Your PCS to Colorado Springs Checklist: 90 Days Out to Move-In

PCS orders to Colorado Springs put a hard clock on every decision your family needs to make. Here is the short answer: start your housing search at 90 days out, lock your movers and financing at 60 days, and use the final 30 days to close out your current address and set up your new one. Miss that sequence and you are chasing dates instead of choosing your neighborhood.

Colorado Springs is home to Fort Carson, Peterson Space Force Base, Schriever Space Force Base, the U.S. Air Force Academy, and Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station. Thousands of military families move here every year, and the summer PCS season drives real competition for housing. The earlier you work the checklist, the more choices you protect.

90 Days Out: Orders Drop, Clock Starts

The moment PCS orders arrive is the moment to start moving on housing, not two months later. Three parallel tracks need to open at the same time.

Verify your orders and entitlements. Read the orders carefully: confirm your report date, dependency status, and move type (HHG government-arranged shipment or PPM/personally procured move). Errors in orders affect your BAH rate, weight allowance, and Dislocation Allowance (DLA), so catch them now and route corrections through your S1 or personnel office before scheduling anything with the Transportation Management Office (TMO).

Calculate your BAH and set a real housing budget. Colorado Springs falls under Military Housing Area CO046. For 2026, the DoD BAH Rate shows (for example) $2,358 per month for an E-5 with dependents and $2,433 for an E-6 with dependents. Verify your own rate by pay grade and dependency status using the official tool, then build your housing budget from that number before you tour a single home. Families targeting Academy District 20 school zones typically run $100–$250 per month above the standard E-5 BAH rate (as of 2026) for comparable housing.

Contact on-base housing immediately. If you are considering on-base housing at Fort Carson or Peterson SFB, waitlists during PCS season (roughly May through August) can run several months. Getting on the list the day orders drop is very different from calling when you have a confirmed report date.

Open your PCS binder. Keep certified copies of orders, military IDs, birth certificates, Social Security cards, school and immunization records, vehicle titles, pet health certificates, and insurance documents in one folder. This binder travels with you, never in the HHG shipment.

Choose your neighborhoods before you choose a house. Colorado Springs has five school districts serving military families, and the district your children attend is largely determined by your address. At 90 days out, research the key trade-offs using the table below.

The School Liaison Officer at your gaining installation is your best resource for enrollment, IEP transfers, and navigating Interstate Compact protections. Contact them before you arrive.

Connect with a Colorado Springs military relocation specialist early. Remote virtual home tours are available and practical here. Given the PCS timeline pressure, starting that relationship at 90 days gives you time to tour seriously, not just scroll listings. The Colorado Springs area page can give you an early read on neighborhoods and price ranges across the Pikes Peak region.

60 Days Out: Action Phase: Movers, Financing, and Housing

At 60 days out, planning converts into scheduling. Four things have to happen in roughly this sequence.

Book your HHG shipment through DPS. Log in to my.move.mil using your CAC or DS Logon credentials and schedule your pack date, pickup date, and delivery window. The Defense Personal Property System operates first-come, first-served during peak season. Families who schedule at 60 days out get preferred carrier slots. Families who wait until 30 days out take whatever is left. Confirm your DPS shipment number and add it to your PCS binder.

Get VA loan pre-approval. Pre-approval confirms your purchase ceiling before remote tours begin and strengthens any offer you make in a competitive market. A VA-experienced lender typically needs your current PCS orders, two months of LES statements, two years of federal tax returns, and two months of bank statements. Verify your Certificate of Eligibility and funding fee tier before your lender consultation. Your BAH can count as qualifying income in many VA underwriting scenarios, so document it clearly. The mortgage calculator and affordability calculator are useful tools for running preliminary numbers before that conversation.

Begin remote home tours in earnest. With pre-approval confirmed, your agent can show you homes via live video (FaceTime or Zoom, not pre-recorded walkthroughs). Ask your agent to walk the surrounding block, show proximity to installation gates, and identify nearby schools during every tour. Request a second showing on any home before submitting an offer, details missed in the first walkthrough surface in the second.

Assemble your full PCS binder. Double-check that you have 10–15 certified copies of orders, all family member IDs, medical and dental records, school transcripts, pet vaccination documentation, vehicle titles, and blank DD Form 1351-2 (travel voucher forms). The binder stays in your car or carry-on throughout the move.

Register children for childcare now. Child Development Center (CDC) waitlists at Peterson SFB can stretch considerably during peak PCS season. Contact your gaining installation's CDC directly to get on the waitlist as soon as orders arrive. If you are already at the 60-day mark, call today. Current waitlist availability can shift quickly and is best confirmed with the CDC directly.

Decide: buy or rent? Colorado Springs is a steady military housing market with consistent demand driven by multiple installations. Buying with a VA loan means no down payment and no monthly mortgage insurance for most qualified borrowers. Renting offers more flexibility if your orders situation is uncertain or your tour length is short. Most military families evaluate this decision using a two-to-four-year PCS cycle horizon. There is no universal right answer, but the decision shapes the next 30 days significantly.

30 Days Out: Finalization: Close Out, Set Up, Execute

The final month is about closing your current address cleanly while activating everything at the new one. Five things run in parallel.

Notify utilities and schedule disconnects. Contact electric, gas, water, trash, internet, and cable providers with your move-out date and forwarding address. Schedule disconnects for the day after key handover, not the day of. Request final meter readings on move-out day and photograph the meters with a timestamp. Return all cable and internet equipment before your disconnect date to avoid unreturned-equipment fees.

Submit your lease termination notice. Under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, Section 305 (50 U.S.C. § 3955), military tenants can terminate a residential lease without penalty when PCS orders relocate them to a duty station 35 or more miles from the current rental. The termination is effective 30 days after the next rental payment due date following written notice. Deliver this notice in writing with a copy of your orders and keep proof of delivery.

Declutter before pack day. Every pound you ship above your weight allowance comes out of your pocket, not the government's. Donate or sell items not worth the freight cost.

Dispose of all hazardous materials: paint, propane, ammunition, cleaning chemicals (because movers are not allowed to load them).

Put together an essentials kit: seven days of clothing per family member, all medications, toiletries, chargers, kids' comfort items, and documents.

Prepare for pack and load day. Be present for the entire packing process. Walk each room with the lead mover, verify every box label against its destination room, and photograph every room after packing is complete. Note any pre-existing damage on the inventory sheet before signing.

Obtain the lead mover's direct number and your DPS tracking number before the truck leaves. These two pieces of information connect you to the claims system if anything arrives damaged.

Set up your new Colorado Springs home remotely. Transfer utilities, update your renter's or homeowner's insurance, and confirm your new address with the post office before departure. If you are buying, confirm that your closing date aligns with your travel itinerary and that all utilities are active before the final walkthrough.

If you are selling your current home before PCSing, align your closing window with your report date. A typical VA loan closing runs 30–45 days after offer acceptance.

Listing roughly 60 days before your report date gives you time for showings plus a full contract-to-close window without being forced into rushed repairs. Talk with your agent about a post-closing rent-back arrangement if you need to stay in the home through pack-out day. The home valuation tool can help you establish a realistic price before you list.

Arriving in Colorado Springs: First 30 Days Post-Move

Your top priority in the first week is filing your travel voucher and updating DEERS, both have short windows that affect reimbursement and TRICARE access. Several other tasks follow closely behind.

File your travel voucher within 5–10 days. DD Form 1351-2 is the document that triggers reimbursement for TLE (Temporary Lodging Expense, up to $290 per day as of 2026 for up to 21 days on CONUS moves, effective November 2024), per diem, and DLA. Submit it through the Defense Travel System or your unit finance office. Late submissions delay reimbursement and require finance office intervention.

Inspect your household goods delivery. Cross-reference every item on the mover's inventory sheet against your own pre-move photos. Photograph all damaged items before signing any delivery paperwork. Note damage directly on the delivery inventory sheet. File damage claims through my.move.mil within nine months of delivery.

Update ID cards, DEERS, and TRICARE. Head to the Military Personnel Flight or your branch equivalent on arrival to update DEERS for all family members. Enroll in TRICARE West for the Colorado Springs area at the appropriate clinic. A gap in TRICARE enrollment can affect provider access, so do not defer this errand.

Enroll the kids in school. Contact your installation School Liaison Officer before the first week is out. They facilitate records transfers under the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children and advocate for appropriate grade placement when receiving districts push back. Three documents cover most school enrollment situations: official transcripts, state-current immunization records, and a copy of PCS orders.

Get your Colorado driver's license and plates. Colorado requires new residents to transfer their driver's license within 30 days of establishing residency and to register their vehicle within 90 days. Visit the Colorado DMV new residents page for current documentation requirements.

Explore your new community. Colorado Springs sits at 6,035 feet, enjoys an above-average number of sunny days annually, and offers low humidity year-round. The city provides direct access to Pikes Peak, Garden of the Gods, Cheyenne Mountain State Park, and skiing within 90 minutes. Plan on a few weeks of mild altitude adjustment: more water, lighter workouts while your body acclimatizes.

Relocating to Colorado Springs on PCS orders?

The PCS Team, led by Daniel Padilla, a retired U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer, specializes in military PCS moves throughout the Pikes Peak region, call (719) 900-6998 or send a message through The PCS Team contact page to get your move plan started before the clock runs out.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far in advance should military families start their Colorado Springs PCS checklist?

Ninety days from orders is the right starting point. On-base housing waitlists at Fort Carson and Peterson SFB can stretch several months during peak PCS season, and Defense Personal Property System scheduling runs first-come, first-served. Families who wait until 60 days out lose preferred carrier slots, see reduced housing inventory, and have less time to work through entitlement processing before their report date.

What school districts do military families in Colorado Springs typically choose?

The right district depends on where you live, your commute priority, and what programs matter to your family. Academy District 20 covers Briargate and Northgate and carries the highest academic ratings in the region, though housing in those zones typically runs $100–$250 per month above the standard E-5 BAH rate (as of 2026). Falcon District 49 serves the Powers Corridor, Stetson Hills, and Banning Lewis Ranch with strong STEM programs and the region's only Military Student & Family Liaison (MSFL). Fountain-Fort Carson District 8 sits closest to Fort Carson's gates. On-base Tierra Vista housing at Peterson SFB falls under Colorado Springs District 11. Your installation School Liaison Officer is the right first call for enrollment, IEP continuity, and Interstate Compact protections.

Can military families break a lease early for a PCS to Colorado Springs?

Active duty members have federal protection here. Under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (50 U.S.C. § 3955), a lease can be ended without penalty when orders send you 35 or more miles away. Written notice with a copy of your orders triggers termination 30 days after the next rent due date following that notice. Keep proof of delivery for every notice you submit.

What is the 2026 BAH rate for Colorado Springs?

For 2026, Colorado Springs falls under Military Housing Area CO046. An E-5 with dependents receives $2,358 per month, an E-6 with dependents receives $2,433 per month. Use the official DoD BAH Rate to confirm your exact rate by pay grade and dependency status. Families targeting Academy District 20 school zones often budget $100–$250 per month above the standard enlisted BAH rate (as of 2026) for comparable housing.

How does the VA loan benefit work for a Colorado Springs PCS home purchase?

Eligible service members can purchase with no down payment and no monthly mortgage insurance through a VA-backed loan. Getting pre-approval at 60 days out locks in your purchase ceiling before remote tours begin. Documents needed include PCS orders, two months of LES statements, two years of federal tax returns, and two months of bank statements. Review your eligibility and funding fee details. In Colorado Springs, BAH is generally documentable as qualifying income, which can meaningfully expand purchasing power across the Pikes Peak region.