You just got orders to Germany. Maybe you've been here before. Maybe this is your first overseas PCS. Either way, the paperwork, the timelines, and the sheer number of things that can go wrong if you do them out of order can feel overwhelming.
This checklist is built around how things actually work in Germany — not how the briefing slides say they work. It is organized by phase so you can open the section that matches where you are right now and work through it without having to read the whole thing.
Phase 1: When Orders Arrive
Do these within the first 72 hours of receiving orders.
- Read your orders in full — confirm gaining unit, report date, and authorized dependents
- Contact your gaining unit sponsor or S1 immediately
- Schedule your PCS briefing with your losing unit transportation office
- Apply for your no-fee passport (and tourist passport if you do not have one)
- Begin researching on-post vs. off-post housing and current BAH/COLA rates for your gaining installation
- Notify your children's school and request official school records
- Pull all medical and dental records for every family member — Germany requires vaccination documentation
- Check your pet's breed against Germany's restricted breed list if you have a dog
Tip: Your sponsor is supposed to contact you within 30 days of orders being published. If they do not, reach out directly to your gaining unit's rear detachment or S1. Do not wait.
Phase 2: 60–30 Days Before Departure
This window closes faster than you expect. Front-load everything.
- Schedule household goods (HHG) and unaccompanied baggage (UAB) shipments through your transportation office
- Pack your UAB with 30–60 days of essentials — HHG takes 6–12 weeks, UAB takes 3–5 weeks
- Begin pet travel process — requires microchip, rabies vaccination after microchip, and EU pet passport or health certificate. Allow at least 3 months
- Get an International Driving Permit (IDP) from AAA in person. Bring two passport photos
- Set up international banking — USAA, Navy Federal, and Charles Schwab all have zero-fee international ATM options
- Arrange power of attorney for your spouse if needed (SCRA protections, vehicle sales, legal decisions)
- Notify your US bank, credit cards, and subscriptions of your upcoming address change
- Research DoDEA schools near your gaining installation at dodea.edu/europe
- Book temporary lodging (TLA) — Army lodging or approved TLA housing — before you leave the US
- Arrange vehicle shipping if taking a US-spec vehicle. Allow extra time for customs clearance
Important: Certain dog breeds are prohibited in Germany and on US installations — including American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, and Bull Terriers. This is not reversible at the border. Verify your breed before making any travel arrangements.
Tip: Pack a "first night bag" with 3–5 days of essentials for every family member. Plan to live out of it for up to 60 days while waiting for UAB and HHG. Pack it like you are going camping — medications, chargers, comfort items for kids, work uniforms.
Phase 3: Travel Day and First 72 Hours
You are moving. Here is what to do the moment you land.
- Contact your sponsor or gaining unit POC immediately upon landing
- Check into Army lodging or TLA. Keep all receipts — TLA is reimbursed against actual lodging costs
- In-process at your gaining unit S1 within 24–48 hours. Bring orders, ID cards, passports, and all dependents' documents
- Visit the SOFA registration office. SOFA status grants significant legal and financial protections — do not skip this step
- Get a German SIM card or activate an international plan immediately. Without a local number you cannot call landlords, doctors, or German businesses
- Visit Army Community Service (ACS) or the Welcome Center on your installation — they have a checklist for everything
- Do not drive on day one if you are jet-lagged. Most installations have shuttles
Tip: The USO lounge at Frankfurt Airport (FRA) is available to all active duty, Guard, Reserve, and dependents. If you have a layover or delay, it is a safe and comfortable place to wait with your family.
Phase 4: First 30 Days — Getting Mobile and Set Up
Transportation first. Then banking. Then everything else. In that order.
Transportation
- Get a rental car on Day 1 if you did not ship a vehicle. On-post Enterprise and Hertz accept your US license for the first 6 months. Book ahead — availability near bases is limited during PCS season (June–August)
- Get your USAREUR driver's license within 6 months of your report date (not arrival date). A written test on German traffic law is required
- Decide on a vehicle: on-post lots sell US-spec vehicles with easier financing. Off-post German vehicles are cheaper but require a German bank account and more paperwork — the process matters as much as the price
On buying a car in Germany — what nobody tells you before you land:
The lemon lot on post is the first place most families look. Prices seem reasonable until you realize there is no warranty, no inspection requirement, and no recourse when the car that looked fine on the lot needs a new transmission two weeks later. Private sellers — especially families PCSing out — know exactly what the car needs and price it accordingly. You are not getting a deal. You are inheriting their problem.
The part that catches most families off guard is the paperwork. Buying a vehicle in Germany — especially as a SOFA status holder — involves the Zollamt (German customs office) for tax-free purchase approval, TÜV certification (Germany's mandatory vehicle safety inspection), title transfer under German law, and USAREUR registration. Each of these has its own timeline, its own office, and its own way of going wrong if done out of order. Families who try to navigate this alone on week one — jet-lagged, without a German bank account yet, without a local phone number — frequently end up paying more in delays and mistakes than they saved on the purchase price.
Dealers near US bases who specialize in military families handle all of this as part of the sale. Used Car Guys GmbH manages the Zollamt paperwork for your tax-free purchase, guarantees the vehicle passes TÜV before you take delivery, and handles the title correctly under both German law and USAREUR requirements — so you are not chasing paperwork across three different offices in your first week. They carry both US-spec and EU-spec vehicles, and you can reserve a car and start the paperwork before you leave the US, which means you can have transportation sorted before you land rather than scrambling for a rental while you figure it out.
- Get USAREUR vehicle insurance before driving anything off the lot — this is not optional. Your US policy does not cover you in Germany. Minimum required liability is €7.5 million, which is higher than anything you carried stateside but is standard here. American Auto Nation Insurance specializes in coverage for military families buying vehicles in Germany and works directly with the USAREUR registration process. USAA and Armed Forces Insurance also offer compliant policies
Phone and Connectivity
- Buy a German prepaid SIM at any supermarket (Aldi Talk, Congstar, Telekom). No German ID required for prepaid. Bring an unlocked phone
- Start the process for home internet immediately — installation takes 2–4 weeks. Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, and o2 are the main providers
Banking
- Open a German bank account if living off-post. Your landlord will require SEPA transfers — US wire transfers are not accepted for rent. Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank, and N26 all work
- Apply for your SOFA tax exemption card (VAT Form 7600) at your installation SOFA office. Saves 19% on most German purchases. Bring it everywhere
Housing and Registration
- Complete the Übergabeprotokoll (move-in inspection) with your landlord on Day 1. Photograph every imperfection. This protects your deposit at move-out — the most common financial mistake families make in Germany is skipping this step
- Complete the Anmeldung (address registration) at your local Einwohnermeldeamt within 14 days of moving in. Bring your passport, lease, and Wohnungsgeberbestätigung from your landlord. Required by German law — SOFA does not exempt you
Medical and Family
- Register with TRICARE Europe within your first week
- Find an English-speaking doctor and dentist before you need one. Use European Living services directory to find verified providers near your base
- Enroll children in DoDEA school through your installation school office
Daily Life
- Learn the local grocery stores: REWE, Edeka, Kaufland, ALDI, Lidl
- Note that German stores close by 8–10pm and are closed on Sundays. Plan your weekly shopping accordingly
Important: The Anmeldung deadline is 14 days after moving into your off-post address. Missing it is a fineable offense. Your landlord must provide a Wohnungsgeberbestätigung form — request it before you sign the lease.
Tip: Getting mobile is the single biggest quality-of-life unlock in your first week. Everything else — banking, doctors, school — is easier once you can drive yourself.
Phase 5: Days 30–90 and Beyond
You are past the sprint. Now make Germany home.
- Get a Deutschland-Ticket (€49/month) for unlimited local and regional train travel across Germany
- Join your installation Family Readiness Group (FRG) or Spouses' Club — the fastest path to trusted local knowledge
- Learn basic German phrases — effort is noticed and appreciated off-post
- Note your DEROS and begin mentally planning your PCS-out timeline
- Use European Living's day trips and family adventures guides to start exploring
- Embrace your first German winter — Christmas markets, Glühwein, and Gemütlichkeit make the grey worthwhile
Tip: Spring in Germany is extraordinary. If your first months are cold and dark, hold on — it gets beautiful fast.
Key Contacts — Save These Before You Land
| Contact | Number | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| German Emergency (Fire / Medical) | 112 | Works from any phone in Germany |
| German Police | 110 | Works from any phone in Germany |
| TRICARE Europe | 1-888-777-8343 | Available 24/7 from Germany |
| US Embassy Berlin | +49 30 8305 0 | Consular services and emergencies |
| Frankfurt Airport (FRA) | +49 69 690 0 | Main passenger terminal |
| US Army Europe Emergency | 0611-143-537-1476 | On-post emergency line |
| USAREUR Transportation | DSN 537-7249 | HHG and vehicle shipping questions |
Useful Links
- MyPCS — Official Army PCS Planning Portal
- DoDEA Europe — School Finder
- TRICARE Europe — Enrollment and Providers
- AAA — International Driving Permit
- No-Fee Passport Application — State Department
- Used Car Guys GmbH — Military Specialist Dealer
- American Auto Nation Insurance — USAREUR Coverage
- N26 — Online German Bank Account
- Deutsche Bahn — Germany Train Network
- European Living Services Directory
- European Living PCS Guide — Full Phase-by-Phase Guide
European Living is an independent resource and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Army, USAREUR-AF, or any military branch. Information is provided for general guidance — regulations change, always verify with your unit and official sources.