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TLE Calculator: Temporary Lodging Expense for 2026

TLE covers your hotel and meals while you are between homes on a PCS. It is a reimbursement, not a lump sum, and the amount scales with your family size. Enter your days and dependents for an estimated ceiling.

Up to 21 days (CONUS).

Estimated maximum TLE

$1,160

10 days at up to $116 per day

Occupant rate 65% of the local per diem.

This is a ceiling, not a guaranteed payout. TLE reimburses your actual lodging and meal costs up to this amount, and high-cost localities pay more than the standard rate used here. Keep every receipt. Build your playbook to see TLE alongside every other entitlement for your move.

How the family percentage works

TLE is figured as a percentage of the local per diem based on who is staying in the lodging. It is not simply one rate per person.

  • Member alone: 65% of the local per diem.
  • Member plus one dependent: 100%.
  • Each additional dependent age 12 or older: add 35%.
  • Each additional dependent under 12: add 25%.

The daily total is still capped at $290, and it reimburses what you actually spend, so keep receipts.

TLE questions

What is TLE?

Temporary Lodging Expense reimburses your actual lodging and meal costs around a CONUS PCS while you are between permanent homes. It covers up to 21 days total, split between your losing and gaining locations, up to a daily ceiling.

How is TLE calculated?

TLE reimburses your actual lodging (up to the local ceiling) plus a meals-and-incidentals amount, scaled by an occupant percentage for your family size. One person is 65% of the local per diem, a member plus one dependent is 100%, then each additional dependent adds 35% (age 12 and up) or 25% (under 12).

How many days of TLE do I get?

Up to 21 days for a CONUS or OCONUS-to-CONUS move, which you can split between the old and new duty stations. Some housing-short installations authorize extended TLE well beyond that, so read your orders.

Is TLE a lump sum?

No. It is a reimbursement of what you actually spend, up to the daily ceiling, so you file with receipts. If you spend less than the cap, you are reimbursed less. If you spend more, the extra is on you.

What is the daily cap on TLE?

The combined lodging and meals reimbursement is capped at $290 per day, but the actual ceiling depends on your locality's per diem rate and your family size. This calculator uses the standard rate, so verify high-cost areas with finance.

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Sources and last updated

Rate figures on this page reflect the January 2026 Joint Travel Regulations tables. Rates change, usually once a year and sometimes mid-year, so confirm the current figure before you count on it.

PCS Copilot produces estimates, not an official entitlement determination. Verify your numbers with your servicing finance office. See how we calculate on the methodology page, or report an error on the corrections page.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Defense or any branch of the U.S. military.