PCS to Hawaii Checklist: Housing, Vehicles, Pets and Household Goods
Orders to Hawaii are exciting, but a PCS to the islands has more moving parts than a move between mainland bases. Your household goods and car travel by ship, your pets must meet Hawaii’s rabies rules and base housing often has a waitlist. Use this checklist to keep everything on track, starting several months before you report.
4 to 6 Months Before You Report
- Start pet paperwork now: Dogs and cats need two rabies vaccinations, a microchip and a passing FAVN rabies blood test, followed by a 30-day wait before arrival, to qualify for Hawaii’s 5 Day or Less program or direct release at the Honolulu airport. Labs have been taking one to two months to return results, so this is the step that most often delays families.
- Connect with your sponsor: Ask about neighborhoods, commute times and what fits in local homes.
- Decide on your vehicles: PCS orders to Hawaii generally cover shipping one vehicle through a government Vehicle Processing Center. Ask your transportation office what your orders authorize. If you plan to ship a second car yourself, Matson offers a $100 active-duty discount.
2 to 3 Months Before
- Apply for housing: Marines and sailors headed to Kaneohe Bay can send an advance application on form DD 1746. Army families are placed on the Island Palm Communities waitlist based on their sign-out date.
- Plan your household goods: Oahu homes are often smaller than mainland homes, and bases recommend non-temporary storage at your current duty station for extra furniture and cold-weather clothes.
- Prepare your car: Hawaii safety inspections are strict about window tint, aftermarket lights, cracked windshields and worn tires. Fix these before the car ships.
1 Month Before
- Submit pet documents: Send your pet’s import form, vaccination certificates and health certificate so they arrive at least 10 days before your flight. On-time paperwork keeps the direct-release fee at $185 instead of $244.
- Book temporary lodging: Plan for a few weeks of lodging while you wait for housing and your shipment.
- Pack a hold-baggage kit: Bring clothes, documents and essentials for the weeks your household goods are on the water.
Your First Week in Hawaii
- Check in with housing: Army families must report to the housing office within seven workdays of reporting, even if they plan to live off post. Marine Corps families must check in with the MCBH Family Housing Office before signing any off-base lease, or risk losing Temporary Lodging Allowance.
- Track your vehicle: Pick it up as soon as it is available, then get a Hawaii safety inspection and complete registration.
- Schedule delivery: Set a delivery date for your household goods once you have keys, or keep them in storage until then.
Base Housing Guides
- Army (Schofield Barracks, Fort Shafter): Family housing is managed by Island Palm Communities. Report to the housing office within seven workdays of arriving, even if you plan to live off post. The North Regional Office for Schofield is at 215 Duck Road, 808-275-3700. Enlisted waits typically run up to about a month, longer for officers and in summer. Popular off-post towns include Wahiawa, Mililani and Mililani Mauka.
- Marine Corps (MCBH Kaneohe Bay, Camp H.M. Smith): Apply in advance on form DD 1746 and check in with the Family Housing Office, 808-496-2676, before signing any off-base lease. Nearby towns include Kailua and Kaneohe.
- Navy and Air Force: Families assigned to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam should contact the JBPHH housing office as soon as they have orders. Nearby towns include Aiea, Pearl City and Ewa Beach.
Get Help With Your Hawaii PCS
Move Happy’s military relocation team helps service members with packing, shipping between Hawaii and the mainland, local moves between homes and storage while you wait for housing. Request a free quote to plan your move.
Pet, housing and carrier details are from the Hawaii Department of Agriculture, Military OneSource and Matson as of November 2026. Always confirm entitlements with your transportation office.
