … Oops! We easily covered over 15 countries in our 2.5-year tour. Everything is organized and ready to go on a shelf or into a cabinet. There is endless … It’s expensive to PCS with pets OCONUS (and sometimes even CONUS). You can choose to have a contract with an European carrier, we used Deutsch T-Mobile (different than the US version). Click here or call 1-800-518-8708 to get a free, no obligation to buy price quote to ship your car. Before shipping your POV, you should consider the following: a. Hopefully, you’ve been getting organized and going through all of your items to purge, donate or sell. She took everything she had (living room set, beds, dressers, kitchen table etc....) They did not take their car however, they bought one there and sold it before coming back here. Looking to ship an extra car? There is nothing like the bond over the stress of moving. You place your parking time card in your dashboard so that it’ visible to the Polizei, stating what time you initially parked your vehicle in the spot. Relevance. If flying your pets is cost prohibitive, start talking to family members to see if anyone would be willing to take them during the time you are stationed in Germany. But they’re our family members. That could exceed your daily food allowance. Check out MILLIE’s PCSing step-by-step action plan. Be sure to check for traveling groups in that area, buy/sell/trade groups, and parent support group for those with children. Sunday’s are Quiet Days. Military Interstate Children’s Compact: Know Before You Go, How Was Germany Affected by the First World War, Tips and Tricks to Finding a Job Overseas, 7 Things That Changes When You Live Abroad, 11 Genius Cooking Hacks I Wish I Had Known Earlier in Life, The Elites Have Set the Stage For the Greatest Economic Crisis In Modern History. There are so many hidden costs associated with PCS moves, and unfortunately, you may never see reimbursement from the military. AAFES, through its Exchange New Car Sales and the Military Advantage Program, offers military members serving outside of the 50 United States the ability to purchase a Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Ford, Lincoln or Harley-Davidson with special discounts, rebates and consumer protections.It's the only on-base, factory authorized distribution of American made vehicles, … Need a new muffler? And you ship through the same folks as your POV. It’s recommended to have split box springs if you have a king size bed. 053712 and FTR §302-11.21-23 for more detailed information on PCS time limits. The vehicle that you’ll ship overseas must be completely empty and very clean when you deliver it to port. What’s included and what do we have to cover out of pocket? Sell/Donate: Car 220 volt items Dispose of hazardous materials, cleaning supplies, liquids etc. If you joined those buy/sell/trade groups, you’ll see plenty of people posting when it is time to PCS. Shipping a Car to Germany Is Cheaper If You Meet Certain Criteria. We’ve seen everything from creating “bundles” with linens and packing paper to a box with items for 5 different rooms! However, they are direct, and this can make some people uncomfortable. We were frantic! Anything small needs to go inside a small Tupperware or baggie. Another small expense to account for in your vehicle budget is a parking time card. Get an idea of the cost of items. ... We did buy a car there, took the driving test and did manage to avoid any tickets. You should also make sure that you’ve removed all personal effects from the vehicle. Shipping cars, can we send one or two? When you ship a car as part of a PCS or OCONUS move, you need to make sure you follow regulations to the letter. I don't know about Germany but I recently had a friend PCS back to the States from Okinawa, Japan (our DHs are in the Marines). The time limit may be extended for an additional year if the delay was beyond the employee’s control and is acceptable to the Agency. But if you follow our checklist, your PCS to Germany will be smooth sailing! The cameras are hidden well and are often just as the speed decreases. The Lufthansa carrier is amazing with animals and their fees are some of the lowest across all the airlines for international travel. She took everything she had (living room set, beds, dressers, kitchen table etc....) They did not take their car however, they bought one there and sold it before coming back here. The 86th Vehicle Readiness Squadron Privately Owned Vehicle Inspection Center on Kapaun Air Station provides a free POV mechanical inspection to the Kaiserslautern Military Community. We ended up living off post. U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz is implementing precautionary measures for the health protection of our community. Plan on about $2500 to ship a car. Next up: shipping a car overseas… Because the military will probably only pay for your family to ship one vehicle overseas, you’ll need to make decisions about any other vehicles you own. How Many Cars to Ship: Ask around at the particular base you are heading to, but chances are, most people will say to not even bother bringing that second car. Car Seats German Law and USAFE Instruction 31-202 (see more from AFI excerpt below), require children under 12 years of age and under 4' 11" to be in a car/booster seat. Now you need to decide what to include in an express shipment and what to send to storage. In most cases, lower enlisted and geo-bachelors must live in on-post housing. cheap hotels in san diego near the beach. In this post, we lay out the basics of military car shipping and explain how getting your POV to your next duty station will work. Oma will tell you to put more clothes on your baby, Opa will stare at you with your flip flops in spring and your neighbors might be a bit too nosy. Moving to Germany is something that happens to “other military families.” Just like I never thought I would marry a soldier, I never thought we’d get stationed overseas – even though it was a dream of mine to live in Europe. I hope that this post helps your family understand what to expect — and how to budget  — for vehicle ownership overseas. Why You Should Say Yes To A PCS To Germany – Soldier’s Wife, Crazy Life. The 86th Vehicle Readiness Squadron Privately Owned Vehicle Inspection Center on Kapaun Air Station provides a free POV mechanical inspection to the Kaiserslautern Military Community. I remember feeling the exact same way when I found out we were going to Stuttgart, Germany. Our registration costs were approximately $40 per vehicle, and the entire process was handled on-post. cheap hotels in san diego near the beach says: August 15, 2015 at 11:56 pm. Keep in mind, PCS'ing to Ramstein comes with a lot of “up front” costs, so be sure to have 3-6 months of your base pay saved for security deposits and other registration fees that are required up front. Typically, a crew will come and package everything in your house and then a truck will arrive with large wooden crates. We may or may not have had to run to the ATM because a restaurant didn’t accept a debit or credit card. Ship one or two vehicles. We recommend that you obtain a German translation of your car’s registration documentation. One of the major perks of moving to Germany is being able to travel! When we arrived in Baltimore to ship the vehicle, we realized we didn’t have its title with us. Once you have a passing score, you can get your official license and you are ready to drive! Because the car we sold before our PCS was high mileage already, selling it didn’t cost us anything. Once you pass the written exam at Building 301 (where you will also have your car inspected), you will receive a license that is only valid if your U.S. driver’s license is current. March 18, 2015 by AHRN Blog Team Leave a Comment. Research the housing rules, what type of housing you qualify and if you are able to live … So far, so good. Please visit our … Lauren You also need an appropriate crate size and type. The military will pay to ship one vehicle. POV stands for Privately Owned Vehicle. b. First, congratulate yourself – you survived. Lv 4. 1 decade ago. If your car is registered within the EU. This is a tough choice! I’ll cover more on the different shipments below. Research the housing rules, what type of housing you qualify and if you are able to live “on the economy” or off post. Thanks in advance. Find Germany Car Rentals. Even things like car chargers for your phone or GPS unit must be removed. We absolutely loved the experience, but it comes with many factors such as dealing with utilities, not living on a secure base and being truly immersed in the culture. Pricing will depend on the year/make/model of your car, the departure shipping port, and whether you need us to pick up your car or if you want to drop it off at the shipping port. 6 — Housing. Answer Save. AHRN.com reached out to military spouse blogger Melissa Gilliam Shaw to share her experiences budgeting for personal vehicle expenses in Germany. TIP: Speed cameras are everywhere in Europe. There were a plethora to choose from and they even had a specific group for those of us moving to Stuttgart. If you plan to drive in Germany, your U.S. driver’s license cannot be expired. This is provided free of charge with a copy of orders for service members and their families. Another option is purchasing a pre-paid phone and doing the “pay as you go”. 4 months will go by super fast. Usually, around 70 cents euro and you’ll get a 50-cent voucher in return. Travel has not been banned, but an appeal issued to refrain from non-essential trips. 3 Answers. A compact car measures approximately 9 MT, and a full size car about 15MT. We had to pay for expedited processing and overnight shipping of a replacement title from the license office in my husband’s home state. Europe uses 220v electricity and you’ll overheat your items if you plug them in directly. It is easy to find 220v items when you arrive. I even ended up starting my own blog and website to help others (like you) to get the most out of your adventure in Germany. I’m still close with my neighbors and the parents in my son’s kindi (preschool). Many German parking spaces have posted maximum time limits. POV’s & Driving in Germany 1. AHRN is a registered trademark. Budgeting For Your PCS To Germany: Traveling With A Pet, Budgeting For Your PCS To Germany: Adapting To EU Utilities. This means you won’t have a contract to deal with, which can be a pain to cancel. Melissa’s husband is an officer in the Army, and they live in Germany with their daughter and their scruffy rescue dog who still hasn’t forgiven them for making her fly cargo from the U.S.A. to Germany. We scored a reliable, late model BMW with no bells or whistles (read: the heat doesn’t usually work and there’s no A/C) for less than $2,000 from the MWR Bid Lot. When your vehicle is ready to ship, you’ll need to deliver it to the nearest port. Do everything you can to prepare yourself. You will also need to pay off your phone (if you are paying monthly). And thanks to USAA’s multiple-vehicle auto insurance discount, our annual auto insurance actually fell when we bought the BMW, making it cheaper to own two vehicles than to own just one. She is a mother of one little boy, a licensed special education teacher and a MILLIE Scout. We accidentally left our vehicle title in our filing cabinet when our household goods were picked up in Colorado. I’ll also give you a few tips about German culture. Favorite Answer. What would we do about our house? All of your items will be placed in these crates and they will be sealed for their shipment overseas. After living around the Globe, including a recent move to Germany, she started a family travel blog to encourage other families to travel. With more than 30,000 vehicles inspected each year, our goal is to ensure POVs are maintained and operated in accordance with USAREUR Reg 190-1.You may be asked to replace, repair, or clean an POV’s & Driving in Germany The fines aren’t overly expensive (around 20 euros) and we all joke that we have a separate budget for the letters that arrive in the mail every few months. When we found out we were moving to Stuttgart, Germany, I jumped onto my laptop and did a quick search on Facebook for groups in Stuttgart. You are moving to a beautiful country full of amazing culture, food, and a difficult language. Thanks in advance. to the Reuse Warehouse on Panzer Kaserne (across from the commissary) or to Self Help. Overseas moves are different than continental moves in a few ways; we will cover those in more detail below. Lv 4. Duolingo is a favorite app and it is broken up into short segments of leaning each day. 1 decade ago. Check with the individual airline. With an overseas more, you’ll have a few different shipments. 3 Answers. You can avoid paying import duties to Germany if you meet the following requirements and restrictions… You … We had the military ship the newer of our two vehicles to Germany, and we took the older vehicle to CarMax for a quick-and-easy resale. If you will be in Germany for longer than six months you will need to organise registration and car taxes. Preparing for an OCONUS PCS? We spent over 60 days in temporary lodging before moving into our home in a small town in Southern Germany. You’ll need your proof of ownership for your vehicle when you deliver it to port. Germany has lifted entry restrictions for travelers coming from the following countries: Australia, Georgia, Canada, New Zealand, Thailand, Tunisia and Uruguay. Card Holders. As long as your car is registered in another EU country, you can drive it in Germany for up to six months. The actual rules for TLA are in the Department of Defense Financial Management Regulation (DoD FMR), Volume 7A, Chapter 68 at paragraphs 6804 through 6806.. As always, it is recommended that you read the actual regulation as … Our OCONUS PCS. It’s a moving expense and a tax write-off! Has your windshield seen better days? If you do a google search, you’ll see “United operated by Lufthansa”. Expect these measures to impact normal day-to-day operations across Kaiserslautern and Baumholder communities. Shipping car during PCS to Germany? Generally you are moved from where you are currently stationed to a new military base. Your basic expenses for transporting the vehicle to port will be reimbursed by the military, but it’s possible that you’ll incur additional, non-reimbursable expenses as well. Your service member will need to create a separate account on JKO/AKO for you in order for you to also take the test. The next few weeks will be full of orientations, house hunting, local exploration, job searching, lack of sleep, and boredom. Once you have orders, call your provider and ask to have your phone unlocked. If you are PCSing to Germany, try your best to get a flight operated by Lufthansa. Chelsea Sipe is a military spouse and previous military dependent with over 33 years of military moving experience. Service Member PCS Travel Time Computation when Travel is by Mixed Mode - POV Travel Distance Less than Official Distance, Three Modes (JTR, par. Check it out at packmoreintolife.com. You can also take the official test online (up to 30 days before you arrive). If you’ve used your resources, you should have an idea of the housing sizing and what extra furniture may not fit. The better organized you are, the better. Tip: Check off as many Bucket List items as you can before you leave! German law requires all vehicles to carry a safety kit and a safety vest in the cabin at all time. Take your time and then take the test. We started doing our research in preparation for moving to Germany and it was a toss-up. I think both of are cars are 2001, ha, but they run really well and buying a car overseas is a temporary thing so most people buy an older used car. Car - the gov't will ship one POV. Traveling to Germany: What you need to know about coronavirus restrictions Germany is in a strict lockdown. Unless you have the time and supplies to detail the vehicle yourself, you’ll want to budget for the expenses related to deep-cleaning the vehicle before you move. Anytime you have an OCONUS move (Outside Continental United States), your household goods will be boxed and then crated. Sorry, you can’t drive in Germany with your stateside license! If this is you, take a breath, I’m here to help you! Trans Global Auto Logistics is the best company to use, hands down. Military OneSource makes it easy to connect with experts for immediate moving help, access powerful planning tools and get proven, practical moving information and resources on things like permanent change of station, staying safe while moving during COVID-19 and more. So, keep your change in your pockets during rest stops. AAFES sells German safety kits and safety vests at gas stations. You’ll learn how much “per diem” you’ll receive for lodging/food/expenses (varies by family size), how to schedule your HHG (household goods) shipment/express shipment, how to ship your vehicle (one is included), and how to schedule your overseas flights. Moving overseas can easily be overwhelming, so it’s best to rely on the many resources on the web and within the military. If your family will be forced to sell a higher-value, lower-mileage vehicle, you may want to account for that loss in your family’s PCS budget. It costs a lot, is a hassle to ship and is often really hard and expensive to get American spec cars worked on in Germany. Feel free to reach out to me on social media with any further questions or find me here at MILLIE! If you want to jazz it up, add some labels too. Auto Skills fixes the cars up and makes them available for bid to U.S. I.D. I’ve PCS’d over 10 times thanks to my husband’s — and my father’s — time in the service. Your email address will not be published. In this post, we lay out the basics of military car shipping and explain how getting your POV to your next duty station will work. Most installations have a Hoopty Lot where families put their vehicles up for sale, and many posts also have an MWR Hoopty Bid Lot. AAFES, through its Exchange New Car Sales and the Military Advantage Program, offers military members serving outside of the 50 United States the ability to purchase a Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Ford, Lincoln or Harley-Davidson with special discounts, rebates and consumer protections.It's the only on-base, factory authorized distribution of American made vehicles, … They are offered at least once per month and this brief is FULL of all the information you need to answer all your burning questions. Pricing to ship a sedan or regular SUV to Germany ranges from $781 to $1,000. I even met one of my best friends on that page! Expedia.com makes it easy for you to book your next Germany car rental. Moving a car/vehicle from one country to another within the EU is, as would be expected, somewhat easier than importing a non-EU vehicle.