Household Goods

To help customers access moving resources more easily, Move.mil has moved to the Military OneSource website. Now, moving resources from the Defense Personal Property Program and Military OneSource are available on the Military OneSource website.

Visit the Moving Your Personal Property page on MilitaryOneSource.mil for comprehensive moving information, resources and services. Access content from the former Move.mil website, including moving guides and tips, videos and FAQs, entitlement brochures, household goods shipment logistics, DPS log in and more. There are also links for retiring and separating members, specific service branch information and comprehensive relocation assistance.

As soon as you receive your permanent change of station orders, it’s important to begin scheduling your move. The Defense Personal Property System, or DPS, is the online system you can use to request and manage your household goods shipment(s). For more information and a DPS log in link, visit the Moving Your Personal Property page on MilitaryOneSource.mil.

Read Preparing for Your PCS Move to learn more about coordinating your shipment and review the Personal Property Quick Reference Guide for actions you can take to ensure a smooth move.

Learn more about Your OCONUS Move: Planning, Resources and Tips. Begin to plan what items will go in unaccompanied baggage, in your household goods shipment and in long-term, Non-Temporary Storage, or NTS, storage – check with your sponsor or overseas housing office to assist in determining what items to ship.

Moving with your pet includes researching airline requirements and quarantine restriction laws in your new location. Many airlines have requirements for size, weight, breed, number of animals, kennel construction, documentation and seasonal limitations. Small pets may be shipped on military flights, but availability and regulations frequently change. Contact your installation household goods/transportation office to request specific country instructions. Military OneSource can make your move easier with helpful tips, resources and hands-on information related to moving with pets and more.

Vehicles

Our Personal Property Office estimates that approximately 90% of those who decide to ship their privately owned vehicle to Sasebo do not complete the process.

Please read the following information carefully before making a decision regarding shipping your POV to Sasebo.

Personal Property Consignment Instructions Guide for Japan indicates that POV shipments are subject to waiver requirements. All DOD military members and employees must obtain prior approval from their respective service authority in Japan. For Navy member or civilian employee from Commander US Naval Forces Japan to obtain a POV shipping waiver request, contact N-8, FPO AP 96349, phone DSN 315-243-7742/5663/6392, fax DSN 315-243-7759.

Provided the request is approved, the POV should be turned in to the nearest Vehicle Processing Center. There are VPCs throughout the world. The list for VPCs can be found in the Shipping Your POV pamphlet.

If the POV is leased, or a recorded lien exists, the member/employee must provide written approval from the "third-party-in-interest" (leasing company or lien holder), which expressly provides that the vehicle may be exported. This written approval must be on the leasing company's or lien holder’s letterhead paper, and contain a complete description of the vehicle, including the vehicle identification number, the name of the owner or lien holder of the leased vehicle and the telephone numbers at which that owner or lien holder may be contacted.

Once, the POV is turned in to the VPC, it will arrive in Yokohama Port JA first and then get transferred to Sasebo upon completion of JA customs clearance. When the Military Port Terminal (836th Transportation Battalion) Yokohama JA receives the POV, they inform the Personal Property Office of the shipment arrival and contact the member/employee to have him/her complete USFJ Form 380. Since JA custom’s office does not accept a faxed/scanned copy, the original USFJ Form 380 signed by him/her must be mailed to the 836th Transportation Battalion Yokohama JA. Upon completion of JA custom’s clearance there, the shipment will move forward with transfer to Sasebo JA.

Once the POV arrives in Sasebo, it will be placed in short term storage in a POV parking lot at a government facility. The member/employee must pick up the POV within 21 days. However, the member/employee must understand that it is his/her responsibility to make an arrangement for transportation of the POV from the parking lot to the place he/she wants to move, normally by a car carrier truck or a tow truck provided by the auto shop. As per USFJ policy and Japanese traffic regulation, any personally owned car/moped/motorcycle which has no Japanese license plate (this means, without Japanese Compulsory Insurance - JCI and registration) cannot be driven on base or off base. If the member/employee wishes to drive the POV, a temporary license can be obtained from Japanese local Land Transportation Office. In this case, he/she must purchase JCI for a minimum of one month's coverage (6,500Yen/$65.00 US) and deposit 1,500Yen/$1500 US to the LTO for the temporary license plate. This temporary license plate only covers a few days to transport the POV even though the JCI bought by him/her covers a one month period. The temporary license place also limits the distance, for example, from the base to an auto shop or the LTO. If he/she had an accident other than en-route designated by the LTO, the JCI would not cover the accident.

Japanese emission control standard was placed in effect in 1973 and the criteria has been strengthened since the Heisei emission standard for economy in gas consumption was placed in effect 2000, 2005 and 2010. The POV (manufactured after 1978) needs to have an emission test done and a certificate issued by the Japanese government authority. The nearest authorized testing facility is in Osaka JA which is about 450 miles away from Sasebo. The cost for the emission test varies based on the manufactured year and category of the vehicle (passenger car, truck and motorcycle) and is from 100,000Yen/$1,000 US to 216,000Yen/$2,160 US. Also the member/employee must consider additional line haul cost between Sasebo and Osaka (round trip) and the auto shop's labor charge.

In addition to the emission control standard, any imported vehicle must meet Japanese safety standard, such as front head light brightness and focus, brake lamps, turn signal lamps, safety seat belt, rear view mirror, speedometer and other requirements. Prior to turning in the POV to the LTO, modification/repair of POV must be completed. The cost to the member to have his/her POV modified to meet Japanese standards varies.

Upon completion of the required modification, inspection and registration must be done at the same time in the area the member is stationed. In order to have the POV registered, a parking certificate issued by the military installation in Sasebo, Security Department, COMFLEACT Sasebo, is required to process paperwork for registration. Prior to registration, any imported car must be taken to the LTO at Sasebo and must pass their strict inspection. For vehicles coming into Japan from another country, the inspectors are very strict. All required forms and documents are in Japanese.

The Personal Property Office’s recommendation is not to ship, but it is the member’s/employee’s decision. If he/she still insists on shipping his POV to Sasebo, then he/she needs to send a request for a waiver to COMNAVFOR Japan via the commanding officer of his unit.

The member/employee must be aware that "to have the POV registered/modified" is just between the GOJ (Japanese Land Transportation Office) and him/her, and that the U.S. government cannot say anything to the GOJ on this matter.

Pets

Planning for shipment of your pet includes researching airline requirements and quarantine and restriction laws in Japan. You will need to ask the airlines the requirements for size, weight and number of animals. Contact the Family Member Assistance Team at DSN: 315-252-3623/3627 or the Transportation Office at DSN: 315-252-3377 prior to arrival. For transportation reservations call 011-81-956-50-3623/3629.

Please contact the Sasebo Veterinary Treatment Facility for a "PCSing with Pets" package at sasebovetclinic@gmail.com.