TLA Office · KMC Handbook
Estimate your TLA or TQSA before you PCS to the Kaiserslautern Military Community.
The current KMC per diem is already filled in. Just choose your status, add your family, and see a planning estimate. A quick estimate, no guarantee.
Two different allowances cover temporary lodging in Germany, depending on who you are. TLA (Temporary Lodging Allowance) is for active duty service members and follows the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR). TQSA (Temporary Quarters Subsistence Allowance) is for DoD civilian employees and follows the DSSR. Pick the right tab and add your family size to see a planning estimate.
Your details
As of September 2026 (Germany “Other” locality, which covers the KMC). Rates change monthly. We confirm your exact nightly rate individually. Official DoD per diem lookup.
Count your spouse and any dependents 12+. Do not count yourself.
Government or no-cost quarters are paid at half the TQSA rate.
Dual-military couple (both service members)? Count your spouse above as a family member 12+. TLA for two members married to each other has special JTR rules, so we confirm your exact case individually.
TLA on arrival is typically approved for about 30 days.
Estimate only, no guarantee. Actual entitlement depends on your orders, current rates, and a Finance and Housing Office review. Lodging is reimbursed up to your actual cost, not above the cap shown. For a TLA Office stay, we confirm your final nightly rate for you.
How to read your estimate
- The KMC per diem is filled in for you (Lodging $229/night, M&IE $133/day, effective September 2026). You only add your family. We keep the rate current.
- The percentages are fixed by regulation and do not change. Only the dollar per diem moves, monthly on the 1st, so the estimate stays accurate as we update it.
- For TLA, lodging is reimbursed up to your actual cost, never above the cap shown. If your lodging costs less, you receive less.
- TQSA is based on the full daily per diem (lodging plus M&IE = $362), paid over up to 90 days in three declining 30-day periods.
- TLA on arrival is typically approved for about 30 days. Longer is possible but not guaranteed and is decided by Finance and the Housing Office.
Not sure which allowance applies to you, or what the other PCS acronyms mean? Our PCS Allowances Explained guide breaks down TLA, TLE, TQSA, DLA, OHA and COLA in plain language.
Let us handle the lodging side
TLA Office runs furnished, allowance-friendly homes across the Kaiserslautern Military Community. We know how TLA and TQSA work, we invoice the way Finance expects, and we confirm your current nightly rate for you. Tell us your dates and we will take it from there.
Frequently asked questions
Is this an official TLA or TQSA calculator?
No. It is a planning estimate that applies the published JTR (TLA) and DSSR (TQSA) percentages to the current KMC per diem. Your actual entitlement is set by your orders and confirmed by Finance and the Housing Office. TLA Office also confirms your exact nightly rate individually and up to date.
What is the difference between TLA and TQSA?
TLA (Temporary Lodging Allowance) is for active duty service members and follows the Joint Travel Regulations. TQSA (Temporary Quarters Subsistence Allowance) is for DoD civilian employees and follows the DSSR. They use different formulas, so pick the tab that matches your status.
Which per diem does the tool use?
The KMC (Kaiserslautern, Ramstein, Landstuhl) is not a separately listed locality, so it uses the Germany “Other” per diem: Lodging $229 per night and M&IE $133 per day, total $362, effective September 2026. TLA applies its percentages to lodging and M&IE separately; TQSA applies its percentages to the full $362. We update these figures monthly.
How long is TLA paid on arrival?
On arrival, TLA is typically approved for about 30 days. Extensions beyond that are possible but not guaranteed and are decided case by case by Finance and the Housing Office, usually while you are actively house hunting.
Does family size change the amount?
Yes. Under the JTR, a member alone receives 100% of the lodging cap and 65% of M&IE. A member with one dependent receives 100% of both, and each additional dependent adds a set percentage. TQSA works similarly with its own declining percentages over three 30-day periods.